1973 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 1973 New Zealand National Soccer League was the fourth season of a nationwide round-robin
club competition in New Zealand
football.
finished last in the 1972 league, but did not enter the play-off series for a place in the 1973 league. Neither did any team from the Southern regional competition. As such, the play-offs became a simple home and away series between the winners of the northern and central regional leagues, Hamilton and Wellington Diamond United. When both ties finished in 1–1 draws, a replay on neutral venue was played to decide the tie. This took place at Wembley park in Wanganui
, and saw WDU victorious by two goals to one.
became the first team from outside Auckland to win the title, which they did through their impressive home performance (eight wins, one draw, no losses), and amassing a league record number of points. The gap between them and second was a then-record eight points. Much of the season's excitement came immediately below Christchurch, with five teams being separated by a single point. Mount Wellington managed to just head off Auckland neighbours Blockhouse Bay on goal average. Gisborne City
finally broke into the top four at the expense of Eastern Suburbs. Also on 20 points was newly-promoted Wellington Diamond United, who produced the first real competitive showing in the league from a team from the capital.
The long rivalry between Christchurch United and Mount Wellington was to the fore this season, but the loss of several Mount players to World Cup qualification matches hit hard, and they bwere unable to produce a performance to match the South Islanders. Blockhouse Bay's season was marred by a mid-season slimp, but they recovered well enough to finish in the top three. Gisborne left it to the last moment to record a fourth place finish, via a controversial penalty in the dying moments of its last match of the season against Wellington City. The highlight of Gisborne's season was its away form, with only one loss on the road. Eastern Suburbs started the season very poorly and were in danger of relegation at the halfway mark with just six points. Their season was also marred off the pitch by financial problems.
The bottom four teams were all strugglers from the previous season, but this time there was no Auckland City
to keep them all off the bottom. Stop Out
started the season and finished the season with a run of three wins at both ends of the season, but the twelve remaining matches produced only one win and three draws. Wellington City also had its moments near the top of the table, trailing Christchurch by just two points as the season neared the home straight. It then completed its campaign with a disastrous run of seven straight losses. Again New Brighton survived by the skin of their teeth, but this year it would be Caversham who would go down; they had a far worse season than fellow South Islanders Christchurch United, netting a record low of just six goals in 18 matches and failing to pick up a single away point.
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.
Promotion and relegation
Auckland CityAuckland City
Auckland City was the city and local authority covering the Auckland isthmus and most of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, in the North Island of New Zealand. On 1 November 2010 it was amalgamated into the wider Auckland Region under the authority of the new Auckland Council...
finished last in the 1972 league, but did not enter the play-off series for a place in the 1973 league. Neither did any team from the Southern regional competition. As such, the play-offs became a simple home and away series between the winners of the northern and central regional leagues, Hamilton and Wellington Diamond United. When both ties finished in 1–1 draws, a replay on neutral venue was played to decide the tie. This took place at Wembley park in Wanganui
Wanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, and saw WDU victorious by two goals to one.
Team performance
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:...
became the first team from outside Auckland to win the title, which they did through their impressive home performance (eight wins, one draw, no losses), and amassing a league record number of points. The gap between them and second was a then-record eight points. Much of the season's excitement came immediately below Christchurch, with five teams being separated by a single point. Mount Wellington managed to just head off Auckland neighbours Blockhouse Bay on goal average. 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....
finally broke into the top four at the expense of Eastern Suburbs. Also on 20 points was newly-promoted Wellington Diamond United, who produced the first real competitive showing in the league from a team from the capital.
The long rivalry between Christchurch United and Mount Wellington was to the fore this season, but the loss of several Mount players to World Cup qualification matches hit hard, and they bwere unable to produce a performance to match the South Islanders. Blockhouse Bay's season was marred by a mid-season slimp, but they recovered well enough to finish in the top three. Gisborne left it to the last moment to record a fourth place finish, via a controversial penalty in the dying moments of its last match of the season against Wellington City. The highlight of Gisborne's season was its away form, with only one loss on the road. Eastern Suburbs started the season very poorly and were in danger of relegation at the halfway mark with just six points. Their season was also marred off the pitch by financial problems.
The bottom four teams were all strugglers from the previous season, but this time there was no Auckland City
Mount Albert-Ponsonby
Mount Albert-Ponsonby is a semi-professional association football club in Mount Albert, Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2.-History:...
to keep them all off the bottom. 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...
started the season and finished the season with a run of three wins at both ends of the season, but the twelve remaining matches produced only one win and three draws. Wellington City also had its moments near the top of the table, trailing Christchurch by just two points as the season neared the home straight. It then completed its campaign with a disastrous run of seven straight losses. Again New Brighton survived by the skin of their teeth, but this year it would be Caversham who would go down; they had a far worse season than fellow South Islanders Christchurch United, netting a record low of just six goals in 18 matches and failing to pick up a single away point.