1966 NSW First Division season

NSW First Division 1966 Hakoah APIA Leichhardt Brian Lincoln John Giacometti (20) 90 (regular season) + 7 (finals) 10,500 APIA v. Pan Hellenic (regular season) 1965 1967 The 1966 NSW First Division season was the tenth season of soccer in New South Wales under the administration of the NSW Federation of Soccer Clubs since its breakaway from the NSW Soccer Football Association in January 1957. The league once again played 18 rounds in the home and away regular season, beginning in March and ending in August. APIA Leichhardt finished first on the ladder to become regular season premiers for the second time after winning their first in 1964. The finals series was primarily held throughout September with a four-team playoff series. For the first time a round robin was held between the top four clubs, culminating with a grand final between the top two placed teams. Hakoah defeated APIA Leichhardt in the decider. The pre-season Ampol Cup was won for a first time by APIA Leichhardt. Clubs Changes from last season: The division continued its ten-team league format. Polonia-North Side were relegated to NSW Second Division after one season back in the top league. Corinthian BESC were reinstated to the top division after one season in NSW Second Division. Club Ground Year formedApp Total appearance(s) in First Division Debut First season in NSW First Division Last season(Finals) Position in last season's NSW First Division (finals place in parenthesis) A.P.I.A. Lambert Park Sydney Sports Ground 1954 10th 1957 3rd (W) Corinthian BESC No fixed ground 1957 2nd 1964 Div. II Cumberland United Mona Park 1964Auburn and Gladesville merged keeping separate histories 3rd 1964 8th Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs Wentworth Park 1939 10th 1957 6th Pan Hellenic Wentworth Park 1957 6th 1961 9th Prague Sydney Athletics Field 1950 10th 1957 5th St George-Budapest Hurstville Oval 1957 8th 1959 2nd (RU) South Coast United Woonona Oval 1958Amalgamated with IDSA club Woonona-Bulli in 1961. Continues Corrimal United history 9th 1958 1st (PF) South Sydney-Croatia Arlington Oval 1958 4th 1963 7th Yugal Sydney Athletics Field 1961 5th 1962 4th (SF) Notes Table and results main WDL 5 2 complete https://rsssf.org/tablesa/aus1966.html#nsw Australia 1966 rsssf.org 4 March 2025 API A.P.I.A. HAK Hakoah SGB St. George-Budapest SCU South Coast United PAN Pan Hellenic PRA Prague CRO Croatia YUG Yugal CUM Cumberland United COR Corinthian BESC 13 4 1 55 16 12 3 3 43 19 C 9 3 6 49 27 7 4 7 31 25 7 4 7 36 34 7 3 8 30 49 5 5 8 19 41 5 4 9 24 38 4 3 11 30 41 2 5 11 14 41 R F F F F R QR green1 Qualification for Finals series red1 Relegated to Second Division Results main FBR grey API APIA COR Corinthian BESC CRO South Sydney-Croatia CUM Cumberland United HAK Hakoah PAN Pan Hellenic PRA Prague SCU South Coast United SGB St George-Budapest YUG Yugal 3–1 2–0 2–2 4–0 1–1 1–1 8–1 1–1 5–2 0–3 1–2 3–0 5–2 2–4 9–0 6–2 3–1 0–4 1–3 3–0 1–1 3–0 3–1 3–1 1–3 2–1 4–2 0–6 0–6 1–5 0–0 0–0 2–0 2–1 2–3 1–1 0–4 3–2 2–1 2–1 1–0 0–3 4–0 0–8 2–3 1–2 1–1 1–0 1–1 0–4 1–2 4–4 4–1 1–0 0–1 3–2 4–0 3–2 2–1 0–1 0–0 2–2 5–3 3–6 2–3 2–1 1–1 1–2 0–5 0–1 2–3 2–2 0–5 0–4 1–1 1–1 0–5 0–4 0–0 1–2 0–2 2–1 3–0 0–3 1–1 3–1 1–0 2–0 1–7 0–3 complete www.socceraust.co.ukhttp://www.socceraust.co.uk/1966/NSW/Div1/matrix.html 1966 NSW Div1 Matrix www.socceraust.co.uk 4 March 2025 Finals series Round robin Final table main WDL 5 2 complete http://www.socceraust.co.uk/1966/NSW/Div1/fixtures.html 1966 Division 1 Fixtures soccer.co.uk 4 March 2025 API A.P.I.A. HAK Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs SGB St. George-Budapest SCU South Coast United 3 0 0 11 3 2 0 1 8 4 C 1 0 2 5 8 0 0 3 3 12 F F QR green1 Qualification for Grand final Results 4 September 1966 3–0 Reporthttps://archive.org/details/soccer-world-1966/Soccer%20World%2C%20Vol.%2009%2C%20No.%2034%2C%20Friday%20September%209th%201966/page/n1/mode/1up?view=theater Soccer World Newspaper Vol. 09, Issue No. 34 2 Soccer World 9 September 1966 4 March 2025http://www.socceraust.co.uk/1966/NSW/Div1/fixtures.html 1966 Division 1 Fixtures soccer.co.uk 4 March 2025 St. George-Budapest Warren 4 15 Zuckerman 26 pen South Coast United Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 11,300DH Double-header N. Jones 4 September 1966 2–0 Report APIA Leichhardt Giacometti 32 44 Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 11,300DH H. Parsons 11 September 1966 3–2 Reporthttps://archive.org/details/soccer-world-1966/Soccer%20World%2C%20Vol.%2009%2C%20No.%2035%2C%20Friday%20September%2016th%201966/page/n1/mode/1up?view=theater Soccer World Newspaper, Vol. 09, Issue No. 35 2 16 September 1966 Soccer World 4 March 2025 APIA Leichhardt van Blerk 75 Giacometti 81 Watkiss 82 St George-Budapest Warren 52 Fernandez 88 Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 9,500DH Tony Boskovic 11 September 1966 3–2 Report Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs Hood 25 30 49 South Coast United Freeme 12 Ringland 67 pen Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 9,500DH H. Eilerts 18 September 1966 6–1 Reporthttps://archive.org/details/soccer-world-annual-1967/page/n11/mode/1up?view=theater Soccer World Annual 1967 20 Soccer World 1967 4 March 2025 APIA Leichhardt Blue (x2) Watkiss Giacometti Gauld Campana South Coast United Freeme Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 6,520DH Tony Boskovic 18 September 1966 5–0 Report Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs Christie (x2) Ninaus Hood Fekete St George-Budapest Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 6,520DH N. Jones Grand final 25 September 1966 2–1 Report Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs Ninaus 47 Hood 83 A.P.I.A. Giacometti 49 Moore Park, Sydney Sydney Sports Ground 7,650 Tony Boskovic GK 1 AUS Peter Fuzes RB 2 AUS C. Thomson LB 3 ENG Ian Hillsdon RH 4 ENG Danny Walsh CH 5 SCO Alan Marnoch LH 6 SCO John Duffy OR 7HUN Robert Fekete IR 8AUS Jim Christie CF 9AUT Herbert Ninaus IL 10 AUS Gerry Hood OL 11ENG Doug HoldenCoach:YUG Tiko Jelisavcic |style="vertical-align:top;width:50%"| GK 1 AUS Bill Rorke RB 2 AUS Cliff van Blerk LB 3 ENG Stan Ackerley RH 4SCO Pat Hughes CH 5AUS Jimmy Sambrook LH 6 AUS Phil Bottalico OR 7AUS John Giacometti IR 8ARG Ricardo Campana 0 10 CF 9AUS Johnny Watkiss IL 10 AUS Archie Blue OL 11 AUS Bill KerklaanCoach: AUS Joe Marston NSWSF First Division1966 Grand Final winnersAustralia 100pxHakoah-Eastern SuburbsThird Title Promotion Play-off With the league expanding to twelve teams next competition, Second Division premiers Polonia-North Side were automatically promoted. It was decided that First Division wooden spooners, Corinthian BESC, would play-off against the second and third placed teams from the Second Division to earn the final two spots in the 1967 NSW First Division season. The three-team play-off was contested over two matches with Canterbury receiving bye straight to the final match. Melita Eagles defeated Corinthians in the first match, gaining direct entry into First Division, leaving Corinthians with one last chance to remain in the top tier with the next match against the aforementioned Canterbury. However, Canterbury would win the match for final play-off spot, 1–0. Match Team A Score Team B Scorers Spot 1 Corinthian BESC 0–3 Melita Eagles McDonald 2, Jaros (Melita). Spot 2 Corinthian BESC 0–1 Canterbury Rinos (C'bury). Statistics and awards Top Star Award Soccer World reporters awarded stars out of six to players throughout the 18 rounds. The player with the highest stars was Brian Lincoln with 4.27. Only 10 players averaged four points or more. Below left is the list of all ten players and below right is the team of the year:https://archive.org/details/soccer-world-annual-1967/page/n18/mode/1up?view=theater Soccer World Annual 6–8, 13, 17, 34 Soccer World 1967 5 March 2025 Player Team Rating Brian Lincoln South Sydney-Croatia 4.27 Alan Marnoch Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs 4.18 Adrian Ringland South Coast United 4.05 Cliff van Blerk APIA Leichhardt 4.05 Danny Walsh Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs 4.05 Ricardo Campana APIA Leichhardt 4.00 Barry Salisbury South Coast United 4.00 Mita Stojanovic Yugal 4.00 Johnny Warren St George-Budapest 4.00 Alan Westwater Pan Hellenic 4.00 left 240 Rorke(APIA) Lincoln(Croatia) Ringland(SCU) Walsh(Hakoah) Marnoch(Hakoah) Salisbury(SCU) Campana/Warren(Yugal/St George) Goldie(C'land) Giacometti(APIA) Sleight(Prague) Westwater(P. Hellenic) 1966 Team of the Year Top scorers John Giacometti was the season's top goalscorer for the second year consecutively, with 20 goals. Below is a list of the top ten goalscorers for the season: Player Team Goals John Giacometti APIA 20 George Yardley St. George 19 Errol Freeme South Coast 13 John Keddie Cumberland Johnny Watkiss APIA Johnny Warren St. George 12 John Karyannis Pan Hellenic 11 Herbert Ninaus Hakoah Jim Harding Hakoah 9 Joe Alagich Yugal 8 Bill Kerklaan APIA Attendances Below is a list of attendances by club: Rank Club Total attendance Highest home attendance 1 APIA Leichhardt 96,200 10,500 2 Pan Hellenic 82,200 8,100 3 St. George-Budapest 50,100 6,100 4 Hakoah-Eastern Suburbs 46,400 7,200 5 Prague 45,500 8,016 6 Yugal 40,000 4,700 7 South Sydney-Croatia 39,000 3,500 8 South Coast United 37,000 4,700 9 Cumberland United 30,600 5,02510 Corinthian BESC 38,200 3,350 Other competitions Ampol Cup The season began with the tenth edition of the floodlit pre-season night series (ninth as the Ampol Cup), culminating with the double-header third place playoff and Final on 20 March in front of 8,700 spectators. https://archive.org/details/soccer-world-annual-1967/page/n14/mode/1up?view=theater New-look Ampol Cup (Soccer World Annual) 5 March 2025 26 Soccer World 1966 The event featured a group stage for the first time in its history, splitting the ten teams from First Division into two groups of five. The point scoring was also unique: 12 points for a win and 5 for draw with each goal scored also worth one point. APIA and Prague progressed from Group 1 as did Hakoah and Yugal from Group 2. The semi-finals, third place play-off and Final were all maintained from previous editions. Finals series no yes Semi-finals Finals Grand Final Third place playoff Hakoah 2 Prague 0 APIA 3 Yugal 0 Hakoah 0 APIA 1 Prague 4 Yugal 0 Final 20 March 1966 Sydney Hakoah 0–1 Report APIA Watkiss Sydney Showground, Moore Park 8,700 Tony Boskovic See also 1966 in Australian soccer 1966 NSWSF season 1966 NSW Federation Cup References Category:New South Wales Federation of Soccer Clubs seasons NSW First Division season NSW First Division season