1977 has gone down in the football history of Australia as the year that a giant, courageous step was taken. It was the year when football became a national club competition for the first time.
It was also the year when big business started to see the potential of the game and a future in football sponsorship in this country. Companies like Philips, Coca-Cola and Ericsson put in millions of dollars into the NSL to help it get off the ground and kept it running for twenty-eight years.
It also saw the establishment of a football philanthropy which continues to this day, the scale of which was never seen before in this country. Some of Australia’s richest men, who had made their fortunes in the lucky country and had a great love of football, put their own money back into the game. Some of these wealthy Australians also sat on the board of Soccer Australia.
In the early years of the NSL Frank Lowy and a number of successful Jewish businessmen from the Eastern Suburbs poured millions into Sydney City in the NSL. The team did spectacularly well on the field. With their sponsors backing, Sydney City was able to assemble the best team in the NSL and won four of the first six NSL titles.
This success was not reflected off the field and even as four time NSL champions, Sydney City were never profitable and only averaged crowds of about 600 per game at best, while the overall average game attendance during the first few years of the NSL was about 3000 to 4000.
As crowd averages started falling, Soccer Australia and the NSL backers decided to re-structure the league.
In 1984, among other things, they agreed on a new, revolutionary championship format with a twofold aim; to reduce the expensive interstate travel costs and to increase the “local derby” content of NSL matches.
Firstly, the NSL was split into two conferences:
• the Australian Conference, with teams from NSW and the ACT, and
• the National Conference, consisting of Victorian, South Australian and Queensland clubs.
Secondly, the winner of each conference played off in an end of season two legged home and away final to determine the NSL champion.
In 1984, the first year of the re-structured league, astonishingly there were 24 teams who entered the new NSL competition – 12 in each division. This is the highest number of teams in any national domestic club competition in Australia and remains a record till this day.
The Australian Conference (Northern Conference) consisted of teams from Sydney City, Sydney Olympic, Marconi-Fairfield, APIA Leichhardt, Blacktown, Sydney Croatia, Penrith, Newcastle, Canberra, St George, Melita and Wollongong City.
The National Conference (Southern Conference) consisted of teams from South Melbourne, Heidelberg United, Melbourne Croatia, Brisbane Lions, Brunswick, Preston, Adelaide City, Footscray, Green Gully, West Adelaide, Brisbane City and Sunshine George Cross.
The top five teams in the points table at the end of the 28 round competition from each conference played off in an elimination series to determine who would represent their conference in the two legged NSL grand final.
1984 NSL Australian Conference semi finalists – Sydney Olympic, Marconi, Blacktown City, Sydney City and APIA.
1984 NSL National Conference semi finalists – Preston, Heidelberg, South Melbourne, Brunswick and Brisbane Lions.
1984 NSL Grand Final First Leg – South Melbourne 2 Sydney Olympic 1. Second Leg – Sydney Olympic 1 South Melbourne 2.
1984 NSL Champions – South Melbourne.
Ange Postecoglou played left back for South Melbourne and won the first of his four NSL titles – two as a player and two as a manager.
1985 NSL Australian Conference semi finalists – Sydney City, Sydney Olympic, Sydney Croatia, Marconi and St George.
1985 NSL National Conference semi finalists – Preston, Melbourne Knights, Heidelberg, Brunswick, and South Melbourne.
1985 NSL Grand Final First Leg – Sydney City 0 Brunswick 1. Second Leg – Brunswick 1 Sydney City 0.
1985 NSL Champions – Brunswick.
Sydney City boasted a forward line of Socceroos Frank Farina, John Kosmina and David Mitchell, but couldn’t manage a goal over two legs in the final against Paul Wade’s Brunswick.
1986 NSL Australian Conference semi finalists – Sydney City, Sydney Olympic, Sydney Croatia, Marconi and St George.
1986 NSL National Conference semi finalists – Footscray, Adelaide City, Sunshine George Cross, Heidelberg and Brunswick.
1986 NSL Grand Final First Leg – Adelaide City 0 Sydney Olympic 1. Second Leg – Sydney Olympic 1 Adelaide City 3.
1986 NSL Champions – Adelaide City.
The re-structure had been in many ways successful, creating more interest in the competition, more games, and more local derbies. Crowds during the regular season remained around the three to four thousand mark average, but the finals series average attendances rose to about nine thousand.
It was great that so many teams around the country had entered the NSL, however it still didn’t introduce enough financial stability into the competition, so after only three seasons the two conference system was scrapped.
The NSL reverted back to the one single competition and a new set of rules were introduced to cull the number of teams. 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 per cent on the 1986 playing record, 40 per cent on past playing record, and 10 per cent on crowd support. The result was that only one team from outside Sydney and Melbourne was retained, reigning champions Adelaide City.
In another major blow to the NSL, Sydney City and its backers pulled out of the revised NSL competition in 1987, after only one round. They were frustrated by the major changes and the lack of support for their team and withdrew leaving a big hole, as the most successful team in NSL history at that point in time.
Apart from returning to a thirteen team single division, the league also dispensed with finals series for the 1987 season, reverting back to first past the post championships.
1987 saw APIA Leichardt become NSL Champions for the first time heading off Preston by six points and great rival Marconi in third position.
Attendances didn’t improve much that year and many considered the lack of finals as a backward step, so a five team NSL finals series was re-introduced from 1988 and were to remain with the competition until the NSL’s demise in 2004.
The 1988 season saw Sydney Croatia, Marconi, South Melbourne, Sydney Olympic and Wollongong make the finals series. Marconi went on to be crowned NSL champions for the second time.
The 1988 NSL grand final against Sydney United finished two all at full-time. Marconi eventually won on penalties in one of the most exciting NSL grand finals. Robbie Slater and Graham Arnold played in the Sydney United NSL grand final losing side.
Marconi then picked up their third NSL title in 1989 beating Sydney Olympic 1-0 at Parramatta Stadium in front of about 12,000 spectators.
The 1989 season would be the last NSL competition to be played in winter.
In part three of our brief history of the NSL we will see why the NSL reverted to a summer competition and how the change affected the fortunes of the clubs and their backers.
jbinnie
Guest
Futbanous- Funny you should mention Scotland. That was the home and away tie where the first leg was played in Scotland, under floodlight, on a cold, freezing November night and the home team won 2-0. Frank Arok asked that the return game be played as far north as possible with a kick off time around noon.(chasing hot conditions.) Of course he was as usual ignored by the "suits" and Scotland came here to play on a balmy summer's evening on a beautiful pitch in Melbourne. As you are aware the Socceroos played Scotland off the park that night and only a sterling display by the Scottish goalkeeper Leighton got them a draw, and we were out of the WC but---- got some good dollars from the big "gate"????? Cheers jb..
jbinnie
Guest
ICF - Rather than concentrate on the great players Sydney procured at great cost you should pose the question, where did the money come from that enabled the procurement of such talent? In a book produced by the Hakoah Social Club (Bondi premises) it was recorded that in the past season, the football team had cost the Social Club $300,000 and the newly elected management committee of the Social Club would NOT be continuing with that largesse. That is the real reason the team was withdrawn from the NSL mid season The team's longevity was not helped by the fact that a few years earlier at the annual general meeting of the ASF ,Frank Lowy, who aided by Andrew Lederer, in running the Hakoah team was soundly beaten in a vote for a vacancy as a Vice President in that austere body. Such were the "football politics" of the time. There is little doubt those two men, who greatly influenced how the game was run, withdrew ever so slightly from influencing how the game was to progress. As you know Lowy was not to re-appear on football for some 20 years being asked by the government of the day to set up what today is the A-League. Cheers jb.
Rob
Guest
I have the 1986 NSLfinals Adelaide city v Sydney Olympic recordered on VHS video tape!! (this is like gold) even the sbs commercials are taped aswell...hahaha. I am shocked that this final is nowhere to be seen online. Adelaide City Soccer Club. A phenemonal history and tradition which really needs to be embraced by many, due to the fact that they were an influence to many soccer clubs in Australia and peers aswell as to the Adelaide United soccer club. Adelaide City not only have a great South Australian track record but National aswell. Soccer Australia have a lot to be thankful for such a successful and fantastic Club.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Bondy, SBS didn't come into existance till 1980 and only broadcast in Sydney and Melbourne. They only went national in 1986 with the inclusion of Perth. I can't find the exact date, but it was around that time or a little earlier SBS bought the rights to broadcast the NSL games. The NSL of course started in 1977 and had little TV exposure at first, but the ABC used to broadcast the occasional NSL game, finals mainly, in the first few years till SBS started. In 1998, Soccer Australia controversially rejected SBS's offer to re-new their contract for the NSL games and sold the rights to the Channel 7 group instead, so they could broadcast the NSL on their C7 Sport channel. This was a disaster for the NSL with no live games shown and only a highlights program shown after Midnight on Weds. The C7 channel eventually folded and the NSL rights were sold back to SBS in 2002 till the end of the NSL in 2004.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
I was told not to believe anything a fool says. :)
Bondy
Guest
I.C.F. Gee you go way back i enjoyed E.P. 1 also, most of my N.S.L. experience was on T.V. can somebody tell me when they started showing games on the T.V. the old N.S.L.
asanchez
Roar Guru
It's not in as bad a state as people make it out to be! :-) Should really proofread it before I post it...
asanchez
Roar Guru
Guys, The A-League isn't going to fold or die. I don't think it'll get to that stage, it may take another step or so back before it can go forward again, but I don't see it folding. The League is losing money at the moment, no doubt, but if you look at some of the people pouring money into the game, they're not just anybody, most of them would probably be in the top 100 richest people in Oz. Sure, that's not a sustainable strategy long-term, but at the moment we'll take it! It will increase in interest and crowds again, just a few things may have to change to ensure long-term survival: - playing in smaller stadiums to reduce costs and enhance atmosphere - engaging the community better, getting out there selling the message and the product - signing up a revised and better TV deal, hopefully for a little bit more money, but greater exposure through FTA In my opinion, most of these things should have happened already, as they are now starting to cripple our game and restricting it's growth. Don't listen to the naysayers who are blinded and spellbound by the media in this country, most of them wanting our game to fail. It has it's problems, but it's in as a bad a state as people make it out to be! It will grow...
Fool
Guest
The NSL era was not that long ago. The most amusing thing for me was seeing a Albert Park bound tram going down Clarendon St. in Melbourne, full of Hellas fans who let off a red flare, with smoke billowing out all the way. Marvellous.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
Moonface, it is unlikely that the A-League is going to fold. It has the highest participation rate of any sports and the federal govt have acknowledged that and realise the huge benefits it brings to the country and the health of its children. The A-League is part of the federal reform of sport following the Crawford investigations and the federal government is one of the main stakeholder who need it to continue. As RedOrDead says, if it fails, something else will come along to take its place.
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
Nick - I didn't physically mean merging the two teams into one; they will continue to exist in their current form in the NZFC. I meant merge their name and their fan base to support a completely new team in a completely different (and superior) competition. It's like what they want to do in West Sydney, get everyone who supports Sydney United, Marconi, Penrith, Parramatta, etc to support one team in the region. To put it into your example, imagine merging the fan base of Man U and Man City (You get something HUGE) so since Waitakere United and Auckland City only attract a couple of thousand AT BEST each in the NZFC (and usually only when they play each-other), merging the two fan bases is advantageous if they were to compete in the A-League, no? And to answer your question why they new teams can be called United it's because it's usually a "union" of two teams (or more) or where the city/region "unites" to follow one team.! AUCKLAND city + Waikatere UNITED = AUCKLAND UNITED FC
Kasey
Guest
I wonder when the FFA will remember that football existed before 2005? Surely some old archived footage is in boxes somewhere that could be packaged into a few "the way it was" style DVD's to give deserved recognition to the torch bearers pre-HAL days. I notice that last season the FFA finally got around to presenting actual caps to Soceroos in front of HAL games. I'm sure the older fans of football as well as the footballers themselves appreciated the gesture.
Nick
Guest
Thats like saying man city and man utd should merge so they can combine their passion, absolutely ridiculous and for the record why does every new team have to be called united
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
Furthermore and slightly off topic, the two most successful teams in the New Zealand Football Champion Championship (ASB Premiership) is Auckland City FC and Waitakere United. So, if an Auckland/Waitakere side were to enter the A-League they can merge the two and call them Auckland United FC (which does not currently exist). I know there's a fierce rivalry between the two teams, but if they combine that passion then I reckon they can be as big as Wellington Phoenix! Imagine Wellington Phoenix Vs Auckland United FC in the New Zealand Derby - it'd be a sell out!
Steve
Guest
That was probably due to the hoards of olympic supporters
Futbanous
Guest
Good to see you did. Warts & all as I've mentioned previously its part of this countries football history. Regardless of faults it produced quality players able to compete with the likes of Argentina in a World Cup qualifier. Not to mention Scotland when they were decent at International level & we could have won the qualifier in Melbourne with a bit of luck. .
RedOrDead
Roar Guru
Of course there will be another attempt!! Football doesn't die, the administrations die after getting it all wrong. There is a right recipe - they just need to find it! If the A-League fails - it will probably come back as the APL (Australian Premier League) and it will consist of three teams in Sydney (West, North and South+East), two teams in Melbourne (1 north of Yarra River and 1 south) + 1 team in Geelong, 1 team in Brisbane, 1 team in Adelaide, 1 team in Perth, 1 team in Newcastle, 1 team in Central Coast, 1 team in Wollongong, 1 team in Canberra and 1 team in Tasmania = 14 teams. I suppose if you want to take it to 16 teams you can add 2 NZ teams; 1 in Wellington and a second NZ team, most likely Waitakere (Auckland) since Christchurch (Cantebury region) only has 390,000 pop. as opposed to Auckland/Waitakere region having 1,400,000 population.
Futbanous
Guest
Yes bizarre scenario ,great football poor crowds. If my memory serves me correct Craig Johnston paraded the FA cup won by Liverpool in 1986 at an NSL match. Doing some checking I believe it was at a match between Sydney City & Olympic on Sunday 19 May because the crowd was 8641 far larger than normal at ES Marks field.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
One of the reasons I decided to write this series of articles was to learn a bit more about Australian football pre A-League. Its been fun and great for me and I have learned a lot about the NSL that I didn't know. I have also grown to respect it and what was achieved a bit more than I did.
Steve
Guest
no worries mate