– Start in the cup is lousy. It has been 117 years, and we have still not been in the cup final. Then it’s awful, says 80-year-old Leif, who is desperate about the many missed chances Start has had to get to the cup final. For it can be a curse that hangs over Kristiansand. IK Start, which is by far the largest team in Sørlandet, has still not reached a cup final in the club’s history. Leif is among those who have been disappointed every year. The committed Start supporter has been booking hotel rooms at the Grand Hotel for 18 years. But every year he ends up staying at home in Sørlandet. – Once they have to get to the cup final. Half of Kristiansand will go in to cheer on Start. There will be more members in Start and more interest in football. But the cup final is the cup final, says the 80-year-old. He has also been a member of the club since 1953. In addition, he has been an honorary member since 2005. news shows 16 matches from the cup’s 3rd round from 18.00 on Wednesday! Has given many sorrows In recent years, the trip to Oslo to Leif has been close on two occasions. In 2011, it was a waste of chances and an efficient Aalesund that made sure that it stopped in the semifinals. In 2018, Rosenborg was too strong for the yellow jerseys in the semifinals. The start-up interest in Sørlandet must be said to be weak, and they are struggling to get the audience to come to the fight. In addition, the club failed to move up from the 1st division last season, and so far Start is in 8th place in the 1st division. – Start has given me some joy, but many sorrows too. I hope the joy comes back with playing the cup final. We get to live in hope, says Leif. STANG OUT: Here Start concedes a goal against Aalesund in the cup semi-final after an own goal by Haraldur Freyr Gudmundsson. Rosenborg of the cup in 2018. BEAT OUT START: Rosenborg won 2-1 at Lerkendal in the cup semi-final in 2018. This is the last time Start has reached this far in the tournament. – Hard to cancel While news is visiting the long-time Start supporter, he calls and checks if it is available at the Grand Hotel on 21 May 2023. He gets confirmation that it is. – I will stay at the Grand Hotel when Start plays the cup final. I know that Start has not gotten any better, but you do not have to be an elite league team to play the final, he points out. – What is it like to cancel every year? – Well, it’s fine. I’m probably not the only one who cancels. – But is it a bit awkward? – Yes, it is. It is always awkward to cancel. But it does not matter what it costs – I pay that price. EVERY YEAR: Leif Strømme books hotel rooms at the Grand Hotel in Oslo every year. Photo: Per-Kåre Sandbakk / news In the first round of the cup, Arendal is waiting for Start’s part. Although most people expect an easy victory, they have had some cup problems before. – Start has lost to teams like Fløy (in 2017) and Vindbjart (in 2015), but it should go well. I was hoping for Fløy in the first round, because then there will be a lot of people at the stadium, says the 80-year-old. – Do you believe that you will experience the cup final? – I live in hope, but it looks doubtful. – Fails every pissed off time Two of the most profiled Start players in the 2000s, Fredrik Strømstad and Jesper Mathisen, got to experience a medal in the Eliteserien in 2005, but they did not get the cup gold either. – There is a belief in Sørlandet – without a doubt. Every year, you have faith and hope to come to Ullevaal. Unfortunately, you fail every pissed off time, Strømstad tells news while he enjoys a soup on the fishing pier in Kristiansand together with Mathisen. HEROES: Jesper Mathisen and Fredrik Strømstad have given good memories to Start fans, but it was never the cup final. Photo: Harald Thingnes / news The latter says that he knows several who are in the same situation as Leif. – I know of several who book rooms for the cup final every season. Faith is there, though not so great. We’ve never been to the cup final, and that’s a shame. A cup final would ignite interest in the city. Everyone has been there, except Start – and HamKam, then. It’s sad, says Mathisen, who works as a football expert on TV 2. As mentioned, Strømstad and Mathisen were of a golden generation that almost took elite league gold in 2005. They both remember how the football interest was in the city, and it boiled in the stands at the old Kristiansand Stadium every single match. – You did not quite believe what you saw. Ordinary southerners stood in the stands and were almost caged inside the zoo with Julius. They were completely monkeys. We have not seen that since, says Mathisen. They believe that a possible cup final would be absolutely crucial to get a similar atmosphere in Kristiansand again. Now they come with a prayer to the club in their heart. – A cup final … It would have been the ultimate, says Strømstad. – Give us one cup final, and we will have a really nice memory to take to the grave. We are not asking for anything more, Mathisen adds.
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Leif (80) has booked a final room for 18 years – is disappointed every year – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
