1974 Norwegian First Division

Norwegian First League

Season	1974
Champions	Viking 4th title
Relegated	HamKam Sarpsborg Raufoss
European Cup	Viking
UEFA Cup	Molde Vålerengen
Cup Winners' Cup	Skeid (Cup Winner)
← 1973 1975 →

The 1974 Norwegian First Division, Norway's first-tier football league, was contested by 12 teams and was won by Viking, one point ahead of the newly promoted team Molde. This was Viking third consecutive league championship, and the fourth total. HamKam, Sarpsborg and Raufoss was relegated to the 1975 Norwegian Second Division.

Team changes from 1973

Frigg, Lyn and Fredrikstad was relegated from the 1973 Norwegian First Division,^[1] and was replaced by Sarpsborg and Molde who won their 1973 Norwegian Second Division groups, in addition to Vålerengen who won the promotion play-off against Bryne and Mjølner.^[2]

Season summary

Molde, who were playing in the top-flight for the first time since the 1957–58 season, won their three first matches and were leading the league in 9 of 22 rounds. Molde were in the lead with three matches left to play, despite a 0–2 loss at home against Viking, but when Vålerengen won 4–3 against Molde after a match-winning goal from Terje Olsen in the next match, Viking was the top of the league. Before the last match, Viking was leading one point ahead of Molde, and they won their third consecutive championship after they beat Strømsgodset in the last match.^[3] Viking had the opportunity to win the double, but lost the 1974 Norwegian Football Cup final 3–1 against Skeid.^[4]

Viking's goalkeeper, Erik Johannessen kept a clean sheet for 672 minutes during the season,^[5] which is still a Norwegian record as of 2012.^[6] Molde's Odd Berg became the top goalscorer in the league with 13 goals.^[7]

HamKam, Sarpsborg and Raufoss were relegated at the end of the season.^[8] This was HamKam's first relegation from the top league, and the club has later been relegated eight times, which is a Norwegian record.^[9] Sarpsborg FK had previously been one of the big clubs in Norway, but their spell in the top-flight in 1974 was their last, and for the next 36 years the town of Sarpsborg did not have a first-tier team until Sarpsborg 08 played in Tippeligaen in the 2011 season.^[10] Raufoss, who did not win a match until the 20th round,^[8] has not been able to play in the top league again.^[11]

League standings

Pos	Club	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
1	Viking	22	11	9	2	31	10	31
2	Molde	22	12	6	4	40	18	30
3	Vålerengen	22	12	4	6	33	25	28
4	Brann	22	9	9	4	36	20	27
5	Strømsgodset	22	11	5	6	38	28	27
6	Skeid	22	11	3	8	30	26	25
7	Start	22	9	6	7	37	31	24
8	Rosenborg	22	9	5	8	39	31	23
9	Mjøndalen	22	7	3	12	29	37	17
10	HamKam	22	5	5	12	21	47	15
11	Sarpsborg	22	4	3	15	21	47	11
12	Raufoss	22	1	4	17	16	51	6

Source:^[8]

References

1. "First division 1973". RSSSF Norway. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
2. "Second division 1973". RSSSF Norway. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
3. "Vi sjokkerte norsk fotball i 1974" (in Norwegian). Romsdals Budstikke. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
4. "For 35 år siden..." (in Norwegian). Skeid Fotball. 20 October 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
5. "VG vurderer Viking" (in Norwegian). Verdens Gang. 9 April 2001. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
6. Sandberg, Fredrik Økstad (15 April 2012). "Udjus klarte 557 minutter uten baklengsmål" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
7. Berre, Tor (13 March 2008). "Toppscorere" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
8. "First division 1974" (in Norwegian). RSSSF Norway. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
9. Rikoll, Monica (19 March 2012). "HamKam er norgesmestere i nedrykk" (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
10. Veland, Bernhard (7 November 2010). "Sarpsborg rykker opp til eliteserien" (in Norwegian). Aftenbladet. Norwegian News Agency. Retrieved 15 March 2013.
11. "Raufoss Idrettslag". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Retrieved 15 March 2013.