National Soccer League
Founded | 1977 |
---|---|
First season | Melbourne Knights (4 titles) |
TV partners | Network Ten (1977–1979) Seven Network (1998–2000) ABC (2001) SBS (2002–2004) |
Current: Final Season (2003–04) |
The National Soccer League (NSL) was the top-level
During the history of the NSL the league was contested by a total of 42 teams; 41 based in Australia and one based in New Zealand. Seasons initially ran during the winter seasons, until 1989 when this was changed to the summer season. In 1984, the league was split into two conferences (Northern and Southern) to introduce more teams into the competition; the league returned to a single division in 1987. The competition was known by various names through sponsorships; these names included the Philips Soccer League, the Quit National Soccer League, Olympic Airways Soccer League, Coca-Cola Soccer League, the Ericsson Cup and the A-League.[2][3][4][5][6][7]
From the league's inaugural season to its demise in 2004, a total of 13 clubs were crowned champions through either a system of first past the post or a finals series that culminated in a grand final. The NSL was Australia's first national sporting league predating the likes of the AFL and NRL.
History
Origin
Competition between club sides from different states existed in various forms prior to the formation of the NSL. The petroleum company Ampol sponsored cup competitions in the various states, starting with New South Wales in 1957, with other states following later.[8] Later a national Ampol Cup was conducted which continued throughout the 1960s. From 1962 until 1968 an Australia Cup was held,[9] but its ambition of becoming an FA Cup style knockout competition went unfulfilled. In the 1970s the top sides from Melbourne and Sydney played off in an end of season series,[10] but the tournament did not seem to quite capture the legitimacy and popularity that was hoped for.
Plans for a national home and away league went back as far as 1965 for a 1967 start,[11] and were followed up by variations on the theme throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, but faced opposition variously from clubs, who deemed the notion uneconomical, and state federations who feared losing their power. Australia's qualification for the 1974 World Cup led to various discussions in 1975 and 1976, with eventually 14 teams being chosen to participate in the inaugural season of the national league.[12]
The transition from state-based leagues to a national competition was not all smooth. The
1977–1983: Sydney dominance
The first seven seasons of the league would be dominated by Sydney clubs, with
1984–1986: Conference system and power shift
Shrinking crowds led to the radical move of introducing more teams (mainly from Victoria and New South Wales) and splitting the league into two conferences, with the winner of each division to play-off in an end of year two legged final. For season 1984 the 'Australian' Conference had competing teams from New South Wales and the ACT, whilst the 'National' Conference consisted of Victorian, South Australian and Queensland clubs. For 1985 and 1986 this reverted to 'Northern' and 'Southern' Conferences. Strangely, the competition's most geographically northern sides, Brisbane Lions and Brisbane City were in the latter grouping.
This period saw
1987–1989: Return to single division and last years of winter football
The revamped league suffered a major setback early on when Sydney City pulled out of the competition after just one round into the new season.[16] Apart from returning to a single division, the league also dispensed with finals for the 1987 season, reverting to first past the post. Many considered this an ill-considered move, as it robbed the league of its most high-profile games.[17] Finals were re-introduced from 1988, and were to remain until the league's demise. The 1989 season would be the last to be played in winter. This period saw a re-emergence of New South Wales dominance with all titles, minor premierships and runners-up being from that state.
1989–1996: Birth of summer football
Attempts to shift the league towards a summer season went back into the early 1980s, but only came to pass for the 1989/90 season. The rationale for this change was simple. The league would avoid being marginalised in the media during the peak of the
The impetus given to the league from the switch was not enough for some clubs to remain in the league, with many clubs being relegated or being demoted back to the state leagues, including former champions
This coincided with a renewed push by
Stars such as Mark Viduka, Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella, Tony Popovic and Mark Schwarzer debuted in this decade and would later form the core of the Australian Golden generation.
1996–2001: New clubs and attempts to enter the mainstream
From 1996 onwards the league attempted to revitalise the competition and attempt to hook into the mainstream support by finally introducing a team from Western Australia, in the form of
These clubs would have varying degrees of success on and off the field. Collingwood Warriors barely managed to last a season, while Carlton reached the grand final in its debut year, but was unable to attract a substantial fan base. Northern Spirit started off with record crowds, and a good debut season reaching the finals, but gradually crowds declined, and financial difficulties along with a controversial takeover by Rangers,[18] did not help matters. They would survive until the end of the NSL, but fold thereafter. Parramatta Power failed to gather much support, placed as it was in the midst of the already crowded western Sydney soccer market, and it too would not last beyond the end of the NSL. Perth Glory became the most successful of the new mainstream entrants. High crowds and good performances throughout the NSL's last decade made Perth Glory for many observers the benchmark and role model for all future entrants to the Australian top-flight.
A then record grand final crowd of 40,000 people saw the
2001–2004: Decline and demise
After the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship was cancelled, the NSL was in great turmoil. High-profile Australian players began to leave the NSL due to more enticing offers from overseas leagues.
In 1998,
It also broadcast a small amount of coverage on its free-to-air network. At one point in 2000, the amount of free-to-air coverage on the NSL was only a one-hour highlights package of the NSL after midnight on Wednesdays. Many believe Channel 7 deliberately refused to air games to kill off interest in the league that was flourishing in the 90s.
In 2002, C7 Sport closed after the Seven Network lost the Australian Football League (AFL) rights and pay TV networks stopped carrying the channel. The next year, Seven severed its contract in the last week of Soccer Australia's existence. This left the NSL with no TV coverage at all until SBS picked up the rights soon after.
The consequent lack of sponsorship meant the league fell into even further decline which led to its eventual demise at the end of the 2003–04 season. Highlights were few and far between, but Sydney Olympic re-emerged as a genuine leading club for the first time in a decade, winning its second title, and Perth Glory went on to win the last two titles of the NSL, after previously having lost two grand finals.
The birth of Adelaide United, as a quickly formed replacement of Adelaide City who withdrew just before the start of the final NSL season, was perhaps the sole major highlight of this era, as they put in good performances, but most importantly, registered crowds which had not been seen in Adelaide since the heyday of Adelaide City and West Adelaide.
The league in 2003–04 was won by Perth Glory after a 1-0 win against
Competition format
The competition structure changed many times throughout the NSL's history. From its inception in 1977 until 1983, it was simply a matter of first past the post. However a compromise format was devised between the traditional first past the post and the Australian system of finals. In 1978, 1979 (two-legged Grand Final), 1980 and 1982 a finals series was conducted but the winner of the Grand Final did not determine who won the title. From 1984 until 1986, the league introduced more teams split into two conferences (1984 – Australian Conference,
In 1988 the league re-introduced a finals system, with the top five sides qualifying for the playoffs. In season 1992/93, the league increased the finalists to six. This system was used for the rest of the league's duration, except for season 2002/03 when the top six sides played a further series of home and away games against each other, with the top two playing off in the Grand Final.
The NSL also used a variety of point systems throughout its history. From 1977 until season 1991/92, teams were awarded two points for a win, one point for draw, and none for a loss. The exceptions to this were 1979, in which wins by four goals or more were awarded a bonus point, and 1983, in which three points were awarded for a win. From season 1992/93 onwards three points were awarded for a win, except for season 1994/95. In that season, four points were awarded for a win, with games ending in draws, being decided by penalty shootouts at the end of the game. The winner of the shootout received two points, the loser one point.
Related competitions
Successful NSL clubs gained qualification into the continental competition, the
Clubs
Team | Location | Also known as | Years participating | Total NSL seasons | NSL Honours[20] | Current status | P | W | D | L | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adelaide City | Adelaide | Adelaide Juventus Adelaide City Giants Adelaide City Zebras Adelaide (City) Force |
1977–2003 | 27 | 1986, 1991–92, 1993–94 National Soccer League 1979, 1989, 1991–92 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues South Australia | 768 | 321 | 194 | 253 | 1134 | 913 |
Adelaide United | Adelaide | 2003–2004 | 1 | A-League
|
28 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 34 | 35 | ||
APIA Leichhardt
|
Sydney | Leichhardt Strikers | 1979–1992 | 14 | 1987 National Soccer League 1982, 1988 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues NSW | 371 | 135 | 104 | 132 | 462 | 471 |
Blacktown City | Sydney | 1980–1981 1984–1986 1989–1990 |
7 | National Premier Leagues NSW | 181 | 51 | 39 | 91 | 222 | 328 | ||
Brisbane City | Brisbane | Azzurri Brisbane City Gladiators |
1977–1986 | 10 | National Premier Leagues Queensland | 266 | 75 | 72 | 119 | 292 | 407 | |
Brisbane Lions | Brisbane | Hollandia | 1977–1986
1988 |
11 | as Queensland Lions | 294 | 92 | 79 | 123 | 362 | 442 | |
Brisbane Strikers | Brisbane | Brisbane United | 1991–2004 | 13 | 1996–97 National Soccer League | National Premier Leagues Queensland | 358 | 129 | 79 | 150 | 506 | 539 |
Brunswick Juventus
|
Melbourne | Brunswick Pumas Melbourne BUSC Melbourne Zebras |
1984–1988 1993–1995 |
7 | 1985 National Soccer League | Victorian State League Division 3 as Brunswick Zebras
|
180 | 67 | 37 | 76 | 207 | 251 |
Canberra City | Canberra | Canberra City Arrows Canberra City Olympians |
1977–1986 | 10 | National Premier Leagues Capital Football | 266 | 79 | 67 | 120 | 335 | 394 | |
Canberra Cosmos | Canberra | 1995–2001 | 6 | Defunct | 176 | 35 | 40 | 101 | 216 | 362 | ||
Canterbury-Marrickville
|
Sydney | Canterbury-Marrickville Olympic | 1986 | 1 | NSW League One as CanterBury-Bankstown FC
|
22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 17 | 41 | |
Carlton
|
Melbourne | 1997–2001 | 4 | Defunct | 104 | 45 | 24 | 35 | 168 | 127 | ||
Collingwood Warriors
|
Melbourne | 1996–1997 | 1 | 1996–97 NSL Cup | Defunct | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 32 | 41 | |
Football Kingz | Auckland (NZ) | Auckland Kingz | 1999–2004 | 5 | Defunct | 135 | 38 | 27 | 70 | 182 | 265 | |
Footscray JUST | Melbourne | Footscray Eagles Melbourne City JUST |
1977–1989 | 13 | Defunct | 346 | 100 | 96 | 150 | 379 | 502 | |
Green Gully | Melbourne | Green Gully Ajax | 1984–1986 | 3 | National Premier Leagues Victoria | 72 | 17 | 18 | 37 | 74 | 103 | |
Heidelberg United | Melbourne | Fitzroy United Heidelberg Alexander |
1977–1987 1989 1990–1995 |
17 | 1992–93, 1996–97 NSL Cup | National Premier Leagues Victoria | 451 | 160 | 122 | 169 | 595 | 651 |
Inter Monaro | Canberra-Queanbeyan | 1985–1986 | 2 | National Premier Leagues Capital Football as Monaro Panthers | 44 | 10 | 11 | 23 | 47 | 80 | ||
Marconi | Sydney | Marconi-Fairfield Marconi-Datsun Leopards Marconi Stallions |
1977–2004 | 28 | 1979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93 National Soccer League 1980 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues NSW | 786 | 356 | 186 | 244 | 1293 | 986 |
Melbourne Knights | Melbourne | Essendon Lions Melbourne Croatia Melbourne CSC |
1984–2004 | 21 | 1994–95, 1995–96 National Soccer League 1994–95 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues Victoria | 579 | 248 | 130 | 201 | 877 | 779 |
Mooroolbark | Melbourne | Mooroolbark United | 1977 | 1 | Victorian State League Division 2
|
26 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 31 | 61 | |
Morwell Falcons | Morwell
|
Gippsland Falcons Eastern Pride |
1992–2001 | 10 | Latrobe Valley Soccer League as Falcons 2000 | 254 | 66 | 69 | 119 | 265 | 403 | |
Newcastle Breakers | Newcastle | Newcastle BHP Breakers | 1991–1994
1995–2000 |
9 | Defunct | 225 | 62 | 63 | 110 | 276 | 365 | |
Newcastle KB United | Newcastle | Newcastle United Newcastle KB Raiders |
1978–1984 | 7 | Defunct | |||||||
Newcastle Rosebud United | Newcastle | Adamstown Rosebuds | 1984–1986 | 3 | 1984 NSL Cup | National Premier Leagues Northern NSW as Adamstown Rosebud | ||||||
Newcastle United | Newcastle | 2000–2004 | 4 | A-League as Newcastle Jets
|
||||||||
Northern Spirit
|
Sydney | 1998–2004 | 6 | National Premier Leagues NSW as NWS Spirit FC | 174 | 62 | 32 | 80 | 223 | 284 | ||
Parramatta Eagles | Sydney | Parramatta Melita | 1984 1989–1995 |
7 | 1990–91, 1993–94 NSL Cup | NSW League Two as Parramatta FC
|
185 | 61 | 53 | 71 | 212 | 235 |
Parramatta Power | Sydney | 1999–2004 | 5 | Defunct | 147 | 68 | 23 | 56 | 250 | 204 | ||
Penrith City | Sydney | 1984–1985 | 2 | Defunct | 50 | 12 | 16 | 22 | 53 | 76 | ||
Perth Glory | Perth | 1996–2004 | 8 | 2002–03, 2003–04 National Soccer League | A-League
|
242 | 138 | 46 | 58 | 484 | 286 | |
Preston Lions | Melbourne | Preston Rams Preston Makedonia |
1981–1993 | 13 | National Premier Leagues Victoria 2
|
347 | 121 | 101 | 125 | 442 | 424 | |
South Melbourne | Melbourne | South Melbourne Hellas South Melbourne Gunners South Melbourne Lakers |
1977–2004 | 28 | 1984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99 National Soccer League 1989–90, 1995–96 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues Victoria | 791 | 378 | 183 | 230 | 1260 | 917 |
St George Saints | Sydney | St George-Budapest | 1977–1980 1982–1991 |
14 | 1983 National Soccer League | NSW League One
|
371 | 135 | 103 | 133 | 516 | 520 |
Sunshine George Cross
|
Melbourne | 1984–1991 | 8 | National Premier Leagues Victoria 3 as Caroline Springs George Cross
|
202 | 56 | 51 | 95 | 229 | 320 | ||
Sydney City | Sydney | Eastern Suburbs Hakoah Sydney City Slickers |
1977–1987 | 11 | 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982 National Soccer League 1986 NSL Cup |
NSW League One as Hakoah Sydney City East | 273 | 155 | 66 | 52 | 529 | 273 |
Sydney Olympic | Sydney | Pan-Hellenic Sydney Olympians UTS Olympic Olympic Sharks |
1977–1979 1981–2004 |
27 | 1989–90, 2001–02 National Soccer League 1983, 1985 NSL Cup |
National Premier Leagues NSW | 770 | 325 | 192 | 253 | 1124 | 963 |
Sydney United | Sydney | Sydney Croatia Sydney CSC Sydney United Pumas |
1984–2004 | 21 | 1987 NSL Cup | National Premier Leagues NSW | 576 | 239 | 144 | 193 | 762 | 721 |
West Adelaide | Adelaide | West Adelaide Hellas West Adelaide Hawks (West) Adelaide Sharks |
1977–1986 1989–1990 1991–1999 |
19 | 1978 National Soccer League | National Premier Leagues South Australia | 511 | 170 | 105 | 236 | 634 | 780 |
Western Suburbs | Sydney | 1977–78 | 2 | Amalgamated in 1979 with APIA Leichhardt
|
52 | 20 | 13 | 19 | 79 | 74 | ||
Wollongong Macedonia | Wollongong | Wollongong United Illawarra Lions |
1990–1991 | 1 | Illawarra Premier League as Wollongong United | 26 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 53 | |
Wollongong Wolves | Wollongong | Wollongong City | 1981–1986 1988–2004 |
23 | 1999–2000, 2000–01 National Soccer League | National Premier Leagues NSW | 632 | 211 | 166 | 255 | 867 | 966 |
Source:[21]
Champions
Performance by club
Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning years |
---|---|---|---|
Sydney City | 4
|
3
|
1977, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
Marconi Stallions | 4
|
3
|
1979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93 |
South Melbourne | 4
|
2
|
1984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99 |
Adelaide City | 3
|
2
|
1986, 1991–92, 1993–94 |
Sydney Olympic | 2
|
4
|
1989–90, 2001–02 |
Melbourne Knights | 2
|
3
|
1994–95, 1995–96 |
Perth Glory | 2
|
2
|
2002–03, 2003–04 |
Wollongong Wolves | 2
|
0
|
1999–00, 2000–01 |
St. George | 1
|
1
|
1983 |
Brisbane Strikers | 1
|
0
|
1996–97 |
APIA Leichhardt
|
1
|
0
|
1987 |
Brunswick Juventus
|
1
|
0
|
1985 |
West Adelaide | 1
|
0
|
1978 |
Sydney United | 0
|
3
|
1988, 1996–97, 1998–99 |
Heidelberg United | 0
|
2
|
1979, 1980 |
Preston Lions | 0
|
1
|
1987 |
Carlton
|
0
|
1
|
1997–98 |
Parramatta Power | 0
|
1
|
2003–04 |
Competition timeline
See also
References
- ^ "The National Soccer League". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ a b "Timeline of Australian Football 1951–2009". OzFootball. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (1 October 1995). "A-League far from the big league". The Age. Retrieved 4 August 2013.
- ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com.
- ^ "Ericsson Cup - Ladder". www.scoretank.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 April 2001.
- ^ Warren, Johnny (28 September 1986). "ASF has to get its act together". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
- ^ Huxley, John (9 December 1989). "Hooked on hypocrisy". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 29. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "1961 Ampol Cup - Results". www.ozfootball.net.
- ^ "Australia - List of Cup Winners". RSSSF.
- ^ "1972 Interstate Club Championship - Final Table". www.ozfootball.net.
- ^ Hay, 2006, The World Game Downunder, pp 199
- ^ Hay, 2006, The World Game Downunder, pp 120
- ^ Hay, 2006, The World Game Downunder, pp 121–122
- ^ Curran, Brian (3 November 1980). "Top-four scrapped in PSL shake-up". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 May 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Booth said that officials realised the top four championship was an "anomaly" when the PSL premiership was decided on a first-past-the-post-basis
- ^ "Heidelberg United SC – History". heidelbergunitedsc.com.au. Archived from the original on 8 December 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
- ^ a b Thompson, 2006, One Fantastic Goal, pp 263
- ^ Thompson, 2006, One Fantastic Goal, pp 263–264
- ^ "Rangers buy remaining Northern Spirit shares". sport.scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 5 April 2001.
- ^ Lynch, Michael (22 August 1998). "Soccer scores decade deal with Seven". The Age. p. 90. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "The Australian National Soccer League". www.ozfootball.net. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ Howe, Andrew. Hyundai A-League Season Guide 2019–20 (PDF). pp. 289–332.
- ^ "1977 Final Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1978 Final Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1979 Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1980 Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1981 Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1982 Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1983 Table". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1984 Season Playoff Series Matches". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "1985 Season Playoff Series Matches". OzFootball. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
- ^ "Australian Soccer". www.ozfootball.net.
- ^ "Australian Soccer". www.ozfootball.net.