Norway. Dominating winners and new Cup winner. Which also barely survived relegation. Two teams directly relegated from First Division and the 10th going to promotion/relegation play-offs against the 2nd-placed teams in the 2 groups of Second Division. The Second Division groups winners – directly promoted.
Moss FK won Group A of Second Division with 35 points – 5 points ahead of the nearest rival.
Drøbak/Frogn clinched 2nd place on better goal-difference and got a chance to go up too, if winning the promotion/relegation play-offs.
Interestingly, Strømsgodset was very weak this year, finished 10th with 16 points and was relegated to Third Division – more often than not they used to play top level football. Third rrow from left: Olav Gjesteby, Bjørn Solum, Ulf Camitz, Ole Viggo Walseth, Tor Sara, Isak Ole Hætta.
Middle row: Erik Eriksen (trener), Joar Løhre, Roar Flaglien, Cato Leine, Torkel Knutsen, Arne Marcussen, Hans Roger Gjennestad, Ole Johnny Lofsberg, Terje Løver.
Sitting: Jan Wendelborg, Arne Gustavsen, Bjørn Heier, Ulrik Mathisen, Geir Bakke, Ole Garman Lorvik, Ole Isak Mienna.
Brann (Bergen) had no equal in Group B, winning it with 35 points. Top row from left: Per Hilmar Nybø, Trond Devik, Trond Nordeide, Sævar Jønsson, Bjarni Sigurdsson, Arne Møller, Fridtjof Wilborn, Ivar Morten Nordmark, Lars Moldestad, Rune Enehaug (fysioterapeut).
Middle row: Alf Dahl, Tore Hadler-Olsen, Halvor Storskogen, Tony Knapp (coach), Trygve Larsen (assistant coach), Dan Riisnes, Erik Solèr, Åge Eikrem, Lasse Urheim.
Front row: Ingvar Dalhaug, Ketil Brekke, Hans Brandtun, Terje Risa, Trond Totland, Ketil Hatland.
Quite unusually for second tier team Brann had first-rate players in the roster, like Erik Soler.
Vidar comfortably took 2nd place with 30 points and went to promotion/relegation play-offs.
Moss and Brann were promoted; Vidar,
Drøbak/Frogn and Tromsø – 19th in First Division – went to the promotion/relegation play-off to compete for 1 top-league spot. No luck for the second division teams here – Tromsø beat them both and escaped relegation.
Saved in the last minute: Tromsø.
Strømmen was the outsider in the First Division and finished last with 8 points. Viking (Stavanger), one of the best Norwegian teams in the 1970s, was lowly now – ended 11th with 17 points and was also relegated.
Tromsø escaped direct relegation, but finished 10th with 18 points and had to fight for survival against second division teams in the promotion/relegation play-offs. But they managed to come on top and keep top flight place.
Molde was lucky – 9th with 20 points.
Rosenborg was just 8th with 21 points – closer to relegation than success.
Start had so-so season – 4th with 24 points.
Kongsvinger was out of luck – they ended 3rd with 27 points, but worse goal-difference denied them 2nd place and representing Norway in the UEFA Cup.
Mjøndalen clinched 2nd place on better goal-difference and was going to play a bit of international football, which was great. But this was also their maximum – the title was beyond their reach.
Lillestrøm dominated this championship and easily won it 6 points ahead of the nearest pursuers. 16 wins, 1 tie, 5 losses, 40-17 goal-difference, 33 points, and 4th title. They had to wait almost 10 years for it, but the come back was very powerful. It was going to be a double…
Lillestrøm reached the Cup final and at least on the surface the victory was granted – Tromsø was the other finalist. A club not only never a winner, but having weak season as well, trying only to escape relegation. But predictions went to the dogs on the field – lowly Tromsø destroyed the favorites 4-1!
The unlikely heroes received the Cup and their joy was endless.
Not only Norway had a brand new Cup winner, but the outsiders triumphed spectacularly over the best squad in the country. Crouching from left: Trond Johansen, Tore Rismo, Truls Jensen, Lars Espejord, Bjarte Flem. Standing: Per Høgmo, Sigmund Forfang, Tore Nilsen, Tor Pedersen, Trond Steinar Albertsen, Nils Solstad.
Instant heroes, instant legends – this squad won the very first trophy in the history of the clubs. They did it in great manner, nothing chancy. Here they were, a team barely escaping relegation, but destroying the domineering champions 4-1! Lovely victory and great success.