Illawarra Premier League
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.
| 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 | Corrimal Rangers FC (2019) |
| Current premiers | Woonona Sharks FC (2020) |
| Website | Football South Coast Website |
| Current: (2018) | |
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 will participate in the 2019 Illawarra Premier League.
| Club | Location | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| Albion Park White Eagles | Albion Park | Terry Reserve |
| Bellambi Rozellas FC | Bellambi | Elizabeth Park |
| Bulli FC | Bulli | Balls Paddock |
| Corrimal Rangers | Corrimal | Memorial Park |
| Coniston FC | Coniston, New South Wales | JJ Kelly Park |
| Cringila Lions | Cringila | John Crehan Park |
| Port Kembla FC | Port Kembla | Wetherall Park |
| South Coast Croatia | Kembla Grange | Sir Ian McLennan Park |
| Tarrawanna Blueys | Tarrawanna | Tarrawanna Oval |
| Wollongong United | Berkeley | Macedonia Park |
| Wollongong Olympic | Wollongong | Herb Clunis Oval |
| Woonona Sharks FC | Woonona | Ocean 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 FC (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 FC (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) |
| 2019 | Wollongong Olympic (1st)[2] | Corrimal Rangers (1st)[3] |
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 |