National Soccer League

The National Soccer League (NSL) was a professional soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. It had 28 seasons and existed from 1977 until 2004, when it was replaced by the A-League. It was run by Soccer Australia.

The NSL was actually one of Australia's oldest nationwide sports leagues, being older than the Australian Football League (AFL) in Australian rules football and the National Rugby League (NRL) in rugby league.

Clubs
Throughout its history, the NSL had 42 teams, 41 based in Australia and one based in New Zealand. In all 28 seasons, 13 clubs have won the grand final at least once.

While the clubs were not restricted to people of a certain background, many of the teams had strong connections to multicultural communities in Australia. Many of the clubs were founded by migrants from Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Yugoslavia, and one club was founded by the Jewish community.

Throughout its history, clubs came from Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra/Queanbeyan, Melbourne, Morwell, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney and Wollongong.

TeamLocationAlso calledYears in the NSLTotal NSL seasonsNSL HonoursCurrent statusPWDLGFGAAdelaide CityAdelaideAdelaide JuventusAdelaide City GiantsAdelaide City ZebrasAdelaide (City) Force1977–2003271986, 1991–92, 1993–94 National Soccer League1979, 1989, 1991–92 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues South Australia7683211942531134913Adelaide UnitedAdelaide2003–20041A-League2813783435APIA LeichhardtSydneyLeichhardt Strikers1979–1992141987 National Soccer League1982, 1988 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues NSW371135104132462471Blacktown CitySydney1980–19811984–19861989–19907National Premier Leagues NSW181513991222328Brisbane CityBrisbaneAzzurriBrisbane City Gladiators1977–198610National Premier Leagues Queensland2667572119292407Brisbane LionsBrisbaneHollandia1977–1986
198811A-League as Brisbane RoarNational Premier Leagues Queensland as Queensland Lions2949279123362442Brisbane StrikersBrisbaneBrisbane United1991–2004131996–97 National Soccer LeagueNational Premier Leagues Queensland35812979150506539Brunswick JuventusMelbourneBrunswick PumasMelbourne BUSCMelbourne Zebras1984–19881993–199571985 National Soccer LeagueVictorian State League Division 3 as Brunswick Zebras180673776207251Canberra CityCanberraCanberra City ArrowsCanberra City Olympians1977–198610National Premier Leagues Capital Football2667967120335394Canberra CosmosCanberra1995–20016Defunct1763540101216362Canterbury-MarrickvilleSydneyCanterbury-Marrickville Olympic19861NSW League One as CanterBury-Bankstown FC2227131741CarltonMelbourne1997–20014Defunct104452435168127Collingwood WarriorsMelbourne1996–199711996–97 NSL CupDefunct2669113241Football KingzAuckland (NZ)Auckland Kingz1999–20045Defunct135382770182265Footscray JUSTMelbourneFootscray EaglesMelbourne City JUST1977–198913Defunct34610096150379502Green GullyMelbourneGreen Gully Ajax1984–19863National Premier Leagues Victoria7217183774103Heidelberg UnitedMelbourneFitzroy UnitedHeidelberg Alexander1977–198719891990–1995171992–93, 1996–97 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues Victoria451160122169595651Inter MonaroCanberra-Queanbeyan1985–19862National Premier Leagues Capital Football as Monaro Panthers441011234780MarconiSydneyMarconi-FairfieldMarconi-Datsun LeopardsMarconi Stallions1977–2004281979, 1988, 1989, 1992–93 National Soccer League1980 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues NSW7863561862441293986Melbourne KnightsMelbourneEssendon LionsMelbourne CroatiaMelbourne CSC1984–2004211994–95, 1995–96 National Soccer League1994–95 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues Victoria579248130201877779MooroolbarkMelbourneMooroolbark United19771Victorian State League Division 22655163161Morwell FalconsMorwellGippsland FalconsEastern Pride1992–200110Latrobe Valley Soccer League as Falcons 20002546669119265403Newcastle BreakersNewcastleNewcastle BHP Breakers1991–1994
1995–20009Defunct2256263110276365Newcastle KB UnitedNewcastleNewcastle UnitedNewcastle KB Raiders1978–19847DefunctNewcastle Rosebud UnitedNewcastleAdamstown Rosebuds1984–198631984 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues Northern NSW as Adamstown RosebudNewcastle UnitedNewcastle2000–20044A-League as Newcastle JetsNorthern SpiritSydney1998–20046National Premier Leagues NSW as NWS Spirit FC174623280223284Parramatta EaglesSydneyParramatta Melita19841989–199571990–91, 1993–94 NSL CupNSW League Two as Parramatta FC185615371212235Parramatta PowerSydney1999–20045Defunct147682356250204Penrith CitySydney1984–19852Defunct501216225376Perth GloryPerth1996–200482002–03, 2003–04 National Soccer LeagueA-League2421384658484286Preston LionsMelbournePreston RamsPreston Makedonia1981–199313National Premier Leagues Victoria 2347121101125442424South MelbourneMelbourneSouth Melbourne HellasSouth Melbourne GunnersSouth Melbourne Lakers1977–2004281984, 1990–91, 1997–98, 1998–99 National Soccer League1989–90, 1995–96 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues Victoria7913781832301260917St George SaintsSydneySt George-Budapest1977–19801982–1991141983 National Soccer LeagueNSW League One371135103133516520Sunshine George CrossMelbourne1984–19918National Premier Leagues Victoria 3 as Caroline Springs George Cross202565195229320Sydney CitySydneyEastern Suburbs HakoahSydney City Slickers1977–1987111977, 1980, 1981, 1982 National Soccer League1986 NSL CupNSW League One as Hakoah Sydney City East2731556652529273Sydney OlympicSydneyPan-HellenicSydney OlympiansUTS OlympicOlympic Sharks1977–19791981–2004271989–90, 2001–02 National Soccer League1983, 1985 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues NSW7703251922531124963Sydney UnitedSydneySydney CroatiaSydney CSCSydney United Pumas1984–2004211987 NSL CupNational Premier Leagues NSW576239144193762721West AdelaideAdelaideWest Adelaide HellasWest Adelaide Hawks(West) Adelaide Sharks1977–19861989–19901991–1999191978 National Soccer LeagueNational Premier Leagues South Australia511170105236634780Western SuburbsSydney1977–782Amalgamated in 1979 with APIA Leichhardt522013197974Wollongong MacedoniaWollongongWollongong UnitedIllawarra Lions1990–19911Illawarra Premier League as Wollongong United2639142353Wollongong WolvesWollongongWollongong City1981–19861988–2004231999–2000, 2000–01 National Soccer LeagueNational Premier Leagues NSW632211166255867966
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References

Category:Soccer in Australia