Illawarra Premier League
| Founded | 1970 |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Number of teams | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 6 |
| Relegation to | Illawarra District League |
| Domestic cup(s) |
FFA Cup Waratah Cup Bert Bampton Cup |
| Current champions | Bulli FC (2018) |
| Current premiers | Bulli FC (2018) |
| Website | Football South Coast Website |
 | |
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, making it a level 6 league 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 Fairly 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 participated in the 2017 Illawarra Premier League
| Club | Location | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| Bulli FC | Bulli | Balls Paddock |
| Kemblawarra Fury | Dapto | Macedonia Park |
| Wollongong United | Berkeley | Macedonia Park |
| Port Kembla FC | Port Kembla | Wetherall Park |
| South Coast Croatia | Kembla Grange | Sir Ian McLennan Park |
| Tarrawanna Blueys | Tarrawanna | Tarrawanna Oval |
| Wollongong Olympic | Wollongong | Herb Clunis Oval |
| Albion Park White Eagles | Albion Park | Terry Reserve |
| Woonona Sharks FC | Woonona, New South Wales | Ocean Park |
| Cringila Lions | Cringila | John Crehan Park |
| Picton Rangers FC | Picton | Hume Oval |
| Corrimal Rangers | Corrimal, New South Wales | Memorial 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 | 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 | 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 FC (1st) |
| 1994 | Wollongong Olympic (1st) | Cringila Lions FC (2nd) |
| 1995 | Port Kembla FC (1st) | Port Kembla FC (1st) |
| 1996 | Lysaghts FC (1st) | Port Kembla FC (2nd) |
| 1997 | Lysaghts FC (2nd) | Lysaghts FC (1st) |
| 1998 | Cringila Lions (2nd) | Wollongong White Eagles FC (1st) |
| 1999 | Northern United (1st) | Port Kembla FC (3rd) |
| 2000 | Port Kembla FC (2nd) | Port Kembla FC (4th) |
| 2001 | Port Kembla FC (3rd) | Coniston Lions (2nd) |
| 2002 | Kemblawarra (1st) | Port Kembla FC (5th) |
| 2003 | Port Kembla FC (4th) | Port Kembla FC (6th) |
| 2004 | Port Kembla FC (5th) | Port Kembla FC (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 FC (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 FC (7th) | Port Kembla FC (8th) |
| 2014 | Bulli FC (4th) | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (5th) |
| 2015 | Dapto Dandaloo Fury FC (7th) | Wollongong United FC (1st) |
| 2016 | Kemblawarra Fury (7st) | Albion Park White Eagles (4th) |
| 2017 | Bulli FC (5th) | Port Kembla FC (9th) |
| 2018 | Bulli FC (6th) | Bulli FC (2nd) |
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 |
References
- ↑ "Overall Champions List". Socceraust. Retrieved 26 January 2015.