Before 1959, Turkey did not have a national professional league. Instead, teams competed in regional amateur leagues in cities such as Adana, Ankara, Eskişehir, İzmir, Kayseri, and Trabzon. The Milli Lig, known today as the Süper Lig, was created in 1959. The league consisted of eight clubs from Istanbul, and four clubs each from Ankara and İzmir. When Adana Demirspor joined the Milli Lig in 1960, they became the first club from outside the three major football cities to compete. However, their stay didn't last long, as they finished last place with 18 points in their first season due to playing their home matches in Ankara. The club returned to the Adana League, where they competed until 1963. The 2.Lig (Second Division) was created at the start of the 1963–64 season. Adana Demirspor were allowed to compete in the league, and placed second in their first season. Demirspor competed in the 2. Lig for nine years before gaining promotion back to the 1. Lig for the first time since the 1960–61 season. They secured promotion after defeating Uşakspor 2–0, with goals from Fatih Terim and Bektaş Yurttasın.