2003 New Zealand National Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The 2003 New Zealand National Club Championship, also known, due to naming-rights sponsorship, as the Southern Trust National League was the fourth and final season of a nationwide club competition in New Zealand
football. The competition was won by Miramar Rangers
.
The league was played mainly during autumn, with matches played from February to June, and was run in two stages. In the first stage, each team in the ten-team league played every other team home and away. In the second stage, the top four teams entered a knockout competition, with third place playing fourth place in one match and first playing second in the other, with home advantage being decided by final league position. The winners of the first against second match progressed straight through to the final; the losers of that match met the winners of the other match to decide the other finalist.
This was the last season of the league, which was replaced by the New Zealand Football Championship
. It had become clear that teams were having to amalgamate to create financially viable strong teams to take part in the league, most notably the Canterbury and Auckland-area conglomerate teams Canterbury United
and East Auckland. It was decided by the NZFA that an eight-team franchise-based national competition would be more viable and successful than a club based competition. Club-based teams returned to regional leagues, and became feeder clubs for the regional franchises. The new competition debuted in October 2004.
, Western Suburbs
, and Caversham
respectively). The play-off games between Waitakere City the three regional champions were played at Bill McKinlay Park and Kiwitea Street
in Auckland
during September 2002.
The tenth place in the 2002 league was thus gained by Caversham
.
As this was the last season of the National Soccer League, there was no relegation, but all teams returned to the regional competitions at the end of the season.
Highest aggregate score:
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. The competition was won by 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...
.
The league was played mainly during autumn, with matches played from February to June, and was run in two stages. In the first stage, each team in the ten-team league played every other team home and away. In the second stage, the top four teams entered a knockout competition, with third place playing fourth place in one match and first playing second in the other, with home advantage being decided by final league position. The winners of the first against second match progressed straight through to the final; the losers of that match met the winners of the other match to decide the other finalist.
This was the last season of the league, which was replaced by the New Zealand Football Championship
New Zealand Football Championship
The New Zealand Football Championship is the national association football league in New Zealand. It is a professional/semi-professional status Association football sports Franchise league that is operated by New Zealand Football...
. It had become clear that teams were having to amalgamate to create financially viable strong teams to take part in the league, most notably the Canterbury and Auckland-area conglomerate teams Canterbury United
Canterbury United
Canterbury United FC is an association football club from Christchurch, New Zealand. The club plays most of its matches at English Park in Christchurch, though they occasionally play in Nelson...
and East Auckland. It was decided by the NZFA that an eight-team franchise-based national competition would be more viable and successful than a club based competition. Club-based teams returned to regional leagues, and became feeder clubs for the regional franchises. The new competition debuted in October 2004.
Promotion and relegation
Ten teams took part in the 2002 league. Eight of these remained from the previous season. University-Mount Wellington withdrew from the competition, replaced by a composite team, East Auckland, drawing players from several Auckland clubs. Waitakere City were relegated, and took part in a promotion play-offs against the winners of the northern, central, and southern regional competitions (Glenfield RoversGlenfield Rovers
Glenfield Rovers is a semi-professional football club based in Glenfield, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-History:...
, Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League....
, and Caversham
Caversham (soccer)
Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook...
respectively). The play-off games between Waitakere City the three regional champions were played at Bill McKinlay Park and Kiwitea Street
Kiwitea Street
Kiwitea Street, also known as Freyberg Field, is a multi-purpose stadium in Auckland, New Zealand with a capacity of 3,500. It is currently used for football matches and is the home stadium of both Auckland City FC and Central United....
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
during September 2002.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Caversham Caversham (soccer) Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook... |
3 – 2 | Waitakere City |
| Western Suburbs Western Suburbs Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League.... |
2 – 2 | Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers is a semi-professional football club based in Glenfield, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-History:... |
| Caversham Caversham (soccer) Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook... |
3 – 0 | Western Suburbs Western Suburbs Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League.... |
| Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers is a semi-professional football club based in Glenfield, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-History:... |
1 – 3 | Waitakere City |
| Caversham Caversham (soccer) Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook... |
2 – 1 | Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers Glenfield Rovers is a semi-professional football club based in Glenfield, New Zealand. They are currently competing in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 1.-History:... |
| Western Suburbs Western Suburbs Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League.... |
2 – 1 | Waitakere City |
The tenth place in the 2002 league was thus gained by Caversham
Caversham (soccer)
Caversham is an illustrious association Football club in Dunedin, New Zealand. They are competing in the ODT FootballSouth Premier League.They are named for the suburb of Caversham to the southwest of Dunedin's city centre, best known for its former international sports venue Carisbrook...
.
As this was the last season of the National Soccer League, there was no relegation, but all teams returned to the regional competitions at the end of the season.
League table
Play-offs
Final
Records and statistics
Biggest winning margin:- Central United 7, Tauranga City United 0
Highest aggregate score:
- Canterbury United 5, Miramar Rangers 3