Liga Artzit 1998-99
Encyclopedia
The 1998–99 Liga Artzit
season was the last in which the league was the Israel
's second tier, as at the end of the season the Israeli Premier League came into existence, replacing Liga Leumit
as the country's top division. As a result, for the 1999–2000 season Liga Leumit became the second division and Liga Artzit became the third division.
Due to the restructuring, only one club, Maccabi Netanya, was promoted to the top division (which was reduced from 16 to 14 clubs). At the other end of the table, eight clubs were due to be relegated as the second division was reduced to 10 clubs. However, Bnei Sakhnin, who had finished eighth from bottom, were reprieved from relegation as Maccabi Jaffa, who had finished bottom of the top division, were relegated three levels to Liga Alef
due to their budget not being approved by the Israel Football Association
.
Although the bottom eight were due to be relegated to the third tier for the 1999–2000 season, three of them (Hapoel Ashdod
, Hapoel Lod
and SK Nes Tziona) were relegated two levels as like Maccabi Jaffa, their budgets for the 1999–2000 season were not approved by the IFA.
1. 2 points deducted for violating budget rules.
2. 4 points deducted for violating budget rules.
Liga Artzit
Liga Artzit was the third tier of Israeli football after the Premier League and Liga Leumit, and was run by the Israel Football Association.-Structure:...
season was the last in which the league was the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's second tier, as at the end of the season the Israeli Premier League came into existence, replacing Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit
Liga Leumit is the second tier in the Israeli football league system below the Premier League.-Structure:There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the lowest-placed team are relegated to Liga Alef while the highest-placed team from Liga Alef are promoted in their place...
as the country's top division. As a result, for the 1999–2000 season Liga Leumit became the second division and Liga Artzit became the third division.
Due to the restructuring, only one club, Maccabi Netanya, was promoted to the top division (which was reduced from 16 to 14 clubs). At the other end of the table, eight clubs were due to be relegated as the second division was reduced to 10 clubs. However, Bnei Sakhnin, who had finished eighth from bottom, were reprieved from relegation as Maccabi Jaffa, who had finished bottom of the top division, were relegated three levels to Liga Alef
Liga Alef
-History:League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef...
due to their budget not being approved by the Israel Football Association
Israel Football Association
The Israel Football Association , also known as IFA, is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes the football leagues, Israeli Premier League, Israeli State Cup, Toto Cup and the Israeli national football team. The association is based in Ramat Gan...
.
Although the bottom eight were due to be relegated to the third tier for the 1999–2000 season, three of them (Hapoel Ashdod
Hapoel Ashdod F.C.
Hapoel Ashdod F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Ashdod. In 1999, it merged with local rivals Ironi Ashdod to create F.C. Ashdod.-History:...
, Hapoel Lod
Hapoel Lod F.C.
Hapoel Lod was an Israeli football club based in Lod. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s and 1980s, and won the State Cup in 1984. After several relegations, they folded in 2002.-History:...
and SK Nes Tziona) were relegated two levels as like Maccabi Jaffa, their budgets for the 1999–2000 season were not approved by the IFA.
Final table
| Pos | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maccabi Netanya | 30 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 54 | 20 | 34 | 65 | Promoted to Premier League |
| 2 | Hapoel Ashkelon | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 62 | 34 | 28 | 62 | Remained at second level |
| 3 | Hapoel Be'er Sheva | 30 | 17 | 9 | 4 | 54 | 16 | 38 | 60 | |
| 4 | Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva F.C. Beitar Avraham Be'er Sheva was an Israeli football club based in Beersheba.-History:The club was promoted to Liga Artzit in 1998. In their first season at the second level they finished fourth... |
30 | 18 | 5 | 7 | 50 | 21 | 29 | 59 | |
| 5 | Maccabi Acre | 30 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 69 | 37 | 32 | 55 | |
| 6 | Hakoah Ramat Gan | 30 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 62 | 31 | 31 | 55 | |
| 7 | Maccabi Kiryat Gat Maccabi Kiryat Gat F.C. Maccabi Kiryat Gat F.C. is an Israeli football team based in the southern city of Kiryat Gat. To date, the club's best achievement has been promotion to the Premier League as Liga Leumit runners-up in 2001, after holding their nerve to beat Hapoel Beit She'an on the final day of the season... |
30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 52 | 37 | 15 | 491 | |
| 8 | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 44 | 36 | 8 | 45 | |
| 9 | Bnei Sakhnin | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 56 | 35 | 21 | 43 | |
| 10 | Hapoel Ashdod Hapoel Ashdod F.C. Hapoel Ashdod F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Ashdod. In 1999, it merged with local rivals Ironi Ashdod to create F.C. Ashdod.-History:... |
30 | 8 | 14 | 8 | 42 | 39 | 3 | 38 | Relegated to Liga Alef Liga Alef -History:League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef... |
| 11 | Beitar Tel Aviv | 30 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 28 | 46 | -18 | 33 | Relegated to Liga Artzit |
| 12 | Hapoel Bat Yam | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 52 | 64 | -12 | 30 | |
| 13 | Maccabi Kafr Kanna Maccabi Kafr Kanna F.C. Maccabi Kafr Kanna is an Israeli football club based in Kafr Kanna. The club is currently in Liga Artzit and plays its home matches at the Azmi Nassar Stadium, named after Azmi Nassar-History:... |
30 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 34 | 54 | -20 | 23 | |
| 14 | Hapoel Lod Hapoel Lod F.C. Hapoel Lod was an Israeli football club based in Lod. The club spent several seasons in the top division in the 1960s and 1980s, and won the State Cup in 1984. After several relegations, they folded in 2002.-History:... |
30 | 6 | 5 | 19 | 32 | 69 | -37 | 23 | Relegated to Liga Alef Liga Alef -History:League football began in Israel in 1949–50, a year after independence. However, the financial and security crises gripping the young nation caused the 1950–51 season to be abandoned before it had started. When football resumed in 1951–52, the new top division went by the name of Liga Alef... |
| 15 | SK Nes Tziona | 30 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 30 | 103 | -73 | 132 | |
| 16 | Hapoel Tayibe Hapoel Tayibe F.C. Hapoel Tayibe F.C. was an Israeli football club based in Tayibe. In 1996 they became the first ever Israeli Arab club to play in the top division. However, they were relegated at the end of their first season in the top flight, and folded in 2003 after three more relegations.-History:The club was... |
30 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 27 | 106 | -79 | 6 | Relegated to Liga Artzit |
1. 2 points deducted for violating budget rules.
2. 4 points deducted for violating budget rules.