Ahead of the 2005 season Kjetil Løvvik had retired. The biggest signing was Jonas Jonsson from SK Brann. Tips for the 2005 league outcome came from newspapers such as Fædrelandsvennen and Bergens Tidende. Fædrelandsvennen tipped a fourteenth place (and relegation) for Stord/Moster, and Bergens Tidende tipped a thirteenth place. The first match ended with 1–1 against Klepp IL, the goal scored by 2004's top goalscorer Alfred Berge. In the 2005 Norwegian Football Cup Stord/Moster advanced from the first round on the expense of Askøy FK, but was stopped in the second round by Løv-Ham. The second-tier team won 1–0 after extra time. After the spring season Stord/Moster was placed sixth on the table, but lost Alfred Berge to Flora Tallinn. Christian Brink moved away from Stord, but was not given a contract with any new club and commuted to play Stord/Moster matches. The financial situation also started becoming acute, with prospects that Simonsen and Løvvik's entire investment would be lost. In the summer the club stopped paying wages to six or seven players with contracts, and compensations to the rest of the players. When the club could not longer pay Vegard Hansen, he resigned as coach. Jonas Jonsson became acting coach. Despite all the setbacks, the club finished eighth and survived in its first Second Division season. However, the turbulence continued. In October the players publicly demanded wages and a vacation. On 2 January 2006 the team collectively skipped the training session. Jonas Jonsson had not been paid at all for coaching the team. He went to Mandalskameratene. In January 2006 the sporting directors of Stord/Moster FK confronted the club owners with the hopeless economy. Right after this Simonsen's company ceased its commitments to the club. More coaching problems also ensued. Bengt Førland from Haugesund had been hired as head coach from New Years'. His coaching position would account for 45% of his job; he would also be general manager and responsible for marketing. In early 2006 the non-coaching jobs were cut from the budget. As a result, Førland backed out in March 2006, citing unwillingness to commute from Haugesund just for a 45% job. Stord Sunnhordland At the same time, the club got new owners and changed its name from Stord/Moster to Stord Sunnhordland on 15 March 2006. The club was also supported by a new limited company named Sunnhordland Toppfotball AS. The new chairman of the board was