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1977 National Soccer League
Australian soccer season
Australian soccer season
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| competition | National Soccer League |
| season | [1977](1977-in-australian-soccer) |
| dates | 2 April — 26 September 1977 |
| winners | Eastern Suburbs |
| 1st title | |
| matches | 182 |
| total goals | 498 |
| league topscorer | Dixie Deans |
| (16 goals) | |
| best goalkeeper | Allan Maher |
| (12 clean sheets) | |
| biggest home win | Adelaide City 10–3 Mooroolbark |
| (5 September 1977) | |
| biggest away win | Fitzroy United 1–8 Marconi Fairfield |
| (20 June 1977) | |
| highest scoring | Adelaide City 10–3 Mooroolbark |
| (5 September 1977) | |
| longest wins | 6 matches |
| Fitzroy United | |
| longest unbeaten | 17 matches |
| Eastern Suburbs | |
| longest winless | 12 matches |
| Mooroolbark | |
| longest losses | 5 matches |
| Brisbane Lions | |
| highest attendance | 15,000 |
| South Melbourne 2–3 St George-Budapest | |
| (13 June 1977) | |
| lowest attendance | 300 |
| Mooroolbark 1–3 Adelaide City | |
| (5 June 1977) | |
| attendance | |
| average attendance | |
| nextseason | [1978](1978-national-soccer-league) |
1st title (16 goals) (12 clean sheets) (5 September 1977) (20 June 1977) (5 September 1977) Fitzroy United Eastern Suburbs Mooroolbark Brisbane Lions South Melbourne 2–3 St George-Budapest (13 June 1977) Mooroolbark 1–3 Adelaide City (5 June 1977)
The 1977 National Soccer League season was the first season of the National Soccer League of Australia. The league was not only the first national soccer league in Australia but the first of any of the forms of football in Australia. Clubs predominantly joined from the top leagues in each state, with the exception of Tasmanian and Western Australia, and Canberra City forming in 1977 to join the league. The inaugural champions were Eastern Suburbs.
Background
Attempts had been made to start a national league several times during the 1960s and 1970s, however it wasn't until 1975 that the talk became serious. In April 1975, nine clubs from New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia agreed to form a national league in either 1976 or 1977. Frank Lowy, president of Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs and Alex Pongrass, St George-Budapest president led a concerted effort to bring in teams from Victoria over objections from the state association. Eventually, four Victorian clubs joined with the addition of a team from the Australian Capital Territory.
Teams
Stadiums and locations
Sydney teams:
Eastern Suburbs
Marconi Fairfield
St George-Budapest
Sydney Olympic
Western Suburbs Melbourne teams:
Fitzroy United
Footscray JUST
Mooroolbark
South Melbourne
Table lists in alphabetical order.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelaide City | Adelaide | Olympic Sports Field | |
| Brisbane City | Brisbane | Perry Park | |
| Brisbane Lions | Brisbane | Perry Park | |
| Canberra City | Canberra | ||
| Queanbeyan | Manuka Oval | ||
| Seiffert Oval | |||
| Fitzroy | Melbourne | Olympic Park Stadium | |
| Footscray | Melbourne | Middle Park | |
| Marconi | Sydney | Marconi Stadium | |
| Mooroolbark | Melbourne | Middle Park | |
| Esther Park | |||
| Wembley Park | |||
| South Melbourne | Melbourne | Middle Park | |
| St George | Sydney | Sydney Sports Ground | |
| Marconi Stadium | |||
| Eastern Suburbs | Sydney | Sydney Sports Ground | |
| Sydney Olympic | Sydney | Sydney Sports Ground | |
| Wentworth Park | |||
| Western Suburbs | Sydney | Sydney Sports Ground | |
| Englefield Stadium | |||
| ? | |||
| West Adelaide | Adelaide | Hindmarsh Stadium |
League table
Results
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SCO Dixie Deans | Adelaide City | 16 |
| 2 | ENG Terry Smith | Eastern Suburbs | 14 |
| 3 | AUS Murray Barnes | Eastern Suburbs | 12 |
| AUS John Kosmina | West Adelaide | ||
| 5 | AUS Gary Cole | Fitzroy United | 11 |
| 6 | ENG Geoff Morris | Brisbane Lions | 10 |
| 7 | AUS Branko Buljevic | Fitzroy United | 9 |
| RSA Graham Norris | Western Suburbs | ||
| AUS John Nyskohus | Adelaide City | ||
| AUS Peter Sharne | Marconi Fairfield |
Hat-tricks
Main article: List of National Soccer League hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Result | Date | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | Eastern Suburbs | Adelaide City | 6–1 (H) | 7 May 1977 | |
| ENG | Eastern Suburbs | Brisbane Lions | 4–0 (A) | 5 June 1977 | |
| AUS | Marconi | Fitzroy | 8–1 (A) | 20 June 1977 | |
| AUS | Brisbane Lions | Western Suburbs | 4–0 (H) | 25 July 1977 | |
| AUS | South Melbourne | Mooroolbark | 4–2 (A) | 29 August 1977 | |
| SCO | Adelaide City | Mooroolbark | 10–3 (H) | 5 September 1977 | |
| SCO | Adelaide City | Footscray | 4–3 (A) | 12 September 1977 |
Clean sheets
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AUS Alan Maher | Marconi Fairfield | 12 |
| 2 | ENG Terry Eaton | Western Suburbs | 11 |
| 3 | AUS Peter Blasby | Fitzroy United | 9 |
| AUS Roger Romanowicz | Adelaide City | ||
| 5 | AUS Gary Meier | Sydney Olympic | 8 |
| 6 | SCO Dennis Boland | Footscray JUST | 7 |
| ARG Osvaldo Borzi | Brisbane City | ||
| AUS Jack Reilly | South Melbourne | ||
| 9 | AUS Martyn Crook | West Adelaide | 6 |
| NZL Phil Dando | Brisbane Lions |
Discipline
Player
-
Most yellow cards: 7
- AUS Kevin Mullen (Eastern Suburbs)
-
Most red cards: 2
- AUS Alan Niven (Brisbane Lions)
- RSA Graham Norris (Western Suburbs)
- SCO Graham Honeyman (West Adelaide)
- AUS Dave Pillans (West Adelaide)
Club
-
Most yellow cards: 29
- West Adelaide
-
Fewest yellow cards: 5
- Fitzroy United
-
Most red cards: 5
- West Adelaide
-
Fewest red cards: 0
- Seven teams
Awards
| Award | Name | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Player of the Year | Jimmy Rooney | Marconi |
| Young Player of the Year | John Kosmina | West Adelaide |
| Coach of the Year | Rale Rasic | Marconi |
Source:
References
Footnotes
General references
References
- (8 October 1977). "Striker made his point". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (6 April 1975). "National Soccer!". The Sun-Herald.
- Mossop, Brian. (10 July 1976). "National Soccer of 14 clubs". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- "1977 National Soccer League Top Goalscorers". OzFootball.
- Curran, Brian. (8 May 1977). "Barnes hits form with three goals". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (6 June 1977). "'Supermac' spot on for new club". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (20 June 1977). "City hit back for top spot". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (25 July 1977). "Footscray's star guests clinch it". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (29 August 1977). "Marconi and East head Soccer table". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (5 September 1977). "Thirteen-goal Soccer spree - Deans hits four".
- (12 September 1977). "Upset by 'basement' team". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- (1977-10-07). "Rooney's award". The Sydney Morning Herald.
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