1988 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 1988 New Zealand National Soccer League was the nineteenth 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.
withdrew citing the financial overheads of travel in the league, and so no team was relegated. City's place in the 1988 league was taken by Waikato United from the Northern league.
At the end of the 1988 season two teams were relegated: Manawatu United finished last, and Nelson United
were expelled for failing to meet NZFA ground criteria.
and Mount Wellington, neither of whom lost a match at home all season. At one point the gap between these first and third stretched to a mammoth 17 points, though this was more than halved by the end of the campaign. Two players reached the milestone of 300 league appearances during the season. Papatoetoe
's Keith Hobbs was first to the mark, followed on the last day of the season by Mount Wellington's Ron Armstrong
, the last surviving player from the league's inaugural season.
Christchurch United were second in the table for much of the season, but eventually overhauled the Mount four week's from the competition's conclusion. A good disciplinary record (with no red cards all season) and an undefeated run of 16 matches was almost enough for Mount Wellington to snatch the title, but even a league record-equalling 9–0 win over Manurewa was not enough to get them past the southerners.
If the seven point gap between second and third was large, the gap back to fourth was even greater. Mount Maunganui was the only one of the league's remaining twelve sides to produce any challenge to the two leaders, and they finished in an isolated third place 15 points clear of Napier City Rovers
in fourth. An early run of losses was more than compensated for by a great second half to the season which saw the Bay of Plenty side notch up 31 points in 13 games. They reduced the deficit on the top two, but the gap was far too great. Between them, the top three sides lost fewer games than any one of the league's remaining eleven teams.
Napier produced their best finishing position to date at the head of the pack. Fourth to eleventh were separated by seven fewer points than the gap from third to fourth, and Napier had been tenth only seven weeks before the end of the season. Waikato United's first foray into the league under this name was relatively successful, and the team pushed Mount Maunganui for third spot at one stage. The team had formed from a merger of several sides, among them former national league team Hamilton. Inconsistency was the key word in sixth-placed North Shore United
's season. A run of four defeats left the team rooted to the foot of the table early on, but was followed by five successive victories. Results oscillated in this manner for much of the season, leaving the Shore mid-table.
Wellington United
failed to consolidate on their 1987 effort of finishing third, suffering a mid-season slump which ruined any chances they may have had of repeating that feat. Despite that, its games were exciting and produced plenty of goals — an aggregate of over four per game on average. They also managed to finish one spot above fierce local rivals Miramar Rangers
. Rangers were looking good after two-thirds of the season but a disappointing run of results in the last few weeks saw them slip from fourth to eighth. Gisborne City
also failed to live up to the hopes they had after their excellent 1987 season. The 1987 runners-up and cup winners
could only struggle to ninth in a season where there was little consistency to the team's play or results. Hutt Valley United
finished below them, its lowly position the result of the team's failure to score in half of its games. A small revival in fortunes in the second half of the season was the only thing which kept the club above the bottom two places.
For Papatoetoe
the 1988 season saw most of the goals come at the wrong end of the pitch. An inability to score and a leaky defence contributed to its lowly position. The club's problems were not confined to those on the pitch,a s the liquidation of the team's main sponsor mid-season left them in dire financial straits. if Papatoetoe's defence was a problem, then Manurewa
's was a nightmare. The team let through 69 goals during the season, but still held onto their now expected position just above the relegation zone. Nelson United
were also perennial strugglers, but this season their survival fight ended badly. Although they did not finish in the automatic relegation spot, they were removed from the league for 1989 after failing to meet NZFA criteria. Last place in the 1988 league went to Manawatu United, who finished behind Nelson on goal difference. With only one home victory and a defence which allowed through 71 goals, the Palmerston North-based side were constantly near the bottom of the league, though it was only with the last match that their relegation spot was confirmed.
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. 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 for the second season running, three points clear of traditional rivals Mount Wellington.
Promotion and relegation
The last-placed team in the 1987 league would normally have been relegated, but Dunedin CityDunedin 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. City's place in the 1988 league was taken by Waikato United from the Northern league.
At the end of the 1988 season two teams were relegated: Manawatu United finished last, and 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...
were expelled for failing to meet NZFA ground criteria.
Team performance
The 1988 season came down to a two-horse race between traditional foes 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:...
and Mount Wellington, neither of whom lost a match at home all season. At one point the gap between these first and third stretched to a mammoth 17 points, though this was more than halved by the end of the campaign. Two players reached the milestone of 300 league appearances during the season. 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:...
's Keith Hobbs was first to the mark, followed on the last day of the season by Mount Wellington's Ron Armstrong
Ron Armstrong
Ronald W Armstrong is a former New Zealand association football player who represented New Zealand.Armstrong made his full All Whites debut in a 2-4 loss to New Caledonia on 18 July 1971 and he ended his international playing career with 25 A-international caps to his credit, his final cap being in...
, the last surviving player from the league's inaugural season.
Christchurch United were second in the table for much of the season, but eventually overhauled the Mount four week's from the competition's conclusion. A good disciplinary record (with no red cards all season) and an undefeated run of 16 matches was almost enough for Mount Wellington to snatch the title, but even a league record-equalling 9–0 win over Manurewa was not enough to get them past the southerners.
If the seven point gap between second and third was large, the gap back to fourth was even greater. Mount Maunganui was the only one of the league's remaining twelve sides to produce any challenge to the two leaders, and they finished in an isolated third place 15 points clear of 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....
in fourth. An early run of losses was more than compensated for by a great second half to the season which saw the Bay of Plenty side notch up 31 points in 13 games. They reduced the deficit on the top two, but the gap was far too great. Between them, the top three sides lost fewer games than any one of the league's remaining eleven teams.
Napier produced their best finishing position to date at the head of the pack. Fourth to eleventh were separated by seven fewer points than the gap from third to fourth, and Napier had been tenth only seven weeks before the end of the season. Waikato United's first foray into the league under this name was relatively successful, and the team pushed Mount Maunganui for third spot at one stage. The team had formed from a merger of several sides, among them former national league team Hamilton. Inconsistency was the key word in sixth-placed 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:...
's season. A run of four defeats left the team rooted to the foot of the table early on, but was followed by five successive victories. Results oscillated in this manner for much of the season, leaving the Shore mid-table.
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....
failed to consolidate on their 1987 effort of finishing third, suffering a mid-season slump which ruined any chances they may have had of repeating that feat. Despite that, its games were exciting and produced plenty of goals — an aggregate of over four per game on average. They also managed to finish one spot above fierce local rivals 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...
. Rangers were looking good after two-thirds of the season but a disappointing run of results in the last few weeks saw them slip from fourth to eighth. 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....
also failed to live up to the hopes they had after their excellent 1987 season. The 1987 runners-up and cup winners
1987 Chatham Cup
The 1987 Chatham Cup was the 60th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Up to the last 16 of the competition, the cup was run in three regions . National League teams received a bye until the final 32 stage. In all, 143 teams took part in the competition...
could only struggle to ninth in a season where there was little consistency to the team's play or results. 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 below them, its lowly position the result of the team's failure to score in half of its games. A small revival in fortunes in the second half of the season was the only thing which kept the club above the bottom two places.
For 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:...
the 1988 season saw most of the goals come at the wrong end of the pitch. An inability to score and a leaky defence contributed to its lowly position. The club's problems were not confined to those on the pitch,a s the liquidation of the team's main sponsor mid-season left them in dire financial straits. if Papatoetoe's defence was a problem, then 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:...
's was a nightmare. The team let through 69 goals during the season, but still held onto their now expected position just above the relegation zone. 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...
were also perennial strugglers, but this season their survival fight ended badly. Although they did not finish in the automatic relegation spot, they were removed from the league for 1989 after failing to meet NZFA criteria. Last place in the 1988 league went to Manawatu United, who finished behind Nelson on goal difference. With only one home victory and a defence which allowed through 71 goals, the Palmerston North-based side were constantly near the bottom of the league, though it was only with the last match that their relegation spot was confirmed.
League table
Sources
- Hilton, T. (1991) An association with soccer. Auckland: The New Zealand Football Association. ISBN 0-473-01291-X.