National Football League (South Africa)

The National Football League (NFL) was the first professional association football league in South Africa, established in 1959. At first the NFL received stiff opposition from the SAFA, the amateur governing body which controlled the major football grounds in the county. The SAFA was a member of FIFA at the time.

National Football League
Founded1959
Folded1977
Country South Africa
Most championshipsHighlands Park (8 titles)

Initially, only two areas of South Africa were represented - Transvaal and Durban - but gradually the league became more geographically representative. The teams that joined the league in 1959 were-Transvaal (9 teams)-Rangers, Germiston Callies, Arcadia Shepherds, Benoni United, Randfontein, Pretoria City, Brakpan United, Johannesburg City & Southern Park. Natal (3 teams)-Durban City, Durban United & Maritzburg Celtic. The League kicked-off on 4 July 1959 (only one round was played).

A promotion play-off for the Champions of the various State Leagues was introduced in 1962, and the league spread to Cape Town (1962), Bloemfontein (1963) and Port Elizabeth (1964). A NFL Division II was established in 1969, with the Champions promoted to Division I.[1][2] The league was competitive during the apartheid era, and only white players were allowed to participate. However a few NFL teams traveled to neighboring countries to play friendlies.1961 Durban City beat a multi-racial Salisbury Combined XI 8-2 at the Glamis Stadium. An NFL XI lost to a Rhodesian XI 2-6, at the Raylton Sports ground. Germiston Callies played a non-white team, Black Pirates in Maseru, Lesotho. 25 February 1961.

However, black players did participate in the competition. The first to do so was Vincent Julius, he represented Arcadia Shepherds in 1976 versus Highlands Park. Highlands Park protested Julius' presence but the NFL allowed him to play. The South African Home Office took no action having been convinced by Arcadia Shepherds that the story would be told all around the world and cast the ruling party in a bad light.

When NFL folded after 18 years in 1977, it was superseded by a non-racial league. In practical terms, a merger happened between NFL (for whites) and NPSL (for blacks), to become the new common NPSL.

Winners
Year Winners Runners-up Third place
1959Durban City (1)Rangers JohannesburgDurban United
1960Highlands Park (1)Durban CityGermiston Callies
1961Durban City (2)Highlands ParkGermiston Callies
1962Highlands Park (2)Southern SuburbsDurban City
1963Addington (1)Highlands ParkDurban City
1964Highlands Park (3)Durban CityDurban United
1965Highlands Park (4)Cape Town CityDurban City
1966Highlands Park (5)Port Elizabeth CityDurban United
1967Port Elizabeth City (1)Highlands ParkCape Town City
1968Highlands Park (6)Durban UnitedPowerlines
1969Durban Spurs (2*)PowerlinesHighlands Park
1970Durban City (3)Cape Town CityMaritzburg
1971Hellenic (1)Cape Town CityDurban City
1972Durban City (4)HellenicBerea Park
1973Cape Town City (1)Highlands ParkHellenic
1974Arcadia Shepherds (1)Cape Town CityMaritzburg
1975Highlands Park (7)HellenicMaritzburg
1976Cape Town City (2)Highlands ParkWits University
1977Highlands Park (8)LusitanoDurban United
  • Note that Addington were known as Durban Spurs when they won their second championship.

Source:[3]

Team Titles Years
Highlands Park
8
1960, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1975, 1977
Durban City
4
1959, 1961, 1970, 1972
Durban Spurs
2
1963, 1969
Cape Town City
2
1973, 1976
Port Elizabeth City
1
1967
Hellenic
1
1971
Arcadia Shepherds
1
1974

Individual Honours
Year Player of the Year Footballer of the Year Foreign Player of the Year Top Scorer
1959Rocco Smith (Benoni United)N/AN/ALes Salton (Durban City) 23
1960Malcolm Rufus (Durban City)N/AN/ALes Salton (Durban City) 40
1961Les Salton (Durban City)N/AN/ALes Salton (Durban City) 46
1962George Barratt (Durban City)N/AN/APeter McEwan (Germiston Callies) 42
1963Ken Denysschen (Durban City)N/AN/ABazil Johnson (Arcadia United) 43
1964 Bobby Chalmers (Durban City)N/AN/ALes Salton (Durban United) 42
1965Malcolm Rufus (Highlands Park)N/AN/AArne Bjørnstad (Boksburg) & Freddie Kalk (Highlands Park) 33
1966Freddie Kalk (Highlands Park)Robin Lowe (Durban United) Willie McIntosh (Highlands Park) Walter da Silva (Highlands Park) 44
1967Bob Davies (Rangers)Charlie Naude (Germiston Callies) Bryan Orritt (Southern Suburbs)Jim Scott (Durban City) 27
1968Henry Hauser (Addington)Derek Smethurst (Durban City) Peter Rath (Powerlines)Stan Forster (Rangers) 32
1969Richard Allen (Cape Town City)Frank Pereira (Powerlines) Gary France (Cape Town City)Walter da Silva (Powerlines) 21
1970Archie Soekoe (Rangers)Bennie Booysen (Southern Suburbs) Tony Macedo (Durban City)Jim Scott (Durban City) 31
1971 George Eastham (Hellenic)Ronnie Mann (Durban City) Ben Anderson (Cape Town City) Jim Scott (Durban City/Durban United) 22
1972Trevor Gething (Berea Park)Wilf de Bruin (Hellenic) Johnny Haynes (Durban City)Wilf de Bruin (Hellenic) 26
1973Ian Bender (Durban Celtic)Hennie Joubert (Highlands Park) Peter Withe (Arcadia Shepherds)Wilf de Bruin (Hellenic) 26
1974Steve Wegerle (Arcadia Shepherds)Steve Wegerle (Arcadia Shepherds) Dave Huson (Hellenic)Geoff Wegerle (Arcadia Shepherds) 20
1975
1976
1977Ian Bender (Maritzburg)Tony Stathakis (Highlands Park) 28

Leading Aggregate Goalscorers
Total Player Clubs Seasons
253Les SaltonDurban City (109)
Durban United (144)		1959-66
205Bobby ChalmersDurban City (106)
Durban United (50)
Maritzburg (49)		1962-74
196Freddie KalkSouthern Suburbs (64)
Highlands Park (132)		1960-73
192Wilf De BruinHellenic FC (192)1970-1983
184Arne BjørnstadBoksburg (143)
Southern Suburbs (41)		1960-70
157Jim ScottDurban City (129)
Durban United (22)
Johannesburg Corinthians (5)
Maritzburg (1)		1966-74
154Vernon WentzelDurban City (46)
Addington (108)		1962-68
153Percy OwenRangers Johannesburg1960-68
142Walter da SilvaHellenic (18)
Highlands Park (64)
Powerlines (50)
Berea Park (10)		1964-72
136Ronnie MannDurban United (87)
Durban City (41)
Guild Apollo (8)		1962-77
132Danny Le RouxDurban City (58)
Durban United (71)
Addington (3)		1959-67

List of NFL Clubs 1959-1977
Club Location Seasons Name changes, mergers etc.
ADDINGTON Durban1962-68=(=Durban Spurs)
ARCADIA SHEPHERDS Pretoria1959-62; =69-77Merged with ISCOR Pretoria (=Arcadia United=)
ARCADIA UNITED Pretoria1963-68=Merger of Arcadia Shepherds and ISCOR Pretoria (=Arcadia Shepherds)
BENONI UNITED East Rand1959-63Merged with Brakpan United and Springs (Transvaal Lge.) (=East Rand United)
BEREA PARK Pretoria1960-64; 70-76Merged with Pretoria City
BLOEMFONTEIN CITY Bloemfontein1963-66; 69-71
BOKSBURG East Rand1960-67; 74
BRAKPAN UNITED East Rand1959-63Merged with Benoni United and Springs (Transvaal Lge.) (=East Rand United)
CAPE TOWN CITY Cape Town1962-77
DURBAN CELTIC Durban1972-74=(=Pinetown Celtic)
DURBAN CITY Durban1959-77
DURBAN RAMBLERS Durban1963
DURBAN SPURS Durban=1969(Addington=) Merged with Durban United (=Durban Spurs United)
DURBAN SPURS UNITED Durban1970=Merger of Durban Spurs and Durban United (=Durban United)
DURBAN UNITED Durban1959-69; =71-77Merged with Durban Spurs (=Durban Spurs United=)
EAST LONDON CELTIC East London1969-70Merged with East London City (Cape Eastern Lge.) (=East London United)
EAST LONDON UNITED East London1971-77Merger of East London Celtic and East London City (Cape Eastern Lge.)
EAST RAND UNITED East Rand1964; 66Merger of Benoni United, Brakpan United and Springs (Transvaal Lge.). Played on in the Transvaal Lge. as East Rand United, before resurfacing as Benoni United in NFL's new Division Two.
GERMISTON CALLIES East Rand1959-77
GUILD APOLLO West Rand1976=Merger of Jewish Guild and Johannesburg Corinthians (=Roodepoort Guild)
HELLENIC Cape Town1964-77
HIGHLANDS PARK Johannesburg1960-70; =73-77Merged with Powerlines (=Highlands Power=)
HIGHLANDS POWER Johannesburg1971-72=Merger of Highlands Park and Powerlines (=Highlands Park)
ISCOR PRETORIA Pretoria1961-62Merged with Arcadia Shepherds (=Arcadia United)
JEWISH GUILD West Rand1971-75Merged with Johannesburg Corinthians (=Guild Apollo)
JOHANNESBURG CITY Johannesburg=1960-61(Northern United=) Played on in the Transvaal Lge. until 1964, then merging with Marist Brothers AFC
JOHANNESBURG CORINTHIANS Johannesburg1967-69Played on in the NFL's new Division Two until merging with Jewish Guild (=Guild Apollo)
JOHANNESBURG RAMBLERS Johannesburg1960-62Merged with Rangers Johannesburg
JOHANNESBURG WANDERERS Johannesburg1962-65Played in provincial competitions as Johannesburg Wanderers, before returning to the national scene as Southern Albion in NFL's new Division Two.
LUSITANO Johannesburg1973-77
MARIST BROTHERS AFC Johannesburg1960-65Merged with Johannesburg City
MARITZBURG Pietermaritzburg1968-77Played in the Natal Lge. as Durban Municipals 1953-67
MARITZBURG CELTIC Pietermaritzburg1959
NORTHERN UNITED Johannesburg1959=(=Johannesburg City)
OLYMPIA East Rand1965-67
PINETOWN CELTIC Durban=1975(Durban Celtic=)
PORT ELIZABETH CITY Port Elizabeth1964-73
POWERLINES East Rand1968-70Merged with Highlands Park (=Highlands Power)
PRETORIA CITY Pretoria1959Merged with Berea Park (Transvaal Lge.)
RANDFONTEIN West Rand1959-61=(=West Rand United)
RANGERS JOHANNESBURG Johannesburg1959-77Merged with Johannesburg Ramblers
ROODEPOORT GUILD West Rand=1977(Guild Apollo=)
SHAMROCKS Pietermaritzburg1975-76
SOUTHERN PARK Johannesburg1959-60=(=Southern Suburbs)
SOUTHERN SUBURBS Johannesburg=1961-72(Southern Park=)
WEST RAND UNITED West Rand=1962-63(Randfontein=) Played on in the Transvaal Lge. as West Rand United, then Florida
WESTVIEW APOLLON Port Elizabeth1966-67
WITS UNIVERSITY Johannesburg1976-77

List of 2nd Level Clubs 1969-1975
Club Location Seasons (NFL2) Notes etc.
BENONI UNITED East Rand1970Former NFL team; withdrew after one season
BEREA PARK Pretoria1969Former NFL team; returned to the top level as first Champions of NFL's Division Two
BLOEMFONTEIN RANGERS Bloemfontein1972-73Relegated
BOKSBURG East Rand1970-73; 1975Former NFL team; returned briefly to the top level
DURBAN CELTIC Durban1970-71Promoted
ESCOMBE Durban1969Withdrew after one season
FLORIDA ALBION West Rand=1970-75Merger of Florida (Transvaal Lge.) and Southern Albion, both clubs were renamed former NFL teams (West Rand United and Johannesburg Wanderers, respectively).
GERMISTON PRIMROSE CITY East Rand1971-73Relegated
HARMONY Free State1970-71; 73-75
HIBS-AUSONIA Cape Town1969Withdrew after a single season despite finishing as Runners-up
JEWISH GUILD West Rand1969-70Promoted
JOHANNESBURG CORINTHIANS Johannesburg1970-75First team to be relegated to NFL's new Division Two. Merged with Jewish Guild (=Guild Apollo)
KIMBERLEY ATHLETIC Free State1969-70Relegated
KOEDOE PARK West Rand1971-72; 1974Relegated twice
LUSITANO Johannesburg1971-72Promoted
MARIST BROTHERS AFC Johannesburg1972Former NFL team; finished last in their only season in Division Two
OLYMPIA East Rand1973-75Former NFL team
PARTHENON East Rand1969-75
PORT ELIZABETH CITY Port Elizabeth1974-75Former NFL Champions
SHAMROCKS Pietermaritzburg1972-74Promoted
SK WINDHOEK CITY Windhoek, South-West Africa=1974-75Merger of SK Windhoek (SWA Lge.) and Windhoek City
SOUTHERN ALBION Johannesburg1969=Had played in the NFL as Johannesburg Wanderers. Merged with Florida (=Florida Albion)
SOUTHERN SUBURBS Johannesburg1973-75Former NSL Runners-up
VAAL UNITED West Rand1970-71; 74-75
VIKTORIA 89 East Rand1969-75Had played in the Transvaal Lge. as Sparta Viktoria
WINDHOEK CITY Windhoek, South-West Africa1970-73=Merged with local club SK Windhoek (=SK Windhoek City)
WINDHOEK RAMBLERS Windhoek, South-West Africa1969Withdrew after one season
WITS UNIVERSITY Johannesburg1969-75Last team to win promotion from NFL's Division Two

Overseas teams that toured

1961. Leicester City, 1961 F.A.Cup finalists played Durban City on 27 May 1961, at Kingsmead. This was the first time that two professional teams from England and South Africa had played against one another. Leicester City won 2-0. Leicester City drew with Combined Transvaal 1-1, at the Rand Stadium.

1963. Tottenham Hotspur played three games in South Africa. 1st. 5 June 1963. V N.F.L XI @ Stamford Stadium, Durban. Won 5-2. 2nd.8 June 1963 N.F.L XI @ Hartleyvale, Cape Town .Won 5-1. 3 June 1963. V South Africa XI @ Rand Stadium. Won 3-1. The Spurs squad included Danny Blanchflower, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith, Maurice Norman, Len White & Tony Marchi.

1963. Dundee United played three games in July 1963.V Transvaal, won 2-1.V Western Province, Hartleyvale.2 July. Lost 1-2.V Natal. Won 4-2.

1964. Arsenal played five games in May 1964.V Transvaal, Orange Free State won 2-0. 14th.V Natal. Durban Stadium. won 8-2. 17th.V Western Province.won 5-1. V Eastern Province.won 6-0. 22nd.V South Africa XI. won 5-0.

1964. Club Atletico Cerro (Uruguay). 14 July 1963. V Durban City. New Kingsmead.C.A.Cerro won 2-0. C.A.Cerro also played Western Province-17 July 1964 & South Africa XI, Rand Stadium.20 July 1964.

1964. Real Madrid played three games in South Africa.8 September 1964 V Castle Knights, Rand Stadium, winning 5-2. A N.F.L XI in Durban plus Western Province @ Hartleyvale, which Real Madrid won 4-0. The Real Madrid squad included Ferenc Puskas, Santamaria @ Gento. At this stage Real Madrid had won the European Cup on five consecutive occasions-1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 & 1960.

1964. Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) played Addington, Highlands Park, Rand Stadium.

See also

References
  1. "South African football 1961". rsssf.com. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  2. "South African football 1963". rsssf.com. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
  3. "South Africa League History". rsssf.com. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
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