The 1981 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 12th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Wellington Diamond United won the league for a second time, having previously been champions in 1976. The league was the closest until this point, with only four points separating the top five teams.
Promotion was automatic, with the three lowest placed sides in the 1980 league (Stop Out, Blockhouse Bay, and Nelson United) replaced by the winners of the northern, central, and southern leagues (Takapuna City, Miramar Rangers, and Woolston WMC respectively). [1]
The league was decided by goals for only the fourth time, and for the first time neither of the top two teams came from Auckland. Wellington Diamond United's efficient, if unspectacular, style of play won the day. The team which took them all the way in the title chase was unexpectedly Dunedin City, with the best performance ever recorded by a side from the deep south. Dunedin City were one point away from achieving the league and cup double, having won the 1981 Chatham Cup earlier in the season. City had led the league early on, but a mid-season form slump ruined their chances of taking the league. Mount Wellington also led the league for a while aften an excellent run of seven wins in which they only conceded one goal. Gisborne City was the other team to have briefly perched on top of the league, with an unbeaten run in the early weeks of the season. New Zealand's successful 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign ruined their season, however; despite being granted postponements of several matches due to the loss of several top players and coach Kevin Fallon, they could not maintain their form once they resumed, and the backlog proved too much for them to cope with. [2]
Fifth-placed Hanimex North Shore United were also briefly in contention for the title, and only finished four points behind the eventual winners. With three matches to play, they were being picked as possible champions, but two defeats in their last three matches saw to their hopes. Sixth place went to Christchurch United, who set an unlikely league record with six scoreless draws during the season, including their first three matches. Tellingly, the team managed only one away win, though seven of the remaining ten matches away from Christchurch were drawn. Manurewa, like Gisborne, were granted dispensation for their heavy loss of personnel to the national side. When they resumed, they lay low in the table, and even though they had several games in hand, the chances of them challenging for the prize money had evaporated. Miramar Rangers finished their first league season comfortably, but unspectacularly, placed eighth. As with Eastern Suburbs in 1978 the team bolstered its ranks from England, bringing in Peter Mendham from Norwich City, and his six-match stint with Miramar saw them briefly enter the upper half of the table. [2]
The lower reaches of the table contained Hamilton, who narrowly avoided relegation after a first half of the season containing just one win. They improved in the second half of the league, but were still lucky not to return to the regional leagues. Less lucky were newcomers Takapuna City and Woolston WMC. Takapuna proved experts at losing matches where they had led, having five reversals, most spectacularly a match against Woolston where they had led 3–0 before letting through five goals. A young squad paid for their inexperience, and the statistic of seven penalties awarded against them with none for them is telling. Woolston managed little better in 1981 than their previous one season in the league in 1978, although at least this time they finished one place off the basement. The third Christchurch-based team in the league had the dubious honour of finishing last; it was clear that the city could not support three clubs in the league. Rangers completed what was until that time the worst season for any league club — no wins, only ten goals, and just five points in 22 matches. [3]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wellington United (C) | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 46 | 17 | +29 | 31 |
| 2 | Dunedin City | 22 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 43 | 26 | +17 | 31 |
| 3 | Mount Wellington | 22 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 50 | 16 | +34 | 29 |
| 4 | Gisborne City | 22 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 43 | 17 | +26 | 29 |
| 5 | North Shore United | 22 | 12 | 3 | 7 | 35 | 31 | +4 | 27 |
| 6 | Christchurch United | 22 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 23 | 19 | +4 | 23 |
| 7 | Manurewa | 22 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 41 | 32 | +9 | 21 |
| 8 | Miramar Rangers | 22 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 23 | 37 | −14 | 20 |
| 9 | Melville United | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 18 | 34 | −16 | 19 |
| 10 | Takapuna City (R) | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 26 | 47 | −21 | 15 |
| 11 | Woolston WMC (R) | 22 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 23 | 53 | −30 | 14 |
| 12 | Rangers (R) | 22 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 10 | 52 | −42 | 5 |
The 1971 New Zealand National Soccer League was the second season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. The league was expanded at the end of the inaugural season, so there was no relegation from the 1970 league season. Hungaria, who had competed in the inaugural season, combined with Miramar Rangers to form a new composite league team, Wellington City. Though Miramar withdrew from the team after the 1971 season, the team continued to use the new name.
The 1972 New Zealand National Soccer League was the third season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football.
The 1973 New Zealand National Soccer League was the fourth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football.
The 1974 New Zealand National Soccer League was the fifth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football.
The 1976 New Zealand National Soccer League was the seventh season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football.
The 1977 New Zealand National Soccer League was the eighth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. An expansion by two teams meant that it was the first year in which twelve teams took part. Prize money was significantly increased for the top three clubs, and the number of teams relegated increased from one to three, these being automatically replaced by the winners of the three regional leagues.
The 1978 New Zealand National Soccer League was the ninth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. A change was made from previous years, with the replacement of goal average by goal difference as a means for ranking teams equal on points.
The 1979 New Zealand National Soccer League was the tenth season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. It produced the biggest winning margin in the league's history, with Mount Wellington never being in serious danger of finishing anywhere but first.
The 1980 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 11th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Mount Wellington became the first club to win back-to-back titles and also the first club to win the league four times, though their winning margin was significantly smaller than in 1979.
The 1982 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 13th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Mount Wellington comfortably won the league for a fifth time, finishing seven points clear of second-placed Hanimex North Shore United. This was the last season in which a win scored two points; from 1983 wins were worth three points.
The 1983 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 14th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Manurewa comfortably won the league for the first time, finishing eight points clear of second-placed Hanimex North Shore United. This was the first season in which a win scored three points; prior to this they were worth only two.
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The 1986 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 17th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Mount Wellington finished as champions, one point ahead of Miramar Rangers.
The 1987 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 18th 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.
The 1988 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 19th season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Christchurch United finished as champions for the second season running, three points clear of traditional rivals Mount Wellington.
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The 1990 New Zealand National Soccer League was the 21st season of a nationwide round-robin club competition in New Zealand football. Waitakere City won the league for the first time, by two points over Auckland neighbours Mount Wellington.
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