Illawarra Premier League

Illawarra Premier League
Founded1977
CountryAustralia
StateNSW
Number of clubs12
Level on pyramid6
Relegation toIllawarra District League
Domestic cup(s)Australia Cup
Fraternity Club Cup
Bert Bampton Cup
Current championsConiston FC (2023)
Current premiersAlbion Park White Eagles (2023)
Websitefootballsouthcoast.com

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, The league sits at level 4 on the New South Wales league system, making it a level league 6 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 2024 Illawarra Premier League

Club Location Ground
Albion Park White Eagles Albion Park Terry Reserve
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
Helensburgh Thistles Helensburgh Rex Jackson Park
Port Kembla Port Kembla Wetherall Park
Shellharbour FC Barrack Heights Barrack Heights Sports Field
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

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.[1]

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[a] Shellharbour Workers (1st) Coniston (1st)
1982 Wests/Figtree (1st) Wests/Figtree (1st)
1983 Wests/Figtree (2nd) Wests/Figtree (2nd)
1984 Fernhill FC (1st) Fernhill FC (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[b] 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) Coniston Lions (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) Picton Rangers (1st)
2006 Dandaloo FC (2nd) Picton Rangers (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 Kemblawarra Fury (1st) Albion Park White Eagles (4th)
2017 Bulli FC (5th) Port Kembla (9th)
2018 Bulli FC (6th) Bulli FC (2nd)
2019 Wollongong Olympic (2nd)[2] Corrimal Rangers (1st)[3]
2020 [c] Woonona Sharks (1st) Wollongong United (2nd)
2021 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[d]
2022 Wollongong United (1st) Wollongong Olympic (2nd)
2023 Albion Park White Eagles (2nd) Coniston FC (2nd)
1994 Wollongong Olympic (3rd) Wollongong Olympic (3rd)

Source:[e]

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

  1. ^ http://www.socceraust.co.uk/1981/ILL/PL/fixtures.html
  2. ^ http://www.socceraust.co.uk/1989/ILL/PL/fixtures.html
  3. ^ Half-season due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic
  4. ^ Half-season due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic
  5. ^ http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/NSW/IPLC.html

References

  1. ^ "Overall Champions List". Socceraust. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
  2. ^ "Table for Illawarra Mercury Premier League FG".
  3. ^ "Results for Illawarra Mercury Premier League FG".