National Summer Soccer League
Encyclopedia
The National Summer Soccer League was a short-lived national association football league competition which ran in New Zealand
from 1996 to 1998. It replaced the Superclub competition
and was itself replaced by the second incarnation of the New Zealand National Soccer League
.
, which ran from 1970 to 1992, had faced several problems during its existence, most notably the costs associated with teams travelling to take part in a nationwide tournament. in order to counteract these, it was replaced by a regional tournament, the top teams in which then competed innma shorter national tournament (the Superclub competition
). This too faced severe problems, most specifically the dilution of playing standard caused by the increased number of teams involved. After just three seasons of the Superclub competition it was scrapped, replaced by a new competition, the National Summer Soccer League.
The new league included invited teams, rather than featuring the traditional promotion and relegation system. Selection criteria for these teams involved the financial strength of the club and its location. The league also featured a championship play-off session at the end of the seasons, involving teams finishing high in the table. The new competition was played during the summer months, with the 1996 season running from January to May, and subsequent seasons running from November to March (the season being named for the year in which the final took place).
league, with each team playing every other team twice, once at each team's home ground. The top teams at the end of this league section would then qualify for a play-off series culminating in a final. In the first two seasons, the top two league sides would play each other, with the winner of that match advancing directly to the final. The loser would play the winner of a match between third- and fourth-placed sides. The winner of that tie would then qualify as the other finalist. In the 1998 season this process was simplified, with the final taking place between the first-placed side at the end of the league section of the season and the winner of a match between the second- and third-placed sides.
For the first two seasons in which the competition operated, a unique system of awarding points was used, though this was scrapped at the end of the 1997 season to be replaced by the traditional 3-1-0 system. In the 1996 and 1997 seasons, teams were awarded four points for a win and one for a draw. In drawn matches, a penalty shoot-out (three shots per side) would then take place, with the winning side awarded a bonus point.
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...
from 1996 to 1998. It replaced the Superclub competition
Superclub competition
The Superclub competition was a national association football league competition which ran in New Zealand from 1993 to 1995. It replaced the first incarnation of the New Zealand National Soccer League and was itself replaced by the National Summer Soccer League....
and was itself replaced by the second incarnation of the New Zealand National Soccer League
New Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...
.
Background
The old New Zealand National Soccer LeagueNew Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...
, which ran from 1970 to 1992, had faced several problems during its existence, most notably the costs associated with teams travelling to take part in a nationwide tournament. in order to counteract these, it was replaced by a regional tournament, the top teams in which then competed innma shorter national tournament (the Superclub competition
Superclub competition
The Superclub competition was a national association football league competition which ran in New Zealand from 1993 to 1995. It replaced the first incarnation of the New Zealand National Soccer League and was itself replaced by the National Summer Soccer League....
). This too faced severe problems, most specifically the dilution of playing standard caused by the increased number of teams involved. After just three seasons of the Superclub competition it was scrapped, replaced by a new competition, the National Summer Soccer League.
The new league included invited teams, rather than featuring the traditional promotion and relegation system. Selection criteria for these teams involved the financial strength of the club and its location. The league also featured a championship play-off session at the end of the seasons, involving teams finishing high in the table. The new competition was played during the summer months, with the 1996 season running from January to May, and subsequent seasons running from November to March (the season being named for the year in which the final took place).
Format
Ten teams competedin the 1996 and 1997 seasons; eleven took part in the 1998 campaign. The competition operated as a round-robinRound-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...
league, with each team playing every other team twice, once at each team's home ground. The top teams at the end of this league section would then qualify for a play-off series culminating in a final. In the first two seasons, the top two league sides would play each other, with the winner of that match advancing directly to the final. The loser would play the winner of a match between third- and fourth-placed sides. The winner of that tie would then qualify as the other finalist. In the 1998 season this process was simplified, with the final taking place between the first-placed side at the end of the league section of the season and the winner of a match between the second- and third-placed sides.
For the first two seasons in which the competition operated, a unique system of awarding points was used, though this was scrapped at the end of the 1997 season to be replaced by the traditional 3-1-0 system. In the 1996 and 1997 seasons, teams were awarded four points for a win and one for a draw. In drawn matches, a penalty shoot-out (three shots per side) would then take place, with the winning side awarded a bonus point.
Champions
Two different sides won the competition during its three years of existence. Both had previously won the New Zealand National Soccer LeagueNew Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...
| Year | League size | Matches per team | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 1996 National Summer Soccer League The 1996 National Summer Soccer League was the inaugural season of a short-lived nationwide association football club competition in New Zealand. The competition replaced the Superclub competition, which operated until 1995. The 1996 series was won by Waitakere City.-Structure:The league was an... |
10 | 18 | Waitakere City | 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... |
| 1997 1997 National Summer Soccer League The 1997 National Summer Soccer League was the second season of a short-lived nationwide association football club competition in New Zealand. Despite being known as the 1997 league, competition started in November 1996, with the later rounds and final playoffs held in 1997... |
10 | 18 | Waitakere City | 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.... |
| 1998 1998 National Summer Soccer League The 1998 National Summer Soccer League was the third and final season of a short-lived nationwide association football club competition in New Zealand. It was replaced in 1999 by the second incarnation of the New Zealand National Soccer League.... |
11 | 20 | 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.... |
Central United Central United Central United Football Club is a semi-professional Association football club based in Sandringham, Auckland, New Zealand... |