Roy Amundsen

In 1972, aged just 17, Amundsen had already become first-choice goalkeeper for his local third division side Snøgg in Notodden. The following season, he was signed by Start, where he quickly established himself in the Kristiansand side, and also got selected for Norway's U23 team despite being only 18. However, his first spell at Start lasted only two seasons, as he got homesick and left the club ahead of the 1975 season, and returned to Snøgg and the lower leagues.

In 1977, Start convinced Amundsen to give top-flight football another shot, and he resumed right where he had left off as one of the best goalkeepers in the league. In 1978, he conceded only 13 goals in the league, as Start, led by the inspirational Svein Mathisen and Trond Pedersen, won the league for the first time in the club's history. Amundsen was also named in the senior national team squad for the first time in 1978, as backup to Tom R. Jacobsen, but had to wait until the next season before making his debut.

Amundsen got his full international debut in a Euro 80 qualifier against Portugal in May 1979, and played so well that he remained first-choice throughout the season. He was also eligible for the "Olympic" national team, and played every game in a qualifying campaign that culminated with the shock 1-0 away win against West Germany that qualified Norway for its first Olympic football tournament since 1952. At club level, Amundsen and Start were challenging for a second straight title, but lost out due to a late-season slump, and eventually finished third. And that marked the end of Amundsen's Start career, as he moved back to Snøgg for a second time at the end of the season, but insisted he was still committed to playing in the Moscow Olympics. He also turned down an offer to become a professional at Austria Wien.

Now back in the third division, Amundsen did play once for the national team in 1980, but when it was announced later that year that Norway had joined the western boycott of the Olympic Games, Amundsen announced his retirement from international football. But the story did not end there, as Tom R. Jacobsen ruptured his cruciate ligament in early 1981, and was ruled out for the season - and with no suitable replacement, coach Tor Røste Fossen again turned to Amundsen, and convinced him to return to the national side. However, this comeback would turn out to be short-lived, because on 20 June 1981, in a third division match between Snøgg and Åssiden just three days after guarding Norway's goal against Switzerland, Amundsen's violent temper effectively brought his international career to an end. Enraged after being shown the red card, Amundsen attacked the referee and punched him several times. As a result of this attack, Amundsen was suspended from all football for two and a half years, and also got a 60-day suspended jail sentence for assault.

NOTE: Matches in red are not recognized as full internationals by FIFA.

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