Illawarra Premier League
Founded | 1977 |
---|---|
Country | Australia |
Number of teams | 12 |
Level on pyramid | 6 |
Relegation to | Illawarra District League |
Domestic cup(s) | FFA Cup Fraternity Club Cup Bert Bampton Cup |
Current champions | Wollongong United (2020) |
Current premiers | Woonona Sharks (2020) |
Website | Football South Coast Website |
The Illawarra Premier League is a regional Australian semi-professional association football league, comprising teams from the Illawarra, and South Coast regions of New South Wales. The competition is run under the Football South Coast body, an associate of Football NSW - a member federation of Football Federation Australia. It therefore fits below the national A-League and NSW wide divisions including National Premier Leagues NSW, making it a level 6 league in the Australian League System. The major sponsor for the Illawarra Premier League is the Illawarra Mercury and as such the competition is often referred to as the Illawarra Mercury Premier League.
History[]
The Illawarra Premier League was founded in 1977 with Berkeley taking out the inaugural championship, defeating Fairy Meadow 1-0 in the grand final. Fairy Meadow had won the inaugural Premiership.
Format[]
The competition consists of 12 teams from around the Wollongong, Illawarra, and South Coast regions of New South Wales. Each team plays each other twice, to form a 22-round, round robin format. 5 teams progress to a month-long finals series. The final two teams play-off in a grand final to determine the winner.
Clubs[]
The following clubs competed in the 2020 Illawarra Premier League prior to the season cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[1]
Club | Location | Ground |
---|---|---|
Albion Park White Eagles | Albion Park | Terry Reserve |
Bellambi Rozellas | Bellambi | Elizabeth Park |
Bulli FC | Bulli | Balls Paddock |
Coniston FC | Coniston, New South Wales | JJ Kelly Park |
Corrimal Rangers | Corrimal | Memorial Park |
Cringila Lions | Cringila | John Crehan Park |
Port Kembla | Port Kembla | Wetherall Park |
South Coast Croatia | Kembla Grange | Sir Ian McLennan Park |
Tarrawanna Blueys | Tarrawanna | Tarrawanna Oval |
Wollongong Olympic | Wollongong | Herb Clunis Oval |
Wollongong United | Berkeley | Macedonia Park |
Woonona Sharks | Woonona | Ocean Park |
Honours[]
Port Kembla FC are the most successful Illawarra Premier League club, with 9 grand final wins, and 7 Premierships since the league's inception in 1977.[2]
Year | Premiers | Grand Final Champions |
---|---|---|
1977 | Fairy Meadow (1st) | Berkeley (1st) |
1978 | Berkeley (1st) | Tarrawanna (1st) |
1979 | Fairy Meadow (2nd) | Fairy Meadow (1st) |
1980 | Fairy Meadow (3rd) | Fairy Meadow (2nd) |
1981 | Shellharbour Workers (1st) | Coniston (1st) |
1982 | Wests/Figtree (1st) | Wests/Figtree (1st) |
1983 | Wests/Figtree (2nd) | Wests/Figtree (2nd) |
1984 | (1st) | (1st) |
1985 | Bulli FC (1st) | Aris FC (1st) |
1986 | Bulli FC (2nd) | Bulli FC (1st) |
1987 | South Coast Croatia (1st) | South Coast Croatia (1st) |
1988 | Bulli FC (3rd) | Wests/Figtree (3rd) |
1989 | South Coast Croatia (2nd) | Wests/Figtree (4th) |
1990 | Wests/Figtree (3rd) | Wests/Figtree (5th) |
1991 | Wests/Figtree (4th) | Balgownie Rangers (1st) |
1992 | Coniston Makedonija (1st) | Wests/Figtree (6th) |
1993 | Cringila Lions (1st) | Cringila Lions (1st) |
1994 | Wollongong Olympic (1st) | Cringila Lions (2nd) |
1995 | Port Kembla (1st) | Port Kembla (1st) |
1996 | Lysaghts FC (1st) | Port Kembla (2nd) |
1997 | Lysaghts FC (2nd) | Lysaghts FC (1st) |
1998 | Cringila Lions (2nd) | Wollongong White Eagles (1st) |
1999 | Northern United (1st) | Port Kembla (3rd) |
2000 | Port Kembla (2nd) | Port Kembla (4th) |
2001 | Port Kembla (3rd) | (2nd) |
2002 | Kemblawarra (1st) | Port Kembla (5th) |
2003 | Port Kembla (4th) | Port Kembla (6th) |
2004 | Port Kembla (5th) | Port Kembla (7th) |
2005 | Dandaloo FC (1st) | (1st) |
2006 | Dandaloo FC (2nd) | (2nd) |
2007 | Dandaloo FC (3rd) | Albion Park White Eagles (2nd) |
2008 | Albion Park White Eagles (1st) | Albion Park White Eagles (3rd) |
2009 | Dandaloo FC (4th) | Dandaloo FC (1st) |
2010 | Port Kembla (6th) | Dandaloo FC (2nd) |
2011 | Dandaloo FC (5th) | Dandaloo FC (3rd) |
2012 | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (6th) | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (4th) |
2013 | Port Kembla (7th) | Port Kembla (8th) |
2014 | Bulli FC (4th) | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (5th) |
2015 | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (7th) | Wollongong United (1st) |
2016 | (1st) | Albion Park White Eagles (4th) |
2017 | Bulli FC (5th) | Port Kembla (9th) |
2018 | Bulli FC (6th) | Bulli FC (2nd) |
2019 | Wollongong Olympic (1st)[3] | Corrimal Rangers (1st)[4] |
2020 [a] | Woonona Sharks (1st) | Wollongong United (2nd) |
George Naylor Medalist[]
The George Naylor Medal goes to the player of the season.
Year | Winner | Runner/s up |
---|---|---|
2016 | Shohei Okuno | N/A |
2017 | Guy Knight | Ricky Goodchild |
Notes[]
- ^ Half-season due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic
References[]
- ^ "Football NSW Cancel 2021 National Premier Leagues Season". Football NSW. 12 August 2021. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
- ^ "Overall Champions List". Socceraust. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "Table for Illawarra Mercury Premier League FG".
- ^ "Results for Illawarra Mercury Premier League FG".
External links[]
- Illawarra Premier League
- Soccer leagues in New South Wales
- Recurring sporting events established in 1977
- 1977 establishments in Australia
- Sports leagues established in 1977