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NPL 2026

I think people prefer the pure, non fabricated, community club football.

I havent watched A-League in a while, but with the crowds dwindling, Are people moving away from the A-League and going to watch NPL?
No doubt Sydney fc, wanderers, Melb victory etc have now established semi rusted on fan bases of varying sizes, but the league isn’t pulling as many casual football fans as it once did, it’s more of them that have started taking an interest in npl/championship/aus cup etc

It’s not just in soccer tbh, the whole world is becoming so corporatised that people are actively seeking out and craving authentic experiences which are becoming harder to come by
 
In all honesty not to rub it in, but are Sydney united the biggest ex nsl club to have never won the national title. I know they’ve won multiple “minor” premierships and been in multiple grand finals etc but never got that title.
 
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In all honesty not to rub it in, but are Sydney united the biggest ex ns club to have never won the national title. I know they’ve won multiple “minor” premierships and been in multiple grand finals etc but never got that title.
at least they made the GF poor Heidelberg on the other hand.... won the GF when it didnt even matter. hahahahahahah
 
at least they made the GF poor Heidelberg on the other hand.... won the GF when it didnt even matter. hahahahahahah
Alexander are credited 1 national title if I’m not mistaken. That’s what makes the whole thing a bit complicated, there were years when first past the post was what counted and years when it was the gf
 
Alexander are credited 1 national title if I’m not mistaken. That’s what makes the whole thing a bit complicated, there were years when first past the post was what counted and years when it was the gf
Nope, they beat the "Slickers" in a GF of sorts but that season teh Champions where decided by table placement... poor eggs on toast, can never get a break :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

From 1977–1983 and 1987, the top placed team at the end of the regular season was declared champion. However a compromise format was devised between the traditional first past the post system and the Australian system of finals. A Playoff series was conducted in these years except for the 1977, 1981 & 1983 seasons, however the winner of the Playoff Series didn't become champion of the NSL.

 
Nope, they beat the "Slickers" in a GF of sorts but that season teh Champions where decided by table placement... poor eggs on toast, can never get a break :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:

From 1977–1983 and 1987, the top placed team at the end of the regular season was declared champion. However a compromise format was devised between the traditional first past the post system and the Australian system of finals. A Playoff series was conducted in these years except for the 1977, 1981 & 1983 seasons, however the winner of the Playoff Series didn't become champion of the NSL.

I stand corrected. Well I stand by what i said, Sydney united would have to be the biggest club to have never won it.

Would also probably argue that despite their history and knights having 2 titles and United 0, Sydney United would probably have to be considered the strongest/premier Croatian club in the Australia nowadays. Been pretty consistently there or thereabouts since the 90s in the nsl and into the post nsl state league era where as knights have slowly declined as a force on the field since the mid 90s
 
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I stand corrected. Well I stand by what i said, Sydney united would have to be the biggest club to have never won it.

Would also probably argue that despite their history and knights having 2 titles and united 0, Sydney united would probably have to be considered the strongest/premier Croatian club in the Australia nowadays. Been pretty consistently there or thereabouts since the 90s in the nsl and into the post nsl state league era where as knights have slowly declined as a force on the field since the mid 90s
hahaha not touching that one....

As for 80 year old clubs WITHOUT a national trophy, we are playing one of them on Saturday :P
 
hahaha not touching that one....

As for 80 year old clubs WITHOUT a national trophy, we are playing one of them on Saturday :P
Should be good, hopefully a good crowd. Always impressed by how old Preston is, how many Macedonians were there in Australia when they were founded in the 40s ffs. Every Macedonian in the country at the time must have been involved in the club haha

This expat Leeds fan on YouTube who’s recently discovered Australian soccer apparently intends on documenting it
 
In all honesty not to rub it in, but are Sydney united the biggest ex nsl club to have never won the national title. I know they’ve won multiple “minor” premierships and been in multiple grand finals etc but never got that title.
Still hurts.

Especially the 97 final against Brisbane Strikers. We won the league by 12 points IIRC.
 
I stand corrected. Well I stand by what i said, Sydney united would have to be the biggest club to have never won it.

Would also probably argue that despite their history and knights having 2 titles and United 0, Sydney United would probably have to be considered the strongest/premier Croatian club in the Australia nowadays. Been pretty consistently there or thereabouts since the 90s in the nsl and into the post nsl state league era where as knights have slowly declined as a force on the field since the mid 90s
I'd agree with this. Post NSL i think knights only won the Dockerty Cup once.

While we've won premierships, championships, waratah cups, NPL Australian Series twice, and had some good Australia Cup runs.
 
Should be good, hopefully a good crowd. Always impressed by how old Preston is, how many Macedonians were there in Australia when they were founded in the 40s ffs. Every Macedonian in the country at the time must have been involved in the club haha

This expat Leeds fan on YouTube who’s recently discovered Australian soccer apparently intends on documenting it
hahah not touching THAT one either.. hahahahahahahahaha
 
Should be good, hopefully a good crowd. Always impressed by how old Preston is, how many Macedonians were there in Australia when they were founded in the 40s ffs. Every Macedonian in the country at the time must have been involved in the club haha

This expat Leeds fan on YouTube who’s recently discovered Australian soccer apparently intends on documenting it
He should be at Preston on Saturday. keeps trying to by some poor old bloke chips for some reason?
 
I will for you, 1 solitary title ;)
State league titles aren’t equivalent, that’s like saying trophies won in the English second Div are equivalent to premier league trophies
LOL
I’ll give you that re national but ‘93 is longer than lfc’s dry spell and that comp died as we know.
Since you’ve hardly notched up championship Div1 titles let alone Cups.
Keep living in the past Pisano hehe
Today and recent times until you wake up from the lonnng slumber and roll on with it.
 
Now imagine if npl vic which has also seen an uptick in interest and npl nsw were connected/merged

That's the backbone of a successful second division. It is where the infrastructure, players, supporters, corporate backing and clubs are located. Add a team from Adelaide, Brisbane and a Canberra/Hobart, and you have the ingredients for a decent competition to establish itself and grow.
 
It is a shame that the Preston vs South Melbourne match falls on the Orthodox Easter weekend. What would have been a very large crowd at BT Connor Reserve on a Friday night will struggle at a Saturday 3pm time slot.
 
The stadiums are only 1.5kms apart. Its the real traditional local derby. Like a Merseyside derby (red v blue)

The term derby gets overused these days especially in the A-League. But this is one of a kind and probably the closest derby in Australia?

I'd like to find the all time stat's between the two clubs, first game was in the 70s.
Using the NPL only (as the crow flies, centre circle to centre circle, and not counting shared ground derbys):

ACT: Queanbeyan City and Monaro Panthers (Queanbeyan / Riverside Derby) @ 350m
NSW: Marconi and Sydney United @ 1470m
VIC: Dandenong City and Dandenong Thunder @ 5320m

Others will probably have to share what the biggest 'derby' matches are in each NPL as it stands, as I'd only be speculating - but give me some time to get the competitions added to https://map11.net/ and I'll work out at least the closest non-shared venues in each NPL for 2026

SA: Croydon and West Adelaide @ 1934m
WA: Dianella White Eagles and Bayswater City @ 4500m
QLD: Eastern Suburbs and Olympic FC @ 5036m
NNSW: Adamstown and Newcastle Olympic @ 986m - although Broadmeadow Magic and Kahibah also 1017m apart
TAS: Launceston City and Launceston United @ 6542m
 
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Using the NPL only (as the crow flies, centre circle to centre circle, and not counting shared ground derbys):

ACT: Queanbeyan City and Monaro Panthers (Queanbeyan / Riverside Derby) @ 350m
NSW: Marconi and Sydney United @ 1470m
VIC: Dandenong City and Dandenong Thunder @ 5320m

Others will probably have to share what the biggest 'derby' matches are in each NPL as it stands, as I'd only be speculating - but give me some time to get the competitions added to https://map11.net/ and I'll work out at least the closest non-shared venues in each NPL for 2026

SA:
TAS:
WA:
QLD:
NNSW:
BT connor (Preston) and CB smith (Fawkner/Moreland/Brunswick juventus) in Melb are also quite close off the top of my head
 
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