Northern New South Wales State Football League

The Northern New South Wales State Football League, or as it is more commonly known as the NBN State Football League for sponsorship purposes, is the premier association football league in the Hunter Valley and Newcastle region. It is governed by Northern New South Wales Football. It is one of a number of state-based regional competitions below the national A-League, with the players being mostly semi-professional.
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History

Recent Seasons

Year	Minor Premier	Major Premier
2010	Weston FC	Edgeworth Eagles FC
2009	Edgeworth Eagles FC	Hamilton Olympic Warriors FC
2008	Broadmeadow Magic FC	Broadmeadow Magic FC
2007	Lake Macquarie City FC	Hamilton Olympic Warriors FC
2006	Edgeworth Eagles FC	Lake Macquarie City FC
2005	Broadmeadow Magic FC	Broadmeadow Magic FC
2004	Weston Workers Bears FC	Broadmeadow Magic FC
2003	Broadmeadow Magic FC	Edgeworth Eagles FC
2002	Edgeworth Eagles FC	Highfields Azzurri FC
2001	Broadmeadow Magic FC	Hamilton Olympic Warriors FC

Format

The competition consists of 10 teams from around the Newcastle and Hunter area who each have a 1st Division side, a Reserve team, a Youth Division team and an U/17 side. A season takes place over 18 rounds, with each team playing each other at home and away. The team that finishes 1st at the end of 18 rounds is declared the Minor Premier. The top 4 teams at the end of 18 rounds contest the Finals Series, a home and away knockout system played with the away goals rule (1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd) with the winners meeting in the Grand Final. The winner of the Grand Final is crowned as the Major Premier.

The 10th placed team each year is relegated to the NewFM Division, providing that the team finishing first in that competition meets the eligibility criteria for promotion.

Changing Format

The league originally started with 12 teams, all with a first grade, reserve grade and youth grade team. The league was then downsized to 10 teams still with all three grades. For the 2009 season it was decided by Northern New South Wales Football (the governing body) to downsize the league once again to 8 teams in order to improve the quality and give local players a chance to enter the A-league through the competition. The teams competing in the 2009 season were decided on the second of September 2008, with Highfields Azzurri FC and Lake Macquarie City Roosters FC being relegated to the NewFM Football League.

Teams were judged on criteria which included facilities/ground (30%), financial status (25%), management (20%), playing strength/coaching staff (15%) and development program (10%). An independent body, chaired by former NSW gaming minister Richard Face, was assigned to make the decision.^[1]

2009 Teams

• Broadmeadow Magic FC
• Edgeworth Eagles FC
• Hamilton Olympic Warriors FC
• South Cardiff Gunners FC
• Toronto Awaba Stags FC
• Valentine Phoenix FC
• Weston Workers Bears FC
• West Wallsend FC

See also

• NewFM Football League

References

• NBN League Website
• Northern NSW Football Federation Main Site
• Weltfussballarchiv

1. ^ "Azzurri, Lake Macquarie dumped in soccer shake-up"]. The Newcastle Herald. 2008-09-02. http://www.theherald.com.au/news/local/sport/soccer/azzurri-lake-macquarie-dumped-in-soccer-shakeup/1260885.aspx. Retrieved 2008-09-02.