Tippeligaen

history

The Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is also colloquially known as Eliteserien ("The Elite Series"), although the name has never been official.

Between 1963 and 1990 the name of the league was 1. divisjon ("1st Division"), a name that has later been used for the second level league from 1991. (In 2005 the second level league was officially named Adeccoligaen after its sponsor Adecco.) From the fall of 1948 to 1962 the top division was called Hovedserien ("The Main League"), and between 1937 and the summer of 1948, it was called Norgesserien ("The League of Norway").

Format

Competition

●

Bodø/Glimt

●

Brann

●

Fredrikstad

●

Lillestrøm

●

Vålerenga, Lyn

●

Molde

●

Odd Grenland

●

Rosenborg

●

Stabæk

●

Sandefjord

●

Start

●

Strømsgodset

●

Tromsø

●

Viking

●

Aalesund

As of the 2009 season there are 16 clubs in the Norwegian Premier League, half of which are placed in or near the Oslofjord area. The Norwegian league is distinguished for having two teams north of the Arctic Circle: Tromsø and Bodø/Glimt. During the course of a season, each club plays the others twice, home and away, for a total of 30 games for each club, and a total of 240 games in a season. The season starts in March and lasts until early November. Rounds played during the weekends are broken up into one game on Saturdays, six games on Sundays and one game on Mondays. Midweek rounds are broken up into six games on Wednesdays and one game on Thursdays. For the final two rounds, all games start simultaneously so that no club may gain an unfair advantage by knowing the results of other games in advance of kicking off their own.

The 16 May round, which is played one day ahead of Norway's Constitution Day, 17 May, is one of the most anticipated rounds of the season. It is often referred to as the "national day of football"In Norwegian "fotballens nasjonaldag", see e.g. »http://www.norskefans.com/norge/artikel.asp?id=11033 (norskefans.no) and, because it always precedes a national holiday, games are attended by more spectators than for any other round.

Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Teams are ranked by total points, then goal difference, goals scored, and then head to head records used to separate teams on equal points. At the end of each season, the club with the most points is crowned "League Winner". The title of "Champions" is reserved for the Cup Winners. The two lowest placed teams are automatically relegated to the First Division and the top two teams from the First Division take their place. The fourteenth placed team in the Premier League is also in danger of being relegated and must enter play-offs with teams from the First Division to stay in the top flight.

European qualification

As of the 2009-10 European season the winners of the previous calendar years Norwegian Premier League enter the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League, while the second and third placed teams enter respectively, the third and second qualifying rounds of the Europa League.»http://www.xs4all.nl/~kassiesa/bert/uefa/access2009.html The fourth placed team may also qualify, depending on what happens in the Norwegian Cup. Normally the winners of the Cup receive the final spot (entering the Europa League in the third qualifying round). If the winners have already qualified for Europe, the spot is transferred to the fourth placed team. Incidentally, the cup competition is called The Championship, while the winners of the League are merely that - League Winners.

The Norwegian Premier League is nineteenth in the UEFA rankings of European leagues based on their performances in European competitions over a five year period.

History

The league has enjoyed tremendous popularity in Norway. Viking of Stavanger won the first year the league bore the name Tippeligaen, followed by Rosenborg of Trondheim, claiming 13 consecutive titles (1992-2004). During the first years Rosenborg won with a substantial margin, only partly challenged by Molde, Lillestrøm and Brann. However, this was streadily narrowing down towards a dramatic finish in 2004, where the Trondheim team tied with Vålerenga of Oslo in game points, but finished ahead on goals scored. However, in 2005 the winning streak came to an end as Vålerenga clinched the title, one point ahead of Start of Kristiansand. Rosenborg was never in contention that season and would finish only 7th. In 2006, Rosenborg returned to the top of the league, coming back from 10 points behind Brann at the halfway point to clinch the title with a match to spare. Brann won the league in 2007, and Stabæk won their first-ever title in 2008.

The league has been professional since 1992.

UEFA Rankings

UEFA Country Ranking for league participation in 2010-11 European football season (Previous year rank in italics)

17 (17) Bulgarian League
18 (15) Czech
19 (18) Norwegian Tippeliga
20 (20) Austria
21 (21) Serbia

Current members

Tippeligaen title holders

The following sixteen clubs will compete in the Norwegian Premier League during the 2010 season. {| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- !Club
!Finishing position
in 2009 !First season in
top divisionCounting from 1963, the first season with a single top division. !First season of
current spell in
top division |- |style="text-align:left;"|Brann||||1963||1987 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Haugesund||||1997||2010 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Hønefoss||||2010||2010 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Kongsvinger||||1983||2010 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Lillestrøm||||1975||1975 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Molde||||1974||2008 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Odd Grenland||||1965||2009 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Rosenborg||||1967||1979 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Sandefjord||||2006||2009 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Stabæk||||1995||2006 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Start||||1969||2009 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Strømsgodset||||1967||2007 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Tromsø||||1986||2003 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Viking||||1963||1989 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Vålerenga||||1963||2002 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Aalesund||||2003||2007 |}

Top flight champions

The following clubs have won the top division in Norwegian football since 1938. Note that this list is in a way misleading, due to the fact that clubs from Northern Norway were not allowed to take part in the league system before 1972. This odd league system caused considerable bitterness in the north in the 50's, 60's and 70's (see also: Bodø/Glimt and List of Premier League Champions from 1938 to present time).

21 wins: Rosenborg
9 wins: Fredrikstad
8 wins: Viking
5 wins: Lillestrøm, Vålerenga
3 wins: Brann, Larvik Turn
2 wins: Lyn, Start
1 win: Fram Larvik, Freidig, Moss, Skeid, Strømsgodset, Stabæk

League Winners

Below is a list of the gold, silver and bronze medalists in the Norwegian Premier League for men since its beginning in 1937/38. (The Norwegian football cup has been played since 1902, and is regarded as the Championship of Norway, presented with "The King`s Cup".) During 1937-1948 the name of the league was Norgesserien ("The League of Norway"), 1948-1962 Hovedserien ("The Main League"), 1963-1990 1. divisjon ("1st Division"), and from 1991 Tippeligaen (sponsored name) or Eliteserien ("The Elite League", a generic name).

Before 1961, the league was divided into two sections, and decided by a final match. Since then it has been a roundrobin decided through a league table. Bronze finals were played in 1960 and 1961, before that no bronze medals were awarded. Note that clubs from Northern Norway (including Bodø/Glimt and Tromsø) were not allowed in the top division until 1972, but a separate Northern Norwegian Cup was played. The league did not play during the period 1940-1946 because of the 2nd World War.

See below for a list of medalists by club name.

Medalists by year

The following medals have been awarded:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" |- !Season !Gold !Silver !Bronze !Name of league |- |2009 |Rosenborg |Molde |Stabæk |Tippeligaen |- |2008 |Stabæk |Fredrikstad |Tromsø |Tippeligaen |- |2007 |Brann |Stabæk |Viking |Tippeligaen |- |2006 |Rosenborg |Brann |Vålerenga |Tippeligaen |- |2005 |Vålerenga |Start |Lyn |Tippeligaen |- |2004 |Rosenborg |Vålerenga |Brann |Tippeligaen |- |2003 |Rosenborg |Bodø/Glimt |Stabæk |Tippeligaen |- |2002 |Rosenborg |Molde |Lyn |Tippeligaen |- |2001 |Rosenborg |Lillestrøm |Viking |Tippeligaen |- |2000 |Rosenborg |Brann |Viking |Tippeligaen |- |1999 |Rosenborg |Molde |Brann |Tippeligaen |- |1998 |Rosenborg |Molde |Stabæk |Tippeligaen |- |1997 |Rosenborg |Brann |Strømsgodset |Tippeligaen |- |1996 |Rosenborg |Lillestrøm |Viking |Tippeligaen |- |1995 |Rosenborg |Molde |Bodø/Glimt |Tippeligaen |- |1994 |Rosenborg |Lillestrøm |Viking |Tippeligaen |- |1993 |Rosenborg |Bodø/Glimt |Lillestrøm |Tippeligaen |- |1992 |Rosenborg |Kongsvinger |Start |Tippeligaen |- |1991 |Viking |Rosenborg |Start |New name: Tippeligaen |- |1990 |Rosenborg |Tromsø |Molde |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1989 |Lillestrøm |Rosenborg |Tromsø |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1988 |Rosenborg |Lillestrøm |Molde |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1987 |Moss |Molde |Kongsvinger |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1986 |Lillestrøm |Mjøndalen |Kongsvinger |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1985 |Rosenborg |Lillestrøm |Vålerenga |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1984 |Vålerenga |Viking |Start |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1983 |Vålerenga |Lillestrøm |Start |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1982 |Viking |Bryne |Lillestrøm |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1981 |Vålerenga |Viking |Rosenborg |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1980 |Start |Bryne |Lillestrøm |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1979 |Viking |Moss |Start |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1978 |Start |Lillestrøm |Viking |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1977 |Lillestrøm |Bodø/Glimt |Molde |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1976 |Lillestrøm |Mjøndalen |Brann |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1975 |Viking |Brann |Start |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1974 |Viking |Molde |Vålerenga |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1973 |Viking |Rosenborg |Start |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1972 |Viking |Fredrikstad |Strømsgodset |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1971 |Rosenborg |Lyn |Viking |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1970 |Strømsgodset |Rosenborg |Ham-Kam |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1969 |Rosenborg |Fredrikstad |Strømsgodset |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1968 |Lyn |Rosenborg |Viking |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1967 |Rosenborg |Skeid |Lyn |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1966 |Skeid |Fredrikstad |Lyn |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1965 |Vålerenga |Lyn |Sarpsborg |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1964 |Lyn |Fredrikstad |Sarpsborg |1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1963 |Brann |Lyn |Skeid |New name: 1. divisjon (1st division) |- |1961/62 |Brann |Steinkjer |Fredrikstad |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1960/61 |Fredrikstad |Eik-Tønsberg |Vålerenga |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1959/60 |Fredrikstad |Lillestrøm |Eik-Tønsberg |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1958/59 |Lillestrøm |Fredrikstad | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1957/58 |Viking |Skeid | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1956/57 |Fredrikstad |Odd Grenland | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1955/56 |Larvik Turn |Fredrikstad | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1954/55 |Larvik Turn |Fredrikstad | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1953/54 |Fredrikstad |Skeid | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1952/53 |Larvik Turn |Skeid | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1951/52 |Fredrikstad |Brann | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1950/51 |Fredrikstad |Odd Grenland | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1949/50 |Fram Larvik |Fredrikstad | - |Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1948/49 |Fredrikstad |Vålerenga | - |New name: Hovedserien (Main League) |- |1947/48 |Freidig |Sparta Sarpsborg | - |Norgesserien (League of Norway) |- |1938/39 |Fredrikstad |Skeid | - |Norgesserien (League of Norway) |- |1937/38 |Fredrikstad |Lyn | - |Norgesserien (League of Norway) |}

Medalists by club name

The following clubs have won one or more Premier League medals since 1937/38: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;" |- !Club !Founded !Gold !Silver !Bronze !Last merits |- |Rosenborg |1917-05-19 || 21 || 5 || 1 || League gold 2009; cup gold 2003 |- |Fredrikstad |1903-04-07 || 9 || 8 || 1 || League gold 1960/61, silver 2008; cup gold 2006 |- |Viking |1899-08-10 || 8 || 2 || 9 || League gold 1991, bronze 2007; cup gold 2001 |- |Lillestrøm |1917-04-02 || 5 || 8 || 3 || League gold 1989, silver 2001; cup gold 1985, cup gold 2007, cup silver 2005 |- |Vålerenga |1913-07-29 || 5 || 2 || 3 || League gold 2005; cup gold 2008 |- |Brann |1908-09-26 || 3 || 5 || 3 || League gold 2007, silver 2006; cup gold 2004 |- |Larvik Turn |1906 || 3 || - || - || League gold 1955/56; cup silver 1956 |- |Lyn |1896-03-03 || 2 || 5 || 4 || League gold 1968, silver 1971, bronze 2005; cup gold 1968, silver 2004 |- |Start |1905-09-19 || 2 || 1 || 7 || League gold 1980, silver 2005 |- |Skeid |1915 || 1 || 5 || 1 || League gold 1966, silver 1967; cup gold 1974 |- |Stabæk |1912-03-16 || 1 || 1 || 2 || League gold 2008; League silver 2007; cup gold 1998 |- |Moss |1906-08-28 || 1 || 1 || - || League gold 1987; cup gold 1983 |- |Strømsgodset |1907 || 1 || - || 3 || League gold 1970, bronze 1997; cup gold 1969, 1970, 1973, 1991, silver 1993, 1997 |- |Fram Larvik |1894 || 1 || - || - || League gold 1949/50 |- |Freidig |1903 || 1 || - || - || League gold 1947/48 |- |Molde |1911-06-19 || - || 6 || 3 || League silver 2002; cup gold 2005 |- |Bodø/Glimt |1916 || - || 3 || 1 || League silver 2003; cup gold 1993, silver 2003 |- |Tromsø |1920 || - || 1 || 2 || League bronze 2008; cup gold 1996 |- |Bryne |1926 || - || 2 || - || League silver 1982; cup gold 1987, silver 2001 |- |Mjøndalen |1910 || - || 2 || - || League silver 1986; cup gold 1937, silver 1968 |- |Odd Grenland |1894-03-31 || - || 2 || - || League silver 1956/57; cup gold 2000, silver 2002 |- |Kongsvinger |1892-01-31 || - || 1 || 2 || League silver 1992 |- |Kvik Halden |1905 || 1 || - || - || Cup gold 1918 |- |Eik-Tønsberg |1928-03-14 || - || 1 || 1 || League silver 1960/61 |- |Sparta Sarpsborg |1928-11-23 || - || 1 || - || League silver 1947/48; cup gold 1952 |- |Steinkjer |1910-05-29 || - || 1 || - || League silver 1961/62 |- |Sarpsborg |1903-05-08 || - || - || 2 || League bronze 1965; cup gold 1951, silver 1964 |- |Ham-Kam |1918-08-10 || - || - || 1 || League bronze 1970 |}

Attendance

From 1995 the league was expanded with two teams, and has 182 matches a year. Before that the number was 132 matches a year. The league has been expanded to 16 clubs for 2009 (240 matches a year).

{| class="wikitable" !Year !Total !Average |- |1985 |align="center"|581 177 |align="center"|4 403 |- |1986 |align="center"|426 349 |align="center"|3 229 |- |1987 |align="center"|469 030 |align="center"|3 553 |- |1988 |align="center"|576 257 |align="center"|4 365 |- |1989 |align="center"|624 679 |align="center"|4 732 |- |1990 |align="center"|647 489 |align="center"|4 905 |- |1991 |align="center"|706 508 |align="center"|5 352 |- |1992 |align="center"|671 903 |align="center"|5 083 |- |1993 |align="center"|731 565 |align="center"|5 542 |- |1994 |align="center"|688 589 |align="center"|5 216 |- |1995 |align="center"|841 717 |align="center"|4 624 |- |1996 |align="center"|841 368 |align="center"|4 622 |- |1997 |align="center"|772 197 |align="center"|4 242 |- |1998 |align="center"|959 317 |align="center"|5 270 |- |1999 |align="center"|983 630 |align="center"|5 404 |- |2000 |align="center"|1 024 722 |align="center"|5 639 |- |2001 |align="center"|1 013 264 |align="center"|5 567 |- |2002 |align="center"|1 092 359 |align="center"|6 002 |- |2003 |align="center"|1 198 798 |align="center"|6 587 |- |2004 |align="center"|1 458 258 |align="center"|8 012 |- |2005 |align="center"|1 727 101 |align="center"|9 489 |- |2006 |align="center"|1 655 572 |align="center"|9 097 |- |2007 |align="center"|1 914 907 |align="center"|10 521 |- |2008 |align="center"|1 785 815 |align="center"|9 812 |}

Individual all-time records

Most matches played

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" ! style="width:180px;" | Player ! Time ! Matches |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Roar Strand |1989–present |424 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Christer Basma |1993–2008 |348 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Ola By Rise |1977–1995 |346 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Runar Berg |1990–2009 |345 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Erik Hoftun |1992–2005 |336 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Bjørn "Bummen" Johansen |1987–2005 |334 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Svein "Matta" Mathisen |1973–1989 |327 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Daniel Berg Hestad |1993–present |325 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Jan-Derek Sørensen |1992–2009 |317 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Fredrik Kjølner |1994–2007 |316 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Arne Vidar Moen |1991–2005 |310 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Morten Berre |1996–present |309 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Tom Gulbrandsen |1983–1997 |307 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Torgeir Bjarmann |1988–2003 |306 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Charles Berstad |1983–1998 |303 |} Last updated: 9 December 2009. Source: »adressa.no.

Most goals scored

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" !width=180px| Player ! Time ! Goals ! Matches ! Average |- |style="text-align:left;"|Harald Martin Brattbakk |1990–2005 |166 |255 |0.65 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Petter Belsvik |1989–2003 |159 |299 |0.54 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Odd "Ivers" Iversen |1967–1982 |158 |225 |0.70 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Sigurd Rushfeldt |1992–present |154 |251 |0.61 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Per Kristoffersen |1957–1968 |146 |194 |0.75 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Arne Pedersen |1951–1966 |120 |217 |0.55 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Jostein Flo |1987–2001 |112 |213 |0.53 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Jan Fuglset |1967–1982 |109 |209 |0.52 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Thorstein Helstad |1995–2008 |108 |199 |0.54 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Svein "Matta" Mathisen |1973–1989 |106 |327 |0.32 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Bengt Sæternes |1998–present |105 |226 |0.46 |- class="stillactive" style="background:#CFECEC;" |style="text-align:left;"|Arild Sundgot |1995–present |103 |291 |0.35 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Jahn Ivar "Mini" Jakobsen |1988–2000 |98 |194 |0.51 |- |style="text-align:left;"|Henry Johannessen |1946–1961 |96 |139 |0.69 |} Last updated: 9 December 2009. Source: »adressa.no.

»Football Association of Norway
»All-time Premier League table from 1963 to 2004
[http://www.footballdata.com/leagues/Tippeligaen Tippeligaen Stats, Fixtures, Results and Team Profiles]
»Tippeligaen Livescores, Table, Results and Fixtures

home | This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. See full license termsIt uses material from the Wikipedia article "Tippeligaen ". | compliance | March 20th 2010