National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The National Soccer League (NSL) is the former national association football competition in Australasia
, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004. In 2005, it was succeeded by the A-League
competition, run by Football Federation Australia
, the successor to the Australian Soccer Association. The competition was also known by various names including the Philips
Soccer League, Coca-Cola
Soccer League, Ericsson
Cup and briefly during the mid-1990s the A-League
.
sponsored cup competitions in the various states, starting with New South Wales
in 1957, with other states following in their stead. Later a national Ampol Cup was conducted which continued throughout the 1960s. From 1962 until 1968 an Australia Cup
was held, 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, but the tournament didn't 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, 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.
The transition from state-based leagues to a national competition was not all smooth. The Victorian Soccer Federation
was reluctant for its big clubs to be involved and it appeared the dream of Alex Pongrass of St George
and Frank Lowy
of Hakoah Sydney
for a nationwide club competition would not evolve. Little-known Mooroolbark
from Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs broke the deadlock by joining the competition, bringing three other Victorian
sides with it, making the national league a reality.
winning four titles, and only West Adelaide SC
being able to wrest the title from New South Wales
. The competition at this stage was a simple first past the post. A post season finals series was played during this era but was considered more of an exhibition series rather than a legitimate game to decide the national champion, although some confusion still exists on this matter particularly amongst some Heidelberg
supporters who consider the 1980 'final' as a legitimate decider.
) 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 Australia
n 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 South Melbourne
become the first Victoria
n team to win the league, followed by Brunswick Juventus
, and Adelaide City
, all Southern conference sides. At the end of the 1986 season, the system was scrapped, and about half the teams were dumped back to their respective state leagues. The criteria used to decide who stayed and who went was based 50% on the 1986 playing record, 40% on past playing record, and 10% on crowd support. The result was that only one team from outside Sydney and Melbourne, reigning champions Adelaide City
, was retained.
dominance with all titles, minor premierships and runners-up being from that state.
and Australian Rugby League
seasons, as well as providing better playing surfaces and spectator comfort owing to the better weather.
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 Brunswick Juventus
, St George
and APIA Leichhardt
, as well as once upon a time contenders in Heidelberg
and Preston
. This coincided with a renewed push by soccer authorities to force clubs to market themselves to mainstream Australia, as opposed to their own mostly migrant fan bases. This included name and logo changes, as well as the banning of ethnic flags, changes which were begrudgingly agreed to by the clubs, though in the terraces the fans generally continued to chant the old names. Marconi
, South Melbourne FC
, Adelaide City and the Melbourne Knights
were the dominant sides of this era, with
numerous titles and grand final appearances between them.
, as well as other new entities which promised to deliver mainstream support, as well as being fully professional outfits as opposed to the majority of clubs and players who were only semi-professional. Among the new clubs at this time were the Collingwood Warriors
, Carlton
, Northern Spirit
and Parramatta Power
.
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 FC
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, didn't 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 Brisbane Strikers
become the first Queensland side to win the title in season 1996/97, but it never resulted in Brisbane
gaining much bigger crowds in the following seasons than they were accustomed to. South Melbourne FC
won back to back titles in the late 1990s, and by also winning the 1999 Oceania Club Championship
, earning the right to play in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
, where it put in some respectable performances, and a tidy sum in prize money. Wollongong Wolves
became the only side from regional Australia to win the league, with their back to back titles in 1999/2000 and 2000/01. The 1999/2000 Grand Final against Perth Glory at Subiaco Oval in Perth
saw a record attendance of 43,242, overtaking the 1997 figure in Brisbane and a record that would remain until the 2007 A-League Grand Final in Melbourne
. The cancellation of the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship
however was a major blow to the league as clubs which had seen a way of making a substantial amount of much needed money.
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, Soccer Australia sold the television rights for the NSL and Socceroos matches to the Seven Network
in a 10 year contract that was worth $2.5 million a year. Seven bought the rights to be one of the flagships of its pay TV sport channel, C7 Sport
.
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.
In 2002, C7 Sport
closed after the Seven Network lost the 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 lead 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 Parramatta Power
on April 4, 2004, almost 27 years to the day that the national competition began. Nik Mrdja
had the honor of scoring the last goal in the NSL, a 98th minute golden goal
to seal the championship for Perth. After this, national competition went into recess for a year and a half. In November 2004, 8 teams, including 5 from the now defunct NSL, formed the A-League
, the revamped national competition. The first competition began on the 26th of August 2005, ending the long recess.
/Australian Capital Territory
clubs and National Conference, Victoria, South Australia
, Queensland; 1985 and 1986 – Northern Conference, New South Wales
/Australian Capital Territory
clubs and Southern Conference for the rest) with 12 teams in each. The top five in each division would qualify for the playoffs, with the winner of each of the divisional playoffs playing off in a two-legged Grand Final. In 1987, the league dumped 11 teams, scrapped the split divisions, and the championship system reverted to first past the post.
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.
Australasia
Australasia is a region of Oceania comprising Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea, and neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term was coined by Charles de Brosses in Histoire des navigations aux terres australes...
, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL spanned 28 seasons from its inception in 1977, until its demise in 2004. In 2005, it was succeeded by the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
competition, run by Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia
Football Federation Australia is the governing body for the sport of football in Australia. Before 1 January 2005, it was known as the Australian Soccer Association , which succeeded Soccer Australia in this role in 2003...
, the successor to the Australian Soccer Association. The competition was also known by various names including the Philips
Philips
Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. , more commonly known as Philips, is a multinational Dutch electronics company....
Soccer League, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
Soccer League, Ericsson
Ericsson
Ericsson , one of Sweden's largest companies, is a provider of telecommunication and data communication systems, and related services, covering a range of technologies, including especially mobile networks...
Cup and briefly during the mid-1990s the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
.
Pre-NSL history of interstate club competition
Competition between club sides from different states existed in various forms prior to the formation of the NSL. The petroleum company AmpolAmpol
Ampol, the Australian Motorists Petrol Company, was incorporated by Sir William Gaston Walkley in 1936 in New South Wales. This was in response to Australians' concerns about perceived inequitable petrol pricing, and allegations of transfer pricing by foreign oil companies to limit their tax...
sponsored cup competitions in the various states, starting with New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
in 1957, with other states following in their stead. Later a national Ampol Cup was conducted which continued throughout the 1960s. From 1962 until 1968 an Australia Cup
Australian Cup (football)
The Australian Cup is a defunct football competition organised by the Australian Soccer Federation. It was held between 1962 and 1968. It was the first nationwide club tournament held in Australia.-Champions and runners up:...
was held, but its ambition of becoming an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
style knockout competition went unfulfilled. In the 1970s the top sides from Melbourne and Sydney played off in an end of season series, but the tournament didn't 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, 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
1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
led to various discussions in 1975 and 1976, with eventually 14 teams being chosen to participate in the inaugural season of the national league.
The transition from state-based leagues to a national competition was not all smooth. The Victorian Soccer Federation
Football Federation Victoria
Football Federation Victoria is the state governing body for football in Victoria, Australia. It is affiliated with Football Federation Australia, the sport's national governing body....
was reluctant for its big clubs to be involved and it appeared the dream of Alex Pongrass of St George
St George Saints
The St. George Saints Football Club are an Association football club based in the St. George region of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground in the 2007-08. The St...
and Frank Lowy
Frank Lowy
Frank Lowy, AC is an Australian-Israeli businessman. He is a co-founder of the Westfield Group, operator of over 100 shopping centres in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Great Britain...
of Hakoah Sydney
Sydney City Soccer Club
Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City...
for a nationwide club competition would not evolve. Little-known Mooroolbark
Mooroolbark FC
Mooroolbark is an Australian association football club based in Mooroolbark, an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. They currently play in Victorian Provisional League 1 South-East.-History:...
from Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs broke the deadlock by joining the competition, bringing three other Victorian
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
sides with it, making the national league a reality.
1977–1983 Sydney dominance
The first seven seasons of the league would be dominated by Sydney clubs, with Sydney CitySydney City Soccer Club
Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City...
winning four titles, and only West Adelaide SC
West Adelaide SC
West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was...
being able to wrest the title from New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. The competition at this stage was a simple first past the post. A post season finals series was played during this era but was considered more of an exhibition series rather than a legitimate game to decide the national champion, although some confusion still exists on this matter particularly amongst some Heidelberg
Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia...
supporters who consider the 1980 'final' as a legitimate decider.
1984–1986 Conference system and shift of power
Shrinking crowds led to the radical move of introducing more teams (mainly from Victoria and New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. 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
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and the ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, whilst the 'National' Conference consisted of Victorian, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n and Queensland clubs. For 1985 and 1986 this reverted to 'Northern' and 'Southern' Conferences. Strangely, the competition's most geographically northern sides, Brisbane Lions
Queensland Lions Soccer Club
Queensland Lions Football Club is an football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-History:The club was founded in 1957 as Hollandia-Inala Soccer Club by Dutch immigrants. From the start they were based at grounds in the Brisbane suburb of Richlands, where they still play...
and Brisbane City were in the latter grouping.
This period saw South Melbourne
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
become the first Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
n team to win the league, followed by Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles...
, and Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
, all Southern conference sides. At the end of the 1986 season, the system was scrapped, and about half the teams were dumped back to their respective state leagues. The criteria used to decide who stayed and who went was based 50% on the 1986 playing record, 40% on past playing record, and 10% on crowd support. The result was that only one team from outside Sydney and Melbourne, reigning champions Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
, was retained.
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. Apart from returning to a single division, the league also dispensed with finals for the 1987 season, reverting back to first past the post. Many considered this an ill-considered move, as it robbed the league of its most high profile games. 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 WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
dominance with all titles, minor premierships and runners-up being from that state.
1989/90-1995/96 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 Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
seasons, as well as providing better playing surfaces and spectator comfort owing to the better weather.
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 Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus
Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles...
, St George
St George Saints
The St. George Saints Football Club are an Association football club based in the St. George region of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground in the 2007-08. The St...
and APIA Leichhardt
A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers
APIA Leichhardt Tigers Football Club, also known as APIA Tigers and Sydney Tigers, is an Australian football club based in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954, known as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians...
, as well as once upon a time contenders in Heidelberg
Heidelberg United
Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia...
and Preston
Preston Lions FC
The Preston Lions Football Club are an Australian football club from Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia...
. This coincided with a renewed push by soccer authorities to force clubs to market themselves to mainstream Australia, as opposed to their own mostly migrant fan bases. This included name and logo changes, as well as the banning of ethnic flags, changes which were begrudgingly agreed to by the clubs, though in the terraces the fans generally continued to chant the old names. Marconi
Marconi Stallions
The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC...
, South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
, Adelaide City and the Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights
Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League...
were the dominant sides of this era, with
numerous titles and grand final appearances between them.
1996/97-2000/01 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 Perth GloryPerth Glory FC
Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League...
, as well as other new entities which promised to deliver mainstream support, as well as being fully professional outfits as opposed to the majority of clubs and players who were only semi-professional. Among the new clubs at this time were the Collingwood Warriors
Collingwood Warriors S.C.
Collingwood Warriors was an association football team from Melbourne, Australia. It played in the National Soccer League in 1996/97, lasting only a solitary season....
, Carlton
Carlton S.C.
Carlton Soccer Club is a defunct Australian association football club. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1997/98 season until round eight of the 2000/2001 season, after which it folded. The club was strongly linked to the Carlton Australian Rules club, and suffered from poor...
, Northern Spirit
Northern Spirit FC
Northern Spirit Football Club was a football club based in North Sydney, Australia. Northern Spirit entered the National Soccer League in the 1998-99 season...
and Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in...
.
These clubs would have varying degrees of success on and off the field. Collingwood Warriors barely managed to last a season, while Carlton
Carlton S.C.
Carlton Soccer Club is a defunct Australian association football club. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1997/98 season until round eight of the 2000/2001 season, after which it folded. The club was strongly linked to the Carlton Australian Rules club, and suffered from poor...
reached the grand final in its debut year, but was unable to attract a substantial fan base. Northern Spirit FC
Northern Spirit FC
Northern Spirit Football Club was a football club based in North Sydney, Australia. Northern Spirit entered the National Soccer League in the 1998-99 season...
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, didn't help matters. They would survive until the end of the NSL, but fold thereafter. Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in...
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 Brisbane Strikers
Brisbane Strikers
The Brisbane Strikers are an Australian football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia who play in the Queensland State League.-National Soccer League:...
become the first Queensland side to win the title in season 1996/97, but it never resulted in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
gaining much bigger crowds in the following seasons than they were accustomed to. South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC
South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World...
won back to back titles in the late 1990s, and by also winning the 1999 Oceania Club Championship
Oceania Club Championship 1999
The 1999 Oceania Club Championships was held in September 1999. The tournament was designed to decide the Oceania Football Confederation's entrant into the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship. The competition was held in Fiji .-Participants:...
, earning the right to play in the 2000 FIFA Club World Championship
2000 FIFA Club World Championship
The 2000 FIFA Club World Championship was the pilot edition of the FIFA Club World Championship held in Brazil from 5 January to 14 January 2000...
, where it put in some respectable performances, and a tidy sum in prize money. Wollongong Wolves
Wollongong Wolves
The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial...
became the only side from regional Australia to win the league, with their back to back titles in 1999/2000 and 2000/01. The 1999/2000 Grand Final against Perth Glory at Subiaco Oval in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
saw a record attendance of 43,242, overtaking the 1997 figure in Brisbane and a record that would remain until the 2007 A-League Grand Final in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. The cancellation of the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship
2001 FIFA Club World Championship
The 2001 FIFA Club World Championship was a football tournament arranged by FIFA to take place in Spain. This was cancelled owing to a combination of factors, most importantly the collapse of FIFA's marketing partner ISL.-Teams:...
however was a major blow to the league as clubs which had seen a way of making a substantial amount of much needed money.
2001/02–2003/04 Decline and demise
After the 2001 FIFA Club World Championship2001 FIFA Club World Championship
The 2001 FIFA Club World Championship was a football tournament arranged by FIFA to take place in Spain. This was cancelled owing to a combination of factors, most importantly the collapse of FIFA's marketing partner ISL.-Teams:...
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, Soccer Australia sold the television rights for the NSL and Socceroos matches to the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
in a 10 year contract that was worth $2.5 million a year. Seven bought the rights to be one of the flagships of its pay TV sport channel, C7 Sport
C7 Sport
C7 Sport was a pay-TV service in Australia, owned and run by Kerry Stokes' Seven Network. The service was carried on the Austar and Optus Vision pay-TV networks between 1995 and 2002, when it was removed in controversial circumstances...
.
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.
In 2002, C7 Sport
C7 Sport
C7 Sport was a pay-TV service in Australia, owned and run by Kerry Stokes' Seven Network. The service was carried on the Austar and Optus Vision pay-TV networks between 1995 and 2002, when it was removed in controversial circumstances...
closed after the Seven Network lost the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
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
Special Broadcasting Service
The Special Broadcasting Service is a hybrid-funded Australian public broadcasting radio and television network. The stated purpose of SBS is "to provide multilingual and multicultural radio and television services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians and, in doing so, reflect...
picked up the rights soon after.
The consequent lack of sponsorship meant the league fell into even further decline which lead to its eventual demise at the end of the 2003-04 season. Highlights were few and far between, but Sydney Olympic
Sydney Olympic FC
Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the...
re-emerged as a genuine leading club for the first time in a decade, winning its second title, and Perth Glory
Perth Glory FC
Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League...
went on to win the last two titles of the NSL, after previously having lost two grand finals.
The birth of Adelaide United
Adelaide United FC
Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is...
, as a quickly formed replacement of Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
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
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
since the heyday of Adelaide City
Adelaide City
Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League...
and West Adelaide
West Adelaide SC
West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was...
.
The league in 2003-04 was won by Perth Glory after a 1-0 win against Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power
Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in...
on April 4, 2004, almost 27 years to the day that the national competition began. Nik Mrdja
Nik Mrdja
Nik Mrdja is an Australian football player of Serbian ethnicity. He currently plays as a striker for the Australian A-League club the Central Coast Mariners.-Club career:...
had the honor of scoring the last goal in the NSL, a 98th minute golden goal
Golden goal
The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...
to seal the championship for Perth. After this, national competition went into recess for a year and a half. In November 2004, 8 teams, including 5 from the now defunct NSL, formed the A-League
A-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
, the revamped national competition. The first competition began on the 26th of August 2005, ending the long recess.
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 didn't determine who won the title. From 1984 until 1986, the league introduced more teams split into two conferences (1984 – Australian Conference, New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
/Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
clubs and National Conference, Victoria, South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
, Queensland; 1985 and 1986 – Northern Conference, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
/Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
clubs and Southern Conference for the rest) with 12 teams in each. The top five in each division would qualify for the playoffs, with the winner of each of the divisional playoffs playing off in a two-legged Grand Final. In 1987, the league dumped 11 teams, scrapped the split divisions, and the championship system reverted to first past the post.
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.
Former clubs
| Team | Also known as | Years Participating | Current Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
Adelaide Juventus Adelaide City Zebras Adelaide City Giants Adelaide (City) Force |
1977-2002/03 | South Australian Super League South Australian Super League The South Australian Super League is the highest state-level association football competition in South Australia and commenced in 2006. Prior to the 2006 season, the highest level competition in South Australia was the South Australian Premier League. Nationally, it is one grade lower than the... |
| Adelaide United Adelaide United FC Adelaide United Football Club is a professional football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. It currently participates in the A-League as the sole team from the state of South Australia. Adelaide is one of the most successful clubs in the A-League. The club's home ground is... |
2003/04 | A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... |
|
| A.P.I.A. Leichhardt | Leichhardt Strikers | 1979-1991/1992 | New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... as Sydney Tigers A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers APIA Leichhardt Tigers Football Club, also known as APIA Tigers and Sydney Tigers, is an Australian football club based in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954, known as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians... |
| Blacktown City | 1980–1981 1984–1986 1989-1989/90 |
New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... |
|
| Brisbane City | Azzurri Brisbane City Gladiators |
1977–1986 | Brisbane Premier League Brisbane Premier League Brisbane Premier League is the first tier of senior football league in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, run by Football Brisbane . After a 26 match regular season, the top 6 teams on the league table qualify for the finals series... |
| Brisbane Lions Queensland Lions Soccer Club Queensland Lions Football Club is an football club based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.-History:The club was founded in 1957 as Hollandia-Inala Soccer Club by Dutch immigrants. From the start they were based at grounds in the Brisbane suburb of Richlands, where they still play... |
Hollandia | 1977–1986 1988 |
A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... as Brisbane Roar Queensland Roar FC Brisbane Roar Football Club is a professional football club from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia competing in the Hyundai A-League national competition, playing their home games at Suncorp Stadium... |
| Brisbane Strikers | Brisbane United | 1991/92-2003/04 | Queensland State League Queensland State League Queensland State League may refer to:* Queensland State League , a statewide semi-professional association football league... |
| Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles... |
Brunswick Pumas Melbourne BUSC Melbourne Zebras |
1984–1988 1993/94-1994/95 |
Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... as Whittlesea Zebras |
| Canberra City Canberra City SC Canberra City Football Club, also known for some time as the Canberra Arrows, is an Australian football club based in Canberra in the ACT... |
Canberra City Arrows Canberra City Olympians |
1977–1986 | ACT Premier League ACT Premier League The ACT Premier League, known as the Gatorade Premier League for sponsorship reasons, is an association football competition contested by clubs affiliated to Capital Football... |
| Canberra Cosmos Canberra Cosmos Canberra Cosmos FC is a defunct Australian association football club based in Canberra in the ACT. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1995/96 season until the end of the 2000/01 season, after which it folded, primarily due to financial difficulties... |
1995/96-2000/01 | Defunct | |
| Canterbury-Marrickville | Canterbury-Marrickville Olympic | 1986 | New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... as West Sydney Berries |
| Carlton S.C. Carlton S.C. Carlton Soccer Club is a defunct Australian association football club. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1997/98 season until round eight of the 2000/2001 season, after which it folded. The club was strongly linked to the Carlton Australian Rules club, and suffered from poor... |
1997/98-2000/01 | Defunct | |
| Collingwood Warriors Collingwood Warriors S.C. Collingwood Warriors was an association football team from Melbourne, Australia. It played in the National Soccer League in 1996/97, lasting only a solitary season.... |
1996/1997 | Defunct | |
| Football Kingz New Zealand Knights FC This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct... |
Auckland Kingz | 1999/01-2003/04 | Defunct; A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... 2005–07 as New Zealand Knights New Zealand Knights FC This page details the history of the club. For information on seasons and results see New Zealand Knights seasons 2005-06 and 2006-07New Zealand Knights Football Club were the only professional football club in New Zealand before they became defunct... |
| Footscray JUST Footscray JUST Footscray JUST is a defunct association football club from Melbourne, Australia.Established in 1950 by migrants from Yugoslavia they played in the Victorian leagues with a fair amount of success, winning five Victorian State League titles, and three Dockerty Cup titles... |
Footscray Eagles Melbourne City JUST |
1977–1989 | Defunct |
| Green Gully Green Gully Cavaliers Green Gully Soccer Club is a football club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Green Gully is one of the biggest clubs in Melbourne, it participated in the old National Soccer League between 1984-1986.... |
Green Gully Ajax | 1984–1986 | Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... |
| Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia... |
Fitzroy United Heidelberg Alexander |
1977–1987, 1989, 1990/91-1994/95 |
Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... |
| Inter Monaro Inter Monaro Inter Monaro SC is a defunct Australian football club that was based in Queanbeyan, NSW. Inter Monaro entere the NSW State League in 1977 after winning the ACT State League in 1976. In 1979 they won the NSW State League Grand Final... |
1985–1986 | Defunct | |
| Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
Marconi Fairfield Marconi-Datsun Leopards |
1977-2003/04 | New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... |
| Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
Essendon Lions Melbourne Croatia Melbourne CSC |
1984-2003/04 | Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... |
| Mooroolbark Mooroolbark FC Mooroolbark is an Australian association football club based in Mooroolbark, an outer eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria. They currently play in Victorian Provisional League 1 South-East.-History:... |
Mooroolbark United | 1977 | Victorian Provisional League One South-East |
| Morwell Falcons | Gippsland Falcons Eastern Pride |
1992–2001 | Defunct |
| Newcastle Breakers | Newcastle BHP Breakers | 1991/92-1999/00 | Defunct |
| Newcastle KB United | Newcastle United Newcastle KB Raiders |
1978–1984 | Defunct |
| Newcastle Rosebud United Adamstown Rosebuds FC Adamstown Rosebuds Football Club is a semi-professional association football club based in Adamstown a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales. At its senior level the club competes in the NewFM Division after being relegated from the NBN League in the 2007 season... |
Adamstown Rosebuds | 1984–1986 | NBN State Football League NBN State Football League The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football... as Adamstown Rosebuds Adamstown Rosebuds FC Adamstown Rosebuds Football Club is a semi-professional association football club based in Adamstown a suburb of Newcastle, New South Wales. At its senior level the club competes in the NewFM Division after being relegated from the NBN League in the 2007 season... |
| Newcastle United Jets | Newcastle United | 2000/01-2003/04 | A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... |
| Northern Spirit Northern Spirit FC Northern Spirit Football Club was a football club based in North Sydney, Australia. Northern Spirit entered the National Soccer League in the 1998-99 season... |
1998/99-2003/04 | Defunct | |
| Parramatta Eagles FC | Melita | 1984, 1989/90-1994/95 |
New South Wales Winter Super League New South Wales Winter Super League The New South Wales Super League is the second-highest state level men's association football division in New South Wales, Australia behind the NSW Premier League... |
| Parramatta Power FC | 1999/00-2003/04 | Defunct | |
| Penrith City Penrith City SC Penrith City SC is a defunct Australian football club that was based in Penrith, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1984, was an offshoot of the Penrith Panthers rugby league club, participating in the National Soccer League 1984 and 1985 seasons, in the league's Northern Division.- National... |
1984–1985 | Defunct | |
| Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
1996/97-2003/04 | A-League A-League The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company... |
|
| Preston Lions Preston Lions FC The Preston Lions Football Club are an Australian football club from Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia... |
Preston Rams Preston Makedonia |
1981-1992/93 | Victorian State League Division 1 Victorian State League Division 1 The Victorian State League Division 1 is the second tier association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and the third nationally, including the A-League... |
| South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
South Melbourne Hellas South Melbourne Gunners South Melbourne Lakers |
1977-2003/04 | Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... |
| St George Saints | St George Budapest | 1977–1980, 1982-1990/91 |
New South Wales Winter Super League New South Wales Winter Super League The New South Wales Super League is the second-highest state level men's association football division in New South Wales, Australia behind the NSW Premier League... |
| Sunshine George Cross Sunshine George Cross FC Sunshine George Cross Football Club is an Australian football club from Sunshine, a western suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and plays in the Victorian State League Division 1. Sunshine George Cross have played at Chaplin Reserve after agreement was reached with Sunshine City Soccer Club... |
1984-1990/91 | Victorian Premier League Victorian Premier League The Victorian Premier League is the highest State level association football competition in Victoria, Australia, and second highest nationally after the A-League... as Sunshine Georgies Sunshine George Cross FC Sunshine George Cross Football Club is an Australian football club from Sunshine, a western suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, and plays in the Victorian State League Division 1. Sunshine George Cross have played at Chaplin Reserve after agreement was reached with Sunshine City Soccer Club... |
|
| Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
Eastern Suburbs Hakoah Sydney City Slickers |
1977–1987 | NSW Conference League South NSW Conference League South The NSW Conference League South is the 4th Level of the State Wide Football NSW League. It shares the 4th Level with the NSW Conference League North... |
| Sydney Olympic | Pan-Hellenic Sydney Olympians UTS Olympic Olympic Sharks |
1977–1979 1981-2003/04 |
New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... |
| Sydney United | Sydney Croatia Sydney CSC Sydney United Pumas |
1984-2003/04 | New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... |
| West Adelaide West Adelaide SC West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was... |
West Adelaide Hellas West Adelaide Hawks (West) Adelaide Sharks |
1977–1986 1989/90 1991/92-1998/99 |
South Australian State League South Australian State League The South Australian State League is now the third-tier state-level football competition in South Australia. It is conducted by the Football Federation of South Australia , the state's governing body. Each season, the top two clubs are promoted to the Premier League while the bottom two sides in... |
| Western Suburbs Western Suburbs SC (NSW) The Western Suburbs Soccer Club is a defunct Australian football club that was based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club was a founding member of the National Soccer League in 1977.-History:... |
1977–78 | amalgamated in 1978 with APIA Leichhardt | |
| Wollongong Macedonia Wollongong United Wollongong United is an Australian soccer club based in Wollongong, currently participating in the Illawarra Premier League. The club played in the 1991 season of the National Soccer League under the name Wollongong Macedonia, where it finished last.... |
Wollongong United Illawarra Lions |
1990/91 | Illawarra Premier League |
| Wollongong Wolves | Wollongong City | 1981–1986 1988-2003/04 |
New South Wales Premier League New South Wales Premier League The New South Wales Premier League is the highest state-level men's soccer competition in New South Wales, Australia. Nationally, it is considered one grade lower than the A-League... |
Champions
| Year | Champion | Runner up | Score | Venue | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1978 | West Adelaide West Adelaide SC West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was... |
Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1979 | Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1980 | Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Heidelberg United Football Club is a football club based in the northern Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1981 | Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1982 | Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
St George St George Saints The St. George Saints Football Club are an Association football club based in the St. George region of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground in the 2007-08. The St... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1983 | St George St George Saints The St. George Saints Football Club are an Association football club based in the St. George region of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground in the 2007-08. The St... |
Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1984 | South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
4–2 agg. over two legs | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... St. George Stadium St George Soccer Stadium St. George Soccer Stadium is a recently-reopened football stadium in Banksia, New South Wales, Australia.-History:The ground was opened in 1978 to be the home of St. George-Budapest who played in local competition until playing in the national competition at the time, the National Soccer League... |
10,000 11,221 |
| 1985 | Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles... |
Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
2–0 agg. over two legs | St. George Stadium St George Soccer Stadium St. George Soccer Stadium is a recently-reopened football stadium in Banksia, New South Wales, Australia.-History:The ground was opened in 1978 to be the home of St. George-Budapest who played in local competition until playing in the national competition at the time, the National Soccer League... Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
2,491 7,560 |
| 1986 | Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
3–2 agg. over two legs | Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United.... Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
12,232 14,032 |
| 1987 | APIA Leichardt A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers APIA Leichhardt Tigers Football Club, also known as APIA Tigers and Sydney Tigers, is an Australian football club based in Sydney, Australia. The club was formed in 1954, known as APIA Leichhardt, by Italian Australians... |
Preston Lions Preston Lions FC The Preston Lions Football Club are an Australian football club from Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia... |
No Grand Final held | ||
| 1988 | Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
Sydney United Sydney United Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area... |
2–2 (5–4 on penalties) | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
17,064 |
| 1989 | Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
1–0 | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
23,387 |
| 1989/1990 | Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
2–0 | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
26,353 |
| 1990/1991 | South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
1–1 (5–4 on penalties) | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
21,338 |
| 1991/1992 | Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
0–0 (4–2 on penalties) | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
15,463 |
| 1992/1993 | Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
1–0 | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
13,376 |
| 1993/1994 | Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
1–0 | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
13,790 |
| 1994/1995 | Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
2–0 | Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium Hindmarsh Stadium is a rectangular stadium located in Adelaide, South Australia. It is the home of the Australian A-League team, Adelaide United.... |
15,573 |
| 1995/1996 | Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
2–1 | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
14,258 |
| 1996/1997 | Brisbane Strikers | Sydney United Sydney United Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area... |
2–0 | Lang Park Suncorp Stadium Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium... |
40,446 |
| 1997/1998 | South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
Carlton S.C. Carlton S.C. Carlton Soccer Club is a defunct Australian association football club. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1997/98 season until round eight of the 2000/2001 season, after which it folded. The club was strongly linked to the Carlton Australian Rules club, and suffered from poor... |
2–1 | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
16,000 |
| 1998/1999 | South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
Sydney United Sydney United Sydney United Football Club are an Australian football club from Sydney, Australia, established in 1957 by Croatian Australians in the area... |
3–2 | Olympic Park Olympic Park Stadium Olympic Park Stadium was a multi-purpose outdoor stadium located on Olympic Boulevard in inner Melbourne. The stadium was built as an athletics training venue for the 1956 Olympics, a short distance from the MCG, which served as the Olympic Stadium... |
15,194 |
| 1999/2000 | Wollongong Wolves Wollongong Wolves The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial... |
Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
3–3 (7–6 on penalties) | Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia... |
43,242 |
| 2000/2001 | Wollongong Wolves Wollongong Wolves The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial... |
South Melbourne South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
2–1 | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
13,402 |
| 2001/2002 | Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
1–0 | Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia... |
42,735 |
| 2002/2003 | Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
Sydney Olympic Sydney Olympic FC Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian football club that plays in the NSW Premier League. It competed in the National Soccer League from 1977 until the league's demise in 2004, having won the championship in 1989–90, 2001–02, the League Cup in 1980, the minor premiership in 2002–03 and the... |
2–0 | Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval Subiaco Oval , known colloquially as Subi, is the highest capacity sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia... |
38,111 |
| 2003/2004 | Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
Parramatta Power Parramatta Power Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in... |
1–0 | Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium Parramatta Stadium is a sports stadium situated in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia.The stadium is used primarily as the home ground of Australian National Rugby League club the Parramatta Eels... |
9,630 |
Performance by club
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney City Sydney City Soccer Club Sydney City Soccer Club is a football club from Sydney, Australia.The club was formed in 1939 as Sydney Hakoah by members of the Sydney Jewish community. They played between 1977 and 1986 in the National Soccer League as Eastern Suburbs and Sydney City... |
|
|
1977, 1980, 1981, 1982 |
| Marconi Stallions Marconi Stallions The Marconi Stallions Football Club is an Australian football club located in Sydney, Australia. The club won the National Soccer League title a record four times, along with South Melbourne FC and Sydney City SC... |
|
|
1979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93 |
| South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC South Melbourne FC is a football club based in South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.Considered the most successful association football club in Australia, they have won four national championships, a string of Victorian State League titles, and represented Oceania in the 2000 FIFA Club World... |
|
|
1984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99 |
| Adelaide City Adelaide City Adelaide City is a football club in Adelaide, South Australia. They are also known as The Zebras. They played in the National Soccer League for 27 Seasons but withdrew just prior to the 2003/2004 season. They now play in the South Australian Super League. City won the inaugural Super League... |
|
|
1986, 1991–92, 1993–94 |
| Sydney Olympic | |
|
1989–90, 2001–02 |
| Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Melbourne Knights Football Club is a football club representing Melbourne, Australia in the Victorian Premier League . The club is one of the most successful football clubs in Australia, being a two-time championship and four-time premiership winner in the now defunct National Soccer League... |
|
|
1994–95, 1995–96 |
| Perth Glory Perth Glory FC Perth Glory Football Club is a professional football club in Perth, Western Australia, Australia, competing in Australia's top football competition the A-League. Perth Glory is one of only three clubs to survive from the now defunct National Soccer League... |
|
|
2002–03, 2003–04 |
| Wollongong Wolves Wollongong Wolves The South Coast Wolves Football Club is an Australian Association football club based in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia currently playing in the NSW Premier League.The club was formed in 2009 as a not for profit organisation, run and owned by the community since the financial... |
|
|
1999-00, 2000–01 |
| St. George St George Saints The St. George Saints Football Club are an Association football club based in the St. George region of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia. The club plays its home games at St. George Stadium, after playing a brief stint at Belmore Sports Ground in the 2007-08. The St... |
|
|
1983 |
| Brisbane Strikers | |
|
1996–97 |
| APIA Leichhardt | |
|
1987 |
| Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus Brunswick Juventus is an Australian association football club from Brunswick, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The club was a participant in the National Soccer League, where they were champions in 1985, and Victorian Premier League, in which they won eight titles... |
|
|
1985 |
| West Adelaide West Adelaide SC West Adelaide Soccer Club is an Australian football club from Adelaide, Australia. Currently it plays in the FFSA State League Competition. It participated in the National Soccer League from the 1977 season until the end of the 1998/99 season, except for the periods 1987-89 and 1990-91. It was... |
|
|
1978 |
| Sydney United | |
|
1988, 1996–97, 1998–99 |
| Heidelberg United | |
|
1979, 1980 |
| Preston Lions Preston Lions FC The Preston Lions Football Club are an Australian football club from Preston, a northern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia... |
|
|
1987 |
| Carlton SC | |
|
1997-98 |
| Parramatta Power Parramatta Power Parramatta Power were a football team which was based in western Sydney. They played in the National Soccer League from season 1999/2000 until the league folded in 2004. The Power were runners up to Perth Glory in the 2003/04 season of the NSL after Perth made the Grand Final look easy in... |
|
|
2003-04 |