Southern League (New Zealand)
 | |
| Founded | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Country |  New Zealand |
| Confederation | OFC (Oceania) |
| Number of teams | 10 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Feeder to | National League |
| Relegation to | Canterbury Premiership Nelson Bays Premiership Southern Premiership |
| Domestic cup(s) | Chatham Cup |
| Current champions | Christchurch United (2nd title) (2023) |
| Most championships | Christchurch United (2 titles) |
| TV partners | FIFA+ (select games) |
| Website | Mainland Football |
| Current: 2024 Southern League | |
The Southern League is an amateur status league competition run by Southern Football and Mainland Football for Association football clubs located in the South Island of New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based New Zealand National League, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.
Renaming and restructuring of leagues in the country[edit]
In March 2021, New Zealand Football announced a change to the structure of both the premiership and the top regional leagues around the country. The four top regional leagues (NRFL Premier, Central Premier League, Mainland Premier League and the FootballSouth Premier League) would be formed into the Northern League, Central League, and the Southern League. These leagues would allow local clubs to qualify for the premiership season (now known as the National League Championship), with the top 4 teams from the Northern League, the top 3 teams from the Central League, and the top 2 teams from the Southern League making up the competition, alongside the Wellington Phoenix Reserve side. All teams that qualify plus the Phoenix Reserves, would then play a single round-robin competition between September and December.[1] For the Southern League, the two existing competitions run in the South Island (Mainland Premier League and FootballSouth Premier League) play their original league seasons for the teams to then qualify for a place in the newly formed competition.[2] Five teams from Mainland Premiership, which covers the top of the South Island to Christchurch and three teams from FootballSouth Premier League, covering from below Christchurch to the bottom of the South Island, will qualify.[2] The competition will start on the 17 July 2021.[2]
Current clubs[edit]
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As of 2024 season [3]
| Team | Home ground | Location | 2023 season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cashmere Technical | Garrick Memorial Park | Woolston, Christchurch | 2nd |
| Christchurch United | United Sports Centre | Spreydon, Christchurch | 1st |
| Coastal Spirit | Linfield Park | Linwood, Christchurch | 3rd |
| Dunedin City Royals | Football Turf | Dunedin North | 4th |
| FC Twenty 11 | Avonhead Park | Avonhead, Christchurch | 10th |
| Ferrymead Bays | Ferrymead Park | Ferrymead, Christchurch | 5th |
| Nelson Suburbs | Saxton Field | Nelson | 6th |
| Nomads United | Tulett Park | Casebrook, Christchurch | 7th |
| Selwyn United | Foster Park | Rolleston | 9th |
| Universities | Ilam Fields | Ilam, Christchurch | 1st in Mainland Premier League (promoted via play-offs) |
Past clubs[edit]
As of 2024 season
| Currently in the Southern League | |
| Last season in the Southern League |
| Club | Home Ground | Location | Last Played | Promoted Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otago University | Football Turf | Dunedin North | 2021 | Ferrymead Bays Mosgiel Nomads United |
| Mosgiel | Memorial Park Ground | Mosgiel | 2022 | FC Twenty 11 |
| Green Island | Sunnyvale Park | Green Island, Dunedin | 2023 | Universities |
Awards[edit]
The following lists are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League.
Top Scorers[edit]
| Season | Top scorer(s) | Club(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 |  Garbhan Coughlan Edward Wilkinson
|
Cashmere Technical Christchurch United |
7 |
| 2022 | Garbhan Coughlan
|
Cashmere Technical | 24 |
| 2023[4] | Samuel Philip
|
Christchurch United | 29 |
MVP Winners[edit]
| Season | Winner(s) | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2021[5] | Pieter-Taco Bierema
|
Selwyn United |
| 2022[6] | Cameron Anderson
|
Green Island |
| 2023[4] | Garbhan Coughlan
|
Cashmere Technical |
Records[edit]
The following records are from the 2021 season onwards after New Zealand Football changed the football league system in New Zealand. From 2021, the Southern League has acted as a qualifier league to the National League. The records are up to date as of the end of the 2023 season.
- Most wins in a season: 17 – Christchurch United (2023)
- Fewest wins in a season: 2 – Mosgiel and Selwyn United (2022); FC Twenty 11 (2023)[b]
- Most draws in a season: 7 – Coastal Spirit (2022)
- Fewest draws in a season: 0 – Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit, South City Royals[c] and Otago University (2021); FC Twenty 11 (2023)
- Most defeats in a season: 16 – FC Twenty 11 (2023)
- Fewest defeats in a season: 1 – Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United (2022); Christchurch United (2023)[d]
- Most goals scored in a season: 79 – Cashmere Technical (2022)
- Fewest goals conceded in a season: 12 – Christchurch United (2022 and 2023)[e]
- Most points in a season: 49 – Cashmere Technical and Christchurch United (2022); Christchurch United (2023)
- Fewest points in a season: 6 – FC Twenty 11 (2023)[f]
- Highest goal difference: +62 – Christchurch United (2022)
- Lowest goal difference: -51 – Mosgiel (2022)
- Biggest home win: – Cashmere Technical 11–2 Mosgiel (7 May 2022)
- Biggest away win: – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
- Highest scoring match: 18 goals – Green Island 3–15 Christchurch United (27 August 2023)
- Biggest title-winning margin: – 7 points, 2023, Christchurch United (49 points) over Cashmere Technical (42 points)
- Smallest title-winning margin: – 0 points and +3 goal difference, 2022, Christchurch United (+62) over Cashmere Technical (+59). Both finished on 49 points.
Champions[edit]
Performance by Champions[edit]
| Club | Location | Titles | Runners Up | Title Seasons | Runners Up Seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christchurch United | Spreydon, Christchurch | 2 | — | 2022, 2023 | — |
| Cashmere Technical | Woolston, Christchurch | 1 | 2 | 2021 | 2022, 2023 |
| Selwyn United | Rolleston | — | 1 | — | 2021 |
Notes[edit]
- ^ a b c d 2021 season only had 8 teams before it was expanded to 10.
- ^ 2021 season had 2 teams with 1 win, Nelson Suburbs and Green Island[a]
- ^ Dunedin City Royals were called South City Royals for the 2021 season.
- ^ 2021 season had 1 team with only 1 loss, Cashmere Technical[a]
- ^ 2021 season had 1 team with 7 goals conceded, Cashmere Technical[a]
- ^ 2021 season had 2 teams with 4 points, Nelson Suburbs and Green Island[a]
References[edit]
- ^ "New National League competition details confirmed". New Zealand Football. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Who is in the running for Southern League qualification?". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Southern League". www.mff.nz.
- ^ a b "National League MVPs and Golden Boot winners named". New Zealand Football. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ "Goal-filled final weekend in the South Central Series as Miramar Rangers (men) and Southern United (women) crowned winners". NZFootball.co.nz. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
- ^ "Congratulations to the winners of the MVP awards in the Northern, Central and Southern Leagues #NZNationalLeague". New Zealand Football Instagram. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
External links[edit]
- National League official website
- Southern Football official website
- Mainland Football official website
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