1987 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 1987 New Zealand National Soccer League was the eighteenth season of a nationwide round-robin
club competition in New Zealand
football. It was the first season in which 14 teams competed in the league, up from 12 in the previous season, and was also the first season with new sponsors Air New Zealand
, leading to it being called the Air New Zealand Soccer League. Christchurch United
finished as champions, seven points clear of Gisborne City
.
), one making their first appearance (Mount Maunganui), and a brand new team, Hutt Valley United
, who were formed as a composite side from various Hutt Valley teams including Lower Hutt City, Petone, and Stop Out
all of whom kept their own sides as feeder teams to the new club.
The last-placed team in the 1987 league would normally have been relegated, but Dunedin City
withdrew citing the financial overheads of travel in the league, and so no team was relegated.
proved stronger than the pretenders, pulling clear to win by seven clear points. Their success included an excellent run through the latter two thirds of the season, in which they lost just one game in twenty and won all of their last seven fixtures. Keith Braithwaite
hit a league record of six goals for the club in their match against Manawatu. Gisborne City
held onto second place, but their season was plagued by an inability to convert tied matches into wins. A club record run of thirteen undefeated matches kept them in the title hunt. Third-placed Wellington United
were capable goalscorers, totally 52, but the team could only manage one win from their last four games and dropped out of the race.
Mount Maunganui celebrated their first appearance in the league with a creditable fourth place, and had it not been for a mid-season form slump they could have finished even higher. In a generally poor season for Auckland teams, Papatoetoe
flew the Queen City's flag highest, finishing in fifth, and they were briefly on top of the table at the beginning of the season. The acrimonious sacking of coach Fred Goodwin late in the season created the wrong sort of headlines for the club. Below Papatoetoe came Napier City Rovers
, finishing sixth on their first season back in the league. Napier started brightly and also briefly led the table, but had a poor second half to the season with seven defeats in their last 13 games. The top half of the table was completed by North Shore United
, who distinctly had a season of two halves. Their first 17 fixtures with only one defeat saw them riding high, and the club led the table for seven weeks, but the clubs final nine matches produced a meagre five points.
Mount Wellington finished in the lower half of the table for only the second time in eighteen years. Their play was entertaining but inconsistent, and they failed to string together two good performances in a row at any point. Hutt Valley United
's league debut was inauspicious, as it found itself at the foot of the table after four matches, but they managed to turn their form around enough to finish comfortably in mid table. Manurewa
looked on the cards to repeat the poor form which saw them at the foot of the 1986 league table, with seven straight losses in the first part of the season. The second half of the campaign saw enough of an improvement for them to limp up to tenth place and safety. Below them came Nelson United
, who also barely survived. They were rooted to the table's foot until two-thirds of the way through the season. After seven games it had yet to register a point and had only scored four goals.
Dunedin City
survived relegation but not the bank. They led the table after one match, having beaten Miramar Rangers
5–2, but that was the season's highlight, and and it won just five of its remaining 25 games. The team opted to leave the league at the end of the 1987 season, citing debts caused by the long travel necessary for the league's southernmost team. The club only survived for a further handful of seasons before disbanding. Manawatu United finished one place above last for the second straight season. The team managed only one home win all season, and lost their final home game 1–8. Oddly, there was not a single sending-off for either side in any of Manawatu's games in the 1987 league season. Miramar Rangers
were the lucky team to benefit from Dunedin's woes; they could not have complained if they had been relegated, shipping 68 goals in the season and losing 18 games, ten of them on the trot.
Round-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
club competition in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
football. It was the first season in which 14 teams competed in the league, up from 12 in the previous season, and was also the first season with new sponsors Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Air New Zealand Limited is the national airline and flag carrier of New Zealand. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, the airline operates scheduled passenger flights to 26 domestic destinations and 24 international destinations in 15 countries across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania, and is...
, leading to it being called the Air New Zealand Soccer League. Christchurch United
Christchurch United
Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-Club history:...
finished as champions, seven points clear of Gisborne City
Gisborne City
Gisborne City FC is a soccer club in Gisborne, New Zealand who play in the eastern league 1st division. Their home ground is Childers Road. They have won the National League, Air New Zealand cup, and the Chatham Cup....
.
Promotion and relegation
Auckland University were ejected from the league at the end of the season for failing to meet NZFA criteria, and three teams were promoted from the regional leagues. Somewhat controversially, this included two teams from the central region and none from the southern league, although this was partly because the southern league was undergoing restructuring. The new teams included one returning to the league (Napier City RoversNapier City Rovers
Napier City Rovers are an association football team based in Napier, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Central Premier League.-Club history:The team was founded in 1973 via a merger of Napier Rovers and Napier City....
), one making their first appearance (Mount Maunganui), and a brand new team, Hutt Valley United
Hutt Valley United
Hutt Valley United was a short-lived association football club from New Zealand. A composite team, the club was founded in 1987 ostensibly to represent the interests of several senior teams from the Hutt Valley area just north of Wellington in the New Zealand National Soccer League.Hutt Valley...
, who were formed as a composite side from various Hutt Valley teams including Lower Hutt City, Petone, and Stop Out
Stop Out
Stop Out is an association football club in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. They are based at Hutt Park, Gracefield in Lower Hutt.The Stop Out organisation was founded in 1919 with the aim of providing recreation to Te Aro Flat children associated with the wellington city missionso as to prevent them...
all of whom kept their own sides as feeder teams to the new club.
The last-placed team in the 1987 league would normally have been relegated, but Dunedin City
Dunedin City
Dunedin City is a former New Zealand football club based in the South Island city of Dunedin. The team won the Chatham Cup in 1981, and was a member of the National League in 1977 and 1979-87, before withdrawing from the league for financial reasons...
withdrew citing the financial overheads of travel in the league, and so no team was relegated.
Team performance
The 1987 season was close until its final stages, with six teams in with a chance to win the title with seven rounds to go, and with three teams fighting to avoid relegation at the other end of the table. At the top, Christchurch UnitedChristchurch United
Christchurch United is a semi-professional association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. They compete in the Robbie's Premier Football League.-Club history:...
proved stronger than the pretenders, pulling clear to win by seven clear points. Their success included an excellent run through the latter two thirds of the season, in which they lost just one game in twenty and won all of their last seven fixtures. Keith Braithwaite
Keith Braithwaite
Keith Braithwaite is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Braithwaite made a solitary official international appearance for New Zealand in a 3-2 win over Saudi Arabia on 23 June 1988....
hit a league record of six goals for the club in their match against Manawatu. Gisborne City
Gisborne City
Gisborne City FC is a soccer club in Gisborne, New Zealand who play in the eastern league 1st division. Their home ground is Childers Road. They have won the National League, Air New Zealand cup, and the Chatham Cup....
held onto second place, but their season was plagued by an inability to convert tied matches into wins. A club record run of thirteen undefeated matches kept them in the title hunt. Third-placed Wellington United
Wellington United
Wellington United AFC is an association football club in Wellington, New Zealand competing in the Capital Premier League.-Wellington Diamond United:Wellington Diamond United was the result of the merger of Diamond and Zealandia/Wellington United in 1968....
were capable goalscorers, totally 52, but the team could only manage one win from their last four games and dropped out of the race.
Mount Maunganui celebrated their first appearance in the league with a creditable fourth place, and had it not been for a mid-season form slump they could have finished even higher. In a generally poor season for Auckland teams, Papatoetoe
Papatoetoe (soccer)
Papatoetoe AFC is a semi-professional football club based in Papatoetoe, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.Former club coaches include current All Whites coach Ricki Herbert.-History:...
flew the Queen City's flag highest, finishing in fifth, and they were briefly on top of the table at the beginning of the season. The acrimonious sacking of coach Fred Goodwin late in the season created the wrong sort of headlines for the club. Below Papatoetoe came Napier City Rovers
Napier City Rovers
Napier City Rovers are an association football team based in Napier, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Central Premier League.-Club history:The team was founded in 1973 via a merger of Napier Rovers and Napier City....
, finishing sixth on their first season back in the league. Napier started brightly and also briefly led the table, but had a poor second half to the season with seven defeats in their last 13 games. The top half of the table was completed by North Shore United
North Shore United
North Shore United is a semi-professional football club based in North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.Their home ground, Allen Hill Stadium, is located in the suburb of Devonport.-History:...
, who distinctly had a season of two halves. Their first 17 fixtures with only one defeat saw them riding high, and the club led the table for seven weeks, but the clubs final nine matches produced a meagre five points.
Mount Wellington finished in the lower half of the table for only the second time in eighteen years. Their play was entertaining but inconsistent, and they failed to string together two good performances in a row at any point. Hutt Valley United
Hutt Valley United
Hutt Valley United was a short-lived association football club from New Zealand. A composite team, the club was founded in 1987 ostensibly to represent the interests of several senior teams from the Hutt Valley area just north of Wellington in the New Zealand National Soccer League.Hutt Valley...
's league debut was inauspicious, as it found itself at the foot of the table after four matches, but they managed to turn their form around enough to finish comfortably in mid table. Manurewa
Manurewa (soccer)
Manurewa AFC is a semi-professional football club in Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1-History:...
looked on the cards to repeat the poor form which saw them at the foot of the 1986 league table, with seven straight losses in the first part of the season. The second half of the campaign saw enough of an improvement for them to limp up to tenth place and safety. Below them came Nelson United
Nelson United
Nelson United is a New Zealand soccer club, based in the South Island city of Nelson. Their home ground is Guppy Park. The team was founded in 1968 through the amalgamation of Nelson Rangers and Nelson Thistle...
, who also barely survived. They were rooted to the table's foot until two-thirds of the way through the season. After seven games it had yet to register a point and had only scored four goals.
Dunedin City
Dunedin City
Dunedin City is a former New Zealand football club based in the South Island city of Dunedin. The team won the Chatham Cup in 1981, and was a member of the National League in 1977 and 1979-87, before withdrawing from the league for financial reasons...
survived relegation but not the bank. They led the table after one match, having beaten Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers AFC is a semi-professional New Zealand association football club in the Wellington suburb of Miramar. They are current holders of the Chatham Cup, the fourth time they have won the trophy...
5–2, but that was the season's highlight, and and it won just five of its remaining 25 games. The team opted to leave the league at the end of the 1987 season, citing debts caused by the long travel necessary for the league's southernmost team. The club only survived for a further handful of seasons before disbanding. Manawatu United finished one place above last for the second straight season. The team managed only one home win all season, and lost their final home game 1–8. Oddly, there was not a single sending-off for either side in any of Manawatu's games in the 1987 league season. Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers AFC is a semi-professional New Zealand association football club in the Wellington suburb of Miramar. They are current holders of the Chatham Cup, the fourth time they have won the trophy...
were the lucky team to benefit from Dunedin's woes; they could not have complained if they had been relegated, shipping 68 goals in the season and losing 18 games, ten of them on the trot.
League table
Sources
- Hilton, T. (1991) An association with soccer. Auckland: The New Zealand Football Association. ISBN 0-473-01291-X.