1989 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 1989 New Zealand National Soccer League was the twentieth season of a nationwide round-robin
club competition in New Zealand
football. Napier City Rovers
had their debut championship win, by the skin of their teeth over Mount Maunganui, in doing so taking the title away from the main centres for only the second time.
were expelled for failing to meet NZFA ground criteria.
Traditionally, their places would have been taken by the top ranked teams in a play-off between the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional leagues. In 1989, however, this did not happen. Although Takapuna City finished top in the Northern League, a new composite team was promoted from that region, Waitakere City. This team was formed as a composite team consisting of several West Auckland teams (Te Atatu, Massey, Kelston West, and West Auckland), all of whom continued to keep their own sides as feeder clubs for the new team. The top ranked Central League team was also promoted, Waterside Karori
, a team which had formed from the merger of former =national league team Waterside and Karori Swifts. The Southern league champions were the Christchurch United B side, who were not eligible for entry to the national league.
Papatoetoe
were relegated at the end of the 1989 season.
' 1–1 home draws with Christchurch United
and Hutt Valley United
were both revised to 0–1 away wins, and Gisborne City
's 2–2 draw at home with Manurewa
was similarly amended to a 0–2 result. These three results took the tally in the leagues first twenty years to four amended results in total.
The season developed into a four-team race, with a seven point gap atr the end of the season between fourth and fifth. The race was tight and came down to the final match of the season. Mount Maunganui had led for much of the campaign, producing a 17 match unbeaten run in the early part of the season which had them on top. A dramatic reversal of form saw them win only two of their last eight games, despite recording an unbeaten record at home. Their stumble caused them to slip behind a Napier City Rovers
side whose late season form came one match short of equalling the Mount's early season run. In the end it came down to the league's closest ever winning margin between the two sides, and Napier's more prodigious striking skills won the day. The other Mount, Mount Wellington finished third. Perennial title contenders, they lacked some of the sparkle of previous campaigns but still amassed the greatest number of goals and finished just three points off the pace.
Newcomers Waitakere City proved good value for money as the fourth of the title contenders. Exciting to watch, they proved difficult to beat in Auckland, where they won seven of the eight matches they played. They suffered with a slow start to the season, but were only fikve points off the title by the end of the campaign. Hutt Valley United
finished fifth despite recording the season's biggest defeat by eight goals at Mount Wellington's Bill McKinlay Park. The Hutt Valley side's success was the result of good team organisation and determination rather than star players. Christchurch United
slipped to sixth from being title contenders earlier in the season, a result of an uncharacteristic late-season slump. Injuries and the transfer of lynchpin defender Ceri Evans
to Oxford were contributing factors in the derailment of their campaign.
Wellington United
and Waikato United filled the next two spots. Both teams had inconsistent seasons, and in the case of Waikato the lack of a quality goalscorer proved a major handicap. Only the league's bottom two teams scored fewer goals in the 1989 season. Manurewa
finished in ninth, but effectively denied Mount Maunganui the title by holding on in the final match of the season to draw 1–1 with the Bay of plenty side. A milestone of Manurewa's season was striker Mark Armstrong
, who became the first player to notch up 100 goals in the league.North Shore United
had a horror start to the season, with seven straight losses during which they scored just three goals. They were rooted to the foot of the table for over half the season, but a late recovery saw them scramble up to tenth.
Miramar Rangers
played entertaining but largely ineffective football which saw them gain just five points from their first eleven matches. A change of coach and Colin Tuaa
's regained touch in front of goal saw their fortunes rise, but it was too late for them to even get to mid table. Below them sat Waterside Karori
. A merger and name change had not changed the form which left the Wharfies struggling on their previous league foray in the 1970s, and the team found it virtually impossible to win away from home, their solitary away win coming against another Wellington-based side. Gisborne City
did not have a Golden jubilee year to enthuse over, with two 7–0 losses and only three points from their 13 away fixtures. Off-field the situation was just as dire and the club were briefly suspended from the league as a result of their financial plight. Even so, they managed to finish one place above Papatoetoe
. A run of eleven straight losses and only a solitary home win all season did for the team. The top two sides of 1984
had thus sunk to the other end of the table, and the Reds were the ones who were shown the door.
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. 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....
had their debut championship win, by the skin of their teeth over Mount Maunganui, in doing so taking the title away from the main centres for only the second time.
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the 1988 season two teams were relegated: Manawatu United finished last, and Nelson UnitedNelson 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...
were expelled for failing to meet NZFA ground criteria.
Traditionally, their places would have been taken by the top ranked teams in a play-off between the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional leagues. In 1989, however, this did not happen. Although Takapuna City finished top in the Northern League, a new composite team was promoted from that region, Waitakere City. This team was formed as a composite team consisting of several West Auckland teams (Te Atatu, Massey, Kelston West, and West Auckland), all of whom continued to keep their own sides as feeder clubs for the new team. The top ranked Central League team was also promoted, Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori AFC is an association football club in Karori, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.Waterside Karori was formed in 19881 when Karori Swifts merged with Waterside. These two clubs had contrasting origins: Swifts were founded in 1894 from a Sunday School, and Waterside were founded...
, a team which had formed from the merger of former =national league team Waterside and Karori Swifts. The Southern league champions were the Christchurch United B side, who were not eligible for entry to the national league.
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:...
were relegated at the end of the 1989 season.
Team performance
The 1989 season was unique for the number of matches that had their results altered due to league rule infringements. Three matches had their results changed after the fact: Miramar RangersMiramar 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...
' 1–1 home draws with 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:...
and 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...
were both revised to 0–1 away wins, and 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....
's 2–2 draw at home with 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:...
was similarly amended to a 0–2 result. These three results took the tally in the leagues first twenty years to four amended results in total.
The season developed into a four-team race, with a seven point gap atr the end of the season between fourth and fifth. The race was tight and came down to the final match of the season. Mount Maunganui had led for much of the campaign, producing a 17 match unbeaten run in the early part of the season which had them on top. A dramatic reversal of form saw them win only two of their last eight games, despite recording an unbeaten record at home. Their stumble caused them to slip behind a 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....
side whose late season form came one match short of equalling the Mount's early season run. In the end it came down to the league's closest ever winning margin between the two sides, and Napier's more prodigious striking skills won the day. The other Mount, Mount Wellington finished third. Perennial title contenders, they lacked some of the sparkle of previous campaigns but still amassed the greatest number of goals and finished just three points off the pace.
Newcomers Waitakere City proved good value for money as the fourth of the title contenders. Exciting to watch, they proved difficult to beat in Auckland, where they won seven of the eight matches they played. They suffered with a slow start to the season, but were only fikve points off the title by the end of the campaign. 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...
finished fifth despite recording the season's biggest defeat by eight goals at Mount Wellington's Bill McKinlay Park. The Hutt Valley side's success was the result of good team organisation and determination rather than star players. 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:...
slipped to sixth from being title contenders earlier in the season, a result of an uncharacteristic late-season slump. Injuries and the transfer of lynchpin defender Ceri Evans
Ceri Evans
Ceri Evans is a former New Zealand association football player who frequently represented his country as a central defender in the 1980s and 90s. Evans attended Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar, where he studied Experimental Psychology and played for Oxford United FC...
to Oxford were contributing factors in the derailment of their campaign.
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....
and Waikato United filled the next two spots. Both teams had inconsistent seasons, and in the case of Waikato the lack of a quality goalscorer proved a major handicap. Only the league's bottom two teams scored fewer goals in the 1989 season. 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:...
finished in ninth, but effectively denied Mount Maunganui the title by holding on in the final match of the season to draw 1–1 with the Bay of plenty side. A milestone of Manurewa's season was striker Mark Armstrong
Mark Armstrong (footballer)
Mark Armstrong is a former association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Armstrong made his full All Whites debut in a 1-1 draw with Fiji on 18 February 1980 and ended his international playing career with seven A-international caps and three goals to his credit,...
, who became the first player to notch up 100 goals in the league.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:...
had a horror start to the season, with seven straight losses during which they scored just three goals. They were rooted to the foot of the table for over half the season, but a late recovery saw them scramble up to tenth.
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...
played entertaining but largely ineffective football which saw them gain just five points from their first eleven matches. A change of coach and Colin Tuaa
Colin Tuaa
Colin Tuaa is a football player turned manager who represented New Zealand as a player.-Career:Tuaa's club career involved 275 New Zealand National League appearances and 83 goals....
's regained touch in front of goal saw their fortunes rise, but it was too late for them to even get to mid table. Below them sat Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori
Waterside Karori AFC is an association football club in Karori, a suburb of Wellington, New Zealand.Waterside Karori was formed in 19881 when Karori Swifts merged with Waterside. These two clubs had contrasting origins: Swifts were founded in 1894 from a Sunday School, and Waterside were founded...
. A merger and name change had not changed the form which left the Wharfies struggling on their previous league foray in the 1970s, and the team found it virtually impossible to win away from home, their solitary away win coming against another Wellington-based side. 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....
did not have a Golden jubilee year to enthuse over, with two 7–0 losses and only three points from their 13 away fixtures. Off-field the situation was just as dire and the club were briefly suspended from the league as a result of their financial plight. Even so, they managed to finish one place above 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:...
. A run of eleven straight losses and only a solitary home win all season did for the team. The top two sides of 1984
1984 New Zealand National Soccer League
The 1984 New Zealand National Soccer League was the fifteenth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Gisborne City finally wrestled the trophy away from the major centres, taking it to a provincial city for the first time....
had thus sunk to the other end of the table, and the Reds were the ones who were shown the door.
League table
Records and statistics
Golden Boot Award (Top scorer)- Noel BarkleyNoel BarkleyNoel Barkley was an association football player who represented New Zealand at international level.Barkley made his full All Whites debut in a 4-2 win over Fiji on 17 September 1986 and ended his international playing career with 20 A-international caps and 5 goals to his credit, his final cap...
(Mount Wellington) - 24 goals
Sources
- Hilton, T. (1991) An association with soccer. Auckland: The New Zealand Football Association. ISBN 0-473-01291-X.