Northern NSW Football
 | |
| Formation | 1887 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility |
Parent organisation | Football Australia |
| Website | www |
Northern NSW Football (NNSWF) is the governing federation for soccer in northern New South Wales, Australia. It is a Federation Member of the national governing body, Football Australia (FA). The Federation's origins date back to the formation of the Northern District British Football Association on 26 June 1887. To align with the international football identity, the federation was re-branded to Northern NSW Football on 25 October 2006.[1]
Formation and Early History
[edit]The Northern British Football Association was formed at a meeting of clubs at the Criterion Hotel, Newcastle on Sunday 26 June 1887.[2]
The clubs which formed the association were Minmi Rangers (1886), Hamilton Athletic (1886), Greta Blue Bells (1887), Carrington Black Watch (1887), Wallsend Rovers (1887) and Glebe Black Watch, later renamed Burwood United (1887).
It was part of the NSW Football Association before Sydney clubs broke away in 1958, leading to the creation of the Northern NSW Soccer Federation by Newcastle and Coalfields clubs.
A 12 team Northern First Division was established with: Adamstown, Awaba, Blacksmith Rangers, Cardiff, Cessnock, Charlestown United, Lake Macquarie, Mayfield United, Merewether Advance, Newcastle Austral, Wallsend and West Wallsend.
Organisational Changes
[edit]In 1980, the Northern NSW Soccer Federation Ltd was registered as a company, and in 2006, it was rebranded to Northern NSW Football due to internal restructuring.
Membership structure
[edit]NNSWF is the governing body for football in the northern regions of New South Wales and have seven member zones responsible for 208 football clubs.[3]
The Zones are:
- Football Far North Coast
- Football Mid North Coast
- Hunter Valley Football
- Macquarie Football
- Newcastle Football
- North Coast Football
- Northern Inland Football
Competitions and Leagues
[edit]| Level | League(s)/Division(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 |
NPL NNSW |
| 2 |
Northern League One |
| 3 |
Zone League One |
| 4 |
Zone League Two |
| 5 |
Zone League Three |
National Premier Leagues Northern NSW
[edit]The National Premier Leagues Northern NSW (NPL NNSW), is the premier competition in Northern NSW involving 12 clubs from within the Hunter Region. The competition consists of 1st Grade & Reserve Grade.
Northern League One
[edit]The Northern League One is the second highest division in the NNSW league system involving 10 clubs from within the Hunter Region. The competition consists of 1st Grade & Reserve Grade.
Zone Leagues
[edit]The Zone Leagues consist of three divisions Zone League One with 12 clubs, Zone League Two with 10 clubs and Zone League Three with 10 clubs.
NPL Women's NNSW
[edit]The NPL Women's NNSW competition started in 2022 and is the premier women’s competition in Northern NSW involving 7 clubs from within the Hunter Region.
Regional Super League
[edit]The NNSW Regional Super League was established in 2025 to create more competitive opportunities for regional clubs and players, provide a sustainable pathway for talented regional players and increase player retention and engagement.
The NNSW Regional Super League features teams from three of NNSWF’s regional member zones.
The 2025 men’s NNSW Regional Super League:
Inverell FC, Armidale City Westside FC, Woolgoolga United FC, Northern Storm FC, Urunga FC, Port United FC, Macleay Valley Rangers FC and Port Saints FC.
The 2025 women’s NNSW Regional Super League:
Tamworth FC, Oxley Vale Attunga FC, Armidale City Westside FC, Coffs City United FC, Urunga FC, Port United FC, Macleay Valley Rangers FC and Lake Cathie FC.
NNSWF Premier Youth League
[edit]The NNSWF Premier Youth League has been designed to enhance the talented player pathway, enable more competitive football for young players and facilitate more games of like versus like for Under 18's, Under 16's, Under 15's, Under 14's and Under 13's.
All Premier Competitions clubs that meet the criteria, including regional football programs Mid Coast FC, North Coast Football and Northern Inland Academy of Sport Football Club (NIAS FC) are involved.
At the start of the season, the top four clubs from PYL B will join the eight clubs in PYL A to establish PYL 1.
The bottom four clubs in PYL B will join the eight clubs from PYL C to form PYL 2, prior to splitting into PYL A, B and C again halfway through the season.
Junior Development League
[edit]The Junior Development League provides a pathway for talented junior players from U9’s to U12’s in the best possible learning environment. Clubs competing in the National Premier Leagues or the Northern League One competitions and regional football programs Mid Coast FC, North Coast Football and NIAS are involved.
The Junior Development League is non-competitive and focuses instead on individual skill development.
2025 Junior Development League - approved clubs
[edit]| Boys | Girls | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | JDL Status | Club | JDL Status | |
| Cooks Hill United | Gold | Lake Macquarie City | Gold | |
| Lambton Jaffas | Gold | Valentine | Gold | |
| Valentine | Gold | Adamstown Rosebud | Silver | |
| Belmont Swansea United | Silver | Broadmeadow Magic | Bronze | |
| Broadmeadow Magic | Silver | Charlestown Azzurri | Bronze | |
| Central Coast United | Silver | Kahibah | Bronze | |
| Edgeworth | Silver | Maitland | Bronze | |
| Lake Macquarie City | Silver | Newcastle Olympic | Bronze | |
| Singleton Strikers | Silver | New Lambton | Bronze | |
| South Cardiff | Silver | |||
| Adamstown Rosebud | Bronze | |||
| Charlestown Azzuri | Bronze | |||
| Kahibah | Bronze | |||
| Maitland | Bronze | |||
| New Lambton | Bronze | |||
| Newcastle Olympic | Bronze | |||
| Northern Inland Rangers | Bronze | |||
| Toronto Awaba | Bronze | |||
| West Wallsend | Bronze | |||
| Weston | Bronze | |||
| Wallsend | Bronze (TBC) | |||
Past winners
[edit]Newcastle and Northern District
[edit]1886 to 1919
[edit]| Season | Premiers | League runners-up | Champions | Score | Final runners-up | Cup Winners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1886 | Hamilton Athletic | Minmi Rangers FC | Minmi Rangers FC | 1–0 | Hamilton Athletic | Minmi Rangers FC (1st Ellis Cup) |
| 1887 | Minmi Rangers FC | Hamilton Athletic | Finals not held | – | Minmi Rangers FC (2nd Ellis Cup) | |
| 1888 | Minmi Rangers FC | Burwood United | Finals not held | – | Minmi Rangers FC (3rd Ellis Cup) | |
| 1889 | Minmi Rangers FC | Hamilton Athletic | Finals not held | – | Wallsend Rovers | |
| 1890 | Burwood United | Greta Bluebells | Minmi Rangers FC | 2–1 | Burwood United | Minmi Rangers FC (4th Ellis Cup) |
| 1891 | Minmi Rangers FC | Burwood United | Finals not held | – | Burwood United (1st Ellis Cup) | |
| 1892 | Minmi Rangers FC | Burwood United | Finals not held | – | Minmi Rangers FC (5th Ellis Cup and 1st Gardiner Cup) | |
| 1893 | Minmi Rangers FC | Wallsend Rovers | Finals not held | – | Minmi Rangers FC (6th Ellis Cup) | |
| 1894 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Minmi Thistles | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 2–1 | Minmi Thistles | Adamstown Rosebud FC (1st Ellis Cup) |
| 1895 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Wallsend Rovers | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 1–0 | Wallsend Rovers | Minmi Rangers FC (7th Ellis Cup) |
| 1896 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Merewether Advance | Finals not held | – | – | Adamstown Rosebud FC |
| 1897 | West Wallsend FC | Wallsend Rovers | West Wallsend FC | 1–0 | Wallsend Rovers | – |
| 1898 | West Wallsend FC | Minmi Rangers FC | West Wallsend FC | 2–0 | Minmi Rangers FC | Minmi Rangers FC |
| 1899 | West Wallsend FC | Adamstown Rosebud FC | West Wallsend FC | 1–0 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | West Wallsend FC |
| 1900 | Wallsend Rovers | West Wallsend FC | Wallsend Rovers | 5–2 | West Wallsend FC | West Wallsend FC(Ellis and Gardiner Cups) |
| 1901 | West Wallsend FC | – | – | – | – | West Wallsend FC(Ellis and Gardiner Cups) |
| 1902 | West Wallsend FC | Adamstown Rosebud FC | – | – | – | – |
| 1903 | Wallsend Royals | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Wallsend Royals | 3–1 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Adamstown Rosebud FC |
| 1904 | West Wallsend FC | Wallsend Royals | – | – | – | – |
| 1905 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | West Wallsend FC | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 7–3 | Adamstown Shamrocks | – |
| 1906 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Merewether Advance | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 2–1 | Merewether Advance | – |
| 1907*** | Pelaw Main | Wallsend Royals | Pelaw Main | 4–2 | Wallsend Royals | Adamstown Rosebud FC(Gardiner Cup) Broadmeadow R.A (Ellis Cup) |
| 1908 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | – | – | – | – | Adamstown Rosebud FC(Ellis Cup) |
| 1909 Newcastle | Adamstown Rosebud FC | – | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 3–2 | Merewether Advance | Adamstown Rosebud FC(Gardiner Cup) |
| 1909 Coalfields | Cessnock | – | Cessnock | 1–0 | Weston | – |
| 1910 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | Wallsend Royals | Adamstown Rosebud FC | 2–0 | Wallsend Royals | |
| 1911 East | Merewether Advance | Cessnock | Cessnock | 2–1 | Merewether Advance | – |
| 1911 West | Wallsend Mazeppa | Minmi Starlights | Wallsend Mazeppa | 2–0 | Minmi Starlights | – |
| 1912 | Cessnock | West Wallsend FC | Cessnock | 1–0 | West Wallsend FC | – |
| 1913 | Merewether Advance | West Wallsend FC | West Wallsend FC | 2–1 | Merewether Advance | Merewether Advance (Ellis Cup) |
| 1914 | Merewether Advance | Weston | Merewether Advance | 3–0 | Weston | Merewether Advance (Knockout Cup) |
| 1915 | Merewether Advance | Cessnock | Merewether Advance | 2–1 | Cessnock | Merewether Advance (Kerr Cup) |
| 1916 | Weston B | Weston A | Weston A | 1–0 | Weston B | – |
| 1917 | Wallsend Rovers and Weston Albion joint | – | Wallsend Rovers | 2–0 | Weston Albion | – |
| 1918 Newcastle | Wallsend Rovers | West Wallsend FC | Wallsend Rovers | 4–0 | Adamstown Rosebud FC | West Wallsend FC (Kerr Cup) |
| 1918 Coalfields | Weston | Cessnock B | Weston | 2–0 | Cessnock B | West Wallsend FC (Kerr Cup), Weston (Gardiner Cup) |
| 1919 Newcastle | West Wallsend FC | Adamstown Rosebud FC | West Wallsend FC | 4–1 | Hamilton | West Wallsend FC(Kerr Cup) |
- 1907 Senior Competition abandoned for rebuild. All age competition.
1920s
[edit]1950 to 1969
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "About". northernnswfootball.com.au. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
- ^ Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) Tue 28 Jun 1887, Page 8
- ^ Northern NSW Football Members (accessed 2 March 2015)
- ^ "Northern New South Wales Champions Past Winners". socceraust. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
External links
[edit]| National teams |
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| Cup competitions | |||||
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