2002 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 2002 New Zealand National Club Championship, also known, due to naming-rights sponsorship, as the Southern Trust National League was the third season of a nationwide club competition in New Zealand
football. The competition was won by Miramar Rangers
.
The league was played mainly during autumn, with matches played from February to June, and was run in two stages. In the first stage, each team in the ten-team league played every other team home and away. In the second stage, the top four teams entered a knockout competition, with third place playing fourth place in one match and first playing second in the other, with home advantage being decided by final league position. The winners of the first against second match progressed straight through to the final; the losers of that match met the winners of the other match to decide the other finalist.
withdrew from the competition, replaced by a composite team, Canterbury United
, drawing players from all of Christchurch's main clubs. Metro were relegatedand withdrew from the promotion play-offs against the winners of a competition between the northern, central, and southern regional competition winners. The play-off games between the three regional champions were played at Newtown Park
, Wellington
during August and September 2001.
The tenth place in the 2002 league was thus gained by North Shore United
.
Waitakere City finished last in 2002, and entered the play-off series with the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional leagues.
Highest aggregate score:
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
football. The competition was won by Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers AFC is a semi-professional New Zealand association football club in the Wellington suburb of Miramar. They are current holders of the Chatham Cup, the fourth time they have won the trophy...
.
The league was played mainly during autumn, with matches played from February to June, and was run in two stages. In the first stage, each team in the ten-team league played every other team home and away. In the second stage, the top four teams entered a knockout competition, with third place playing fourth place in one match and first playing second in the other, with home advantage being decided by final league position. The winners of the first against second match progressed straight through to the final; the losers of that match met the winners of the other match to decide the other finalist.
Promotion and relegation
Ten teams took part in the 2002 league. Eight of these remained from the previous season. Christchurch UnitedChristchurch United
Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-Club history:...
withdrew from the competition, replaced by a composite team, Canterbury United
Canterbury United
Canterbury United FC is an association football club from Christchurch, New Zealand. The club plays most of its matches at English Park in Christchurch, though they occasionally play in Nelson...
, drawing players from all of Christchurch's main clubs. Metro were relegatedand withdrew from the promotion play-offs against the winners of a competition between the northern, central, and southern regional competition winners. The play-off games between the three regional champions were played at Newtown Park
Newtown Park
Newtown Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Wellington, New Zealand. It is currently used mostly for football matches and athletic events. The main pitch has a 400 metre, all-weather rubberized athletics track around it, as well as the spectator stands and the corporate loungue...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
during August and September 2001.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| North Shore United North Shore United North Shore United is a semi-professional football club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.Their home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, is located in the suburb of Devonport.-History:... |
2 – 0 | Caversham Caversham (soccer) Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook... |
| Wellington United Wellington United Wellington United AFC is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand competing in the Capital Premier League.-Wellington Diamond United:Wellington Diamond United was the result of the merger of Diamond and Zealandia/Wellington United in 1968.... |
5 – 0 | Caversham Caversham (soccer) Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook... |
| Wellington United Wellington United Wellington United AFC is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand competing in the Capital Premier League.-Wellington Diamond United:Wellington Diamond United was the result of the merger of Diamond and Zealandia/Wellington United in 1968.... |
0 – 2 | North Shore United North Shore United North Shore United is a semi-professional football club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.Their home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, is located in the suburb of Devonport.-History:... |
The tenth place in the 2002 league was thus gained by North Shore United
North Shore United
North Shore United is a semi-professional football club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.Their home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, is located in the suburb of Devonport.-History:...
.
Waitakere City finished last in 2002, and entered the play-off series with the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional leagues.
League table
Play-offs
Final
Records and statistics
Biggest winning margin:- Canterbury United 0, Central United 7
- Central United 0, Tauranga City United 7
Highest aggregate score:
- Central United 3, Miramar Rangers 5
- Napier City Rovers 5, Tauranga City United 3