Big dreams, politics and a lot of money: How the NSL was born

[@papasmurfette007]

My parents took us kids to every Western Suburbs home match at Englefield Stadium (now a housing estate), kitted out with black and white scarves and beanies. Trouble is, my youngest brother and I were Marconi supporters. We did go to Marconi Oval (when it was adjacent to fields rather than houses) when Wests were playing interstate. Even went to away matches at Wollongong and Newcastle. I remember that first year 1977, there were football cards of all the players - but they came in cardboard sheets and we had to cut them up ourselves!. Good times...

[@Gregemio]

FUN fact - Someone rescued the OG Aust Cup trophy from a dumpster a few years ago. Crazy what the game has been through here.

[@presntnow]

My First Football Games I attended was in 1995. NSL- Newcastle Breakers match (opponent unsure?) at Birmingham Gardens (Wallsend). I'd go with my Grandfather, we'd arrive early to watch the NYL games before too. And we would attend the home games regularly there each season. Newcastle United Jets Football Club supporter in the A-Leagues today.

[@masteryoda498]

I remember the NSL, I followed it from 1977 to the year 2000, until I gave up on it, as I could see that the game was on life support. The current A-League was doing well until about 2017, and sadly it’s been going downhill since, although at least the Socceroos have qualified for five successive World Cups. Correction, the old South Melbourne VFL team moved to Sydney in 1982, where they changed their name to the Sydney Swans.

[@presntnow]

Good video mate. For the World Game! ❤

[@josephj6521]

I remember Perth Glory joining the league hosting Sydney Olympic in front of almost 7,000 in Perth. Perth’s crowds quickly accelerated and it was great to see as a Sydneysider. Some great moments. 2 sellout finals at Parramatta Stadium with Marconi vs Sydney Olympic, Wollongong coming back from 3-0 down to win it in Perth in front of 40,000, Brisbane winning it in a sellout at Lang Park (Suncorp). I wish Wollongong returned to the A-League instead of MacArthur. Then the Pratten Park “riot” and the dude with a cigarette holding up a photographer’s case! Sorry, I had to laugh.

[@tigers456]

Good video. Hope you can continue on from 1984 and describe the history and changes to the league until the formation of the A League. Could become a valuable reference source.

[@pbosustow]

Well done on making this video, I didn't know they were considering a national league as early as the mid 60's. One small technicality, It was Fitzroy Alexander that was a foundation team from Victoria. They changed their name to Heidelberg for season 3 when the team relocated to that suburb.

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

Yeah a fair few teams had different names, so I went with their modern names to avoid confusion

[@lostjackets4006]

Thanks for this video. Just to flesh out the catalytic moment that got the NSL started: you are correct to note that Victorian resistance to the national competition was a factor. My recollection was that the big ethnic-based clubs who were considered as viable candidates for the competition were concerned that the old Victorian Soccer Federation (VSF), who opposed the idea for the reasons you outlined here, would punish them if the national league failed. This would take the form of sending all clubs who went to the NSL back to the bottom tier (Metropolitan Fourth Division) should the NSL fall over. I was only a kid at the time but my memory is that South Melbourne Hellas, Fitzroy (as it was then) Alexander and Footscray JUST were considering making the move but were worried about the VSF policy. It was Mooroolbark United (you have mispronounced the club's name, by the way) who said yes to joining and this forced the hand of the other three. Mooroolbark ('The Barkers") had had a strong season the year before (1976), finishing in the top four and nearly beating JUST in the State League Cup (I was at the game as a spectator). The Mooroolbark president (whose name escapes me, I'm sorry to say. I want to say that his surname was Jones but I'm not sure that's right) was a keen supporter of the national league idea. Once Mooroolbark said it was in, the other top four clubs also committed. The clubs came to a compromise with the VSF that resulted in them fielding reserve side in the Metropolitan Third Division. Indeed, the Barkers went back to that division after falling out the the NSL after the first season. If I may, I'd go as far as to say that the NSL would not have started with a Victorian contingent in 1977 had it not been for Mooroolbark.

[@joshanderson9391]

Love this sort of content. A history of the sport in Aus would be great!

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

Thanks for watching Josh!

[@AdventureDeficit]

Love story telling medium :) Would be great to see some representation of regional community clubs that have been powering along over the last 70-80 years!

[@jds997]

Great video, would love to see more content like this

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

Thanks mate, got a few more ideas brewing and working on another at the moment

[@adambubba1982]

Great work mate. Love this content

[@damont8462]

Great video mate, was an awesome watch!

[@twelvie7086]

Good video, im sure warens book had a big impact on you making this video! :)

[@richardfinlayson1524]

the NSL, when it was launched as the philips NSL, even had footy cards! i can remember them vaguely but id love to find a few packs, they probably were Scanlens who i think made the AFL cards (VFL in those days), someone should make a proper documentary about the NSL it was a good comp.

[@paras5435]

Finally someone giving us the facts.

[@DavidPola1961]

Lots of fruit shop owners poured their money into that ,Soccer was such an Ethnic game back then

[@papasmurfette007]

At Lambert Park you had to wade through the discarded peanut shells to exit the stadium. And every opposition player was a 'butcher'...

[@peterbozich4433]

Rale Rasic was a great coach

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

How did you say Mooroolbark? Moo-rool-bark

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

Yeah probably got it wrong. Never pronounced it before

[@biot_travel]

glad it got mentioned .... i am listening trying to think what on earth ;) ;) - great vid tho

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

@@biot_travel Apologies to the great folks of Mooroolbark

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

@@ALeagueCouchCritics All good, surprised me is all lol.

[@biot_travel]

@@ALeagueCouchCritics :)

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

You should do a vid on why it failed next.

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

👀

[@lukethmpsn]

Bosnich wants to go back to the NSL. I'm not looking forward to the race riots restarting.

[@jdalessi]

The NSL was and is and will be more successful than the A-League.

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

@@jdalessi The same things reared it's ugly head with the NSL as well, invested interests and corruption being precedent, rather than the good of the game.

[@LoriOsborne-p3q]

Zoie Shores

[@leighreganarblaster9852]

This new soccer league will have five teams in NSW. This Australian new B League they most form NSW five teams and three teams from Victoria

[@a7128]

first grand final was 1980

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

But it didn’t decide the championship, hence why I don’t consider it a proper grand final

[@richardfinlayson1524]

MOOROOLBARK is pronounced MOO RUL BARK, sorry,lol, they were a big club in those days. i played for Nunawading city as a teenager, we used to play moooroolbark, both in eastern suburbs

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

I have already received a lot of comments over the pronunciation. I fear to say it again 😂

[@TwelveDeck]

Marrelabark?

[@sentimentalbloke185]

It's pronounced Moo-rule-bark

[@thegraveyardshift8521]

Terrible pronunciation of Mooroolbark and Pozniak... great video otherwise

[@doallwell1]

Ask Robbie Thompson for clarification 😂

[@nicegan8902]

First in any sport? Did you forget the Sheffield Shield?

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

First club based competition. Sheffield Shield is a state-based

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

@@ALeagueCouchCritics I think I read somewhere that Melbourne had the first club competition (football, soccer), mid to late 1800's or something. Admittedly it was amateur and only 5 clubs or something like that.

[@sentimentalbloke185]

@@JustIn-mu3nl First soccer comp in Melbourne was organised in 1884.

[@JustIn-mu3nl]

@@sentimentalbloke185 Thanks.

[@PjRjHj]

Australian Football is the name of the indigenous Football code of Australian which is 3 years older than Association Football. You are refering to Soccer, just say Soccer

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

Thanks champ

[@Barkers62]

It's pronounced Moo-rule-bark

[@ALeagueCouchCritics]

😭