1987 Norwegian First Division

The 1987 season of the Norwegian First Division (1. divisjon), the highest football (soccer) league in Norway, began on 2 May 1987 and ended on 10 October 1987.

22 rounds were played. Number eleven and twelve were relegated. The winners of the two groups of the Second Division were promoted, as well as the winner of a series of play-off matches between the two second placed teams in the two groups of the Second Division and number ten in the First Division.

For the first time in the Norwegian Premier League, three rather than two points were given for wins. There was also another, more controversial new rule for points: if a match was drawn, two points would be given to the winner of a penalty shootout, and one point to the loser of the shootout. This rule, suggested by Tom A. Schanche and appointed by the Norwegian Football Association in February 1987, was highly controversial and liquidated after the 1987 season. Note that if draws would end as draws with one point to each, as usual, Tromsø IL would have been placed 10th with a possibility of being relegated.

Moss FK, coached by Nils Arne Eggen, won the league for the first and, so far, last time. The victory was not settled until the final round of the league, with Moss beating runners-up Molde FK (who would have grabbed the gold if they defeated Moss) 2-0 at away grounds.

League table

Pos	Team	P	W	Dw	Dl	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Moss	22	13	2	1	6	44	30	14	44
2	Molde	22	11	3	2	6	27	20	7	41
3	Kongsvinger	22	9	4	4	5	32	22	10	39
4	Rosenborg	22	8	4	7	3	33	25	8	39
5	Bryne	22	11	0	1	10	32	27	5	34
6	Tromsø	22	5	7	2	8	19	31	-12	31
7	Vålerengen	22	8	1	4	9	26	27	-1	30
8	Brann	22	7	3	3	9	25	28	-3	30
9	Lillestrøm	22	7	3	2	10	22	21	1	29
10	Ham Kam	22	7	3	2	10	27	34	-7	29
11	Mjøndalen	22	6	2	3	11	26	34	-8	25
12	Start	22	6	2	3	11	30	44	-14	25

Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

	Qualified for the European Cup
	Qualified for the UEFA Cup
	Qualified for the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup
	Relegation Playoff
	Relegated to the Second Division

Top goalscorers

• 18 goals:
  • Jan Kristian Fjærestad, Moss
• 11 goals:
  • Cato Holtet, Kongsvinger
• 10 goals:
  • Jan Åge Fjørtoft, Ham-Kam
• 9 goals:
  • Andre Nieuwlaat, Rosenborg
  • Geir Henæs, Moss
  • Børre Meinseth, Bryne
• 8 goals:
  • Carsten Bachke, Moss
  • Arne Larsen Økland, Bryne
• 7 goals:
  • Sten Glenn Håberg, Lillestrøm
  • Arnfinn Engerbakk, Kongsvinger
  • Gøran Sørloth, Rosenborg
  • Kjetil Rekdal, Molde
  • Jan Berg, Molde

Promotion and relegation

• Mjøndalen and Start were relegated to the Second Division
• Sogndal and Strømmen were promoted from the Second Division
• The qualification matches were contested between Hamarkameratene (10th in the First Division), Djerv 1919 (2nd in the Second Division - Group A), and Lyn (2nd in the Second Division - Group B). Djerv 1919 won and was promoted to the First Division.
• Lyn - Djerv 1919 0–1
• Hamarkameratene - Lyn 1–1
• Djerv 1919 - Hamarkameratene 3–0

Table

		P	W	D	L	F	A	GD	Pts
1	Djerv 1919	2	2	0	0	4	0	4	6
2	Lyn	2	0	1	1	1	2	-1	1
3	Hamarkameratene	2	0	1	1	1	4	-3	1

P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; F = Goals for; A = Goals against; GD = Goal difference; Pts = Points

References

• League table
• Fixtures
• Goalscorers