National Soccer League (Australia)

From Freepedia

The National Soccer League, or NSL, was the former national soccer (association football) competition in Australia, overseen by Soccer Australia and later the Australian Soccer Association. The NSL has now been replaced by the new, fully professional A-League competition, run by Football Federation Australia, the successor to the Australian Soccer Association.

Contents

Structure

The competition structure changed many times throughout the NSL's history. In later years it comprised a regular season followed by a knock-out cup competition played by the top 6 teams, with the championship decided by a Grand Final, though other systems were occasionally used. This structure is similar to that of Major League Soccer in the United States, and to the major leagues of other popular football codes in Australia.

History

Many of the clubs formed from various European migrant communities, and drew much of their support base from them, despite edicts from the governing body in the 1990s forcing the clubs to drop national or ethnic names and logos. The league was described as "semi-professional", with many players holding down day jobs and earning salaries considerably lower than those in the AFL or major rugby clubs, let alone those of the best-known players in Europe.

The league and clubs struggled financially for many years. The league's administration was widely regarded as incompetent. There had been talk of a Super League-style break away competition while the league itself was on the verge of collapse.

The 2003/2004 season grand final, played on 4th April 2004 between Parramatta Power and Perth Glory, was the final game of the National Soccer League. Perth Glory won the game 1-0 in extra time.

A new league — the Hyundai A-League — commenced in August 2005. It comprises eight teams competing in a triple round robin tournament followed by a top-four playoff and grand final. The administrators of the sport hope the new competition will usher in a new era of professionalism and development for the sport in Australia.

2003-04 Teams

Previous Teams

Champions in previous seasons

Season Winner
2003-04 Perth Glory
2002-03 Perth Glory
2001-02 Olympic Sharks
2000-01 Wollongong Wolves
1999-00 Wollongong Wolves
1998-99 South Melbourne
1997-98 South Melbourne
1996-97 Brisbane Strikers
1995-96 Melbourne Knights
1994-95 Melbourne Knights
1993-94 Adelaide City
1992-93 Marconi Stallions
1991-92 Adelaide City
1990-91 South Melbourne
1989-90 Olympic Sharks
1989 Marconi Stallions
1988 Marconi Stallions
1987 Leichhardt
1986 Adelaide City
1985 Brunswick
1984 South Melbourne
1983 St. George
1982 Sydney City
1981 Sydney City
1980 Sydney City
1979 Marconi Stallions
1978 Adelaide Sharks
1977 Sydney City

External Links

Retrieved from "http://en.freepedia.org/National_Soccer_League_%28Australia%29.html"


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