IK Start in the period 1975 -1984

1975 marks the year IK Start celebrates its 70th anniversary, Saigon fell, leading to the reunification of North and South Vietnam and the UN designates March 8 as International Women’s Day. In addition, Bodø/Glimt wins the Norwegian Cup final in football, becoming the first team from Northern Norway ever to do so .

In Kristiansand, Start’s new facility, “Starthallen,” is completed. Read more here.

The period the team is entering is often referred to as the “Golden Era.” Recently promoted and with a young, technically skilled squad, Start won two league championships in a short period, along with several third-place finishes.

It began with Start hiring Tor Røste Fossen from Rosenborg as head coach ahead of the 1975 season. He led Start to a third-place finish and two fourth-place finishes before leaving to coach the national team—a breath of fresh air from Trondheim.

In the 1975 Norwegian Cup, Start reached the semifinals (6th round), where they faced Bodø/Glimt. The team’s top scorer for the 1975 season was Helge Skuseth, with 9 goals in 22 league matches.

Trond Pedersen became the first Start player to wear the national team jersey when he debuted against Finland in June 1975.

1976
In the 1976 season, Start finished 4th in the league, with Helge Skuseth as top scorer, netting 6 goals.
In the Norwegian Cup, the team reached the quarterfinals (5th round), where they faced Sogndal.

1977
Strong league performances allowed Start to compete against top European teams.
In the autumn of 1977, Start played in the UEFA Cup. They first faced Fram Reykjavík, defeating them 8–0 on aggregate. In the next round, Start famously beat Eintracht Braunschweig, a team featuring European and World Champion Paul Breitner. Helge Haugen scored the decisive goal in a 1–0 home victory after a heroic sprint.

In the Norwegian Cup, Start reached the quarterfinals (5th round) again, this time against Lillestrøm.
The team’s top scorer for the 1977 season was Svein Mathisen, with 11 goals in 22 league matches.

1978
Karsten Johannessen took over as head coach for the 1978 season. After 13 wins, 7 draws, and 2 losses, Start finished two points ahead of Lillestrøm, securing the league title.

This was the first league championship won by a team from Southern Norway. A Telemark native stood out as a key player. Roy Amundsen conceded only 13 goals in 22 matches, keeping a clean sheet in 14 games, while Svein Mathisen was the team’s top scorer with 11 goals.

In the Norwegian Cup, Start reached the semifinals, where they were defeated by Lillestrøm over two matches.

1979
The 1979 season was a mid-table year, with Start finishing five points behind Viking, who claimed their fifth league title of the 1970s. Start ended the season in third place.
In the Norwegian Cup, Start was eliminated by Haugar in the 4th round.

The team’s top scorers for the 1979 season were Svein Mathisen and Preben Jørgensen, each with 6 goals in 22 league matches.

1980
The 1980 season brought another league championship, still under the leadership of Karsten Johannessen. Start finished level on points with Bryne, but claimed the title with a superior goal difference of 52–26, four goals ahead of Bryne.

Key Players and Highlights (1980–1984)

Sven Otto Birkeland, Svein Mathisen, Trond Pedersen, and Helge Skuseth were the players who stood out most during these seasons. We also must not forget Steinar Aase, who scored the winning goal against Rosenborg with a header. The team’s top scorers for the 1980 season were Svein Mathisen and Steinar Aase, both with 11 goals.

A 40-year anniversary commemorates these achievements. 

In the Norwegian Cup, Start was eliminated by Vigør in the 2nd round.

After the season, Start released the “Gullkassetten 1980”, featuring contributions from Bjørge Lillelien, Wenche Myhre, and Bjøro Håland.

1981
It seemed as though the team had lost momentum. In the 1981 season, Start managed only 4 wins, finishing in eighth place. The following season, they dropped to ninth place. However, performance improved again in 1983 and 1984, with the team finishing third in both seasons, under the last two and a half years of Erik Ruthford Pedersen as head coach.

Top scorers for Start:

• 1981: Svein Mathisen (12 goals)

• 1982: Svein Mathisen (10 goals)

• 1983: Steinar Aase (13 goals)

• 1984: Arve Seland (11 goals)

Arve Seland became the first player from Southern Norway to participate in the Olympic Games, playing as a striker in all of Norway’s matches in the USA.

Thus, one can say the “Golden Age” had come to an end.

Summary: Two league championships, four third-place finishes, two fourth-place finishes, plus an eighth and ninth place over a ten-year period—a record to be proud of. But, as always, all things must come to an end.

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Club Leadership and Administrative Milestones

The chairman elected in 1975 was Rolf Andresen, followed by Sverre Hornnes (1976–1980) and Erik Svendsen (1981–1984).

Administratively, “Starthallen” was inaugurated as a new meeting place for the club.

International Context: In 1984, the Soviet Union boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics, and Bishop Desmond Tutu was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
Domestically, Fredrikstad won the Norwegian Cup in men’s football, famously sealed by Per Egil Ahlsen’s long-range goal.

Final Results and League/Cup Placements (1975–1984)
Home games were played at Kristiansand Stadium.

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Sources: Start i hundre, Alt om Start in Fædrelandsvennen, nifs.no, Soccerway.com, IK Start annual reports, personal notes, and articles summarizing match results throughout the season