- OK League
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OK League Countries 
South AfricaFounded 1987 Folded 1995 Levels on pyramid Level 2 Promotion to NSL Castle League Most championships African Wanderers (2 titles)
Cape Town Spurs (2 titles)The OK League (also referred to as the Second Division), was an South African association football league. It was the second tier on the South African football league system, and teams who won the division, were promoted to the NSL Castle League.
Contents
History
More sources are needed, in order to clarify the exact lifespan of the OK League. In order to avoid confusion, it should be noted that the "OK League", in that sense only was the sponsor name of the "NSL 2.Division". According to the organiser and owner of the topflight NSL Castle League (founded in 1985 and developed into Premier Soccer League in 1996), the first non-racial Second Level of South African football, was only established in March 1987 as the OK League. A league founded as the one and only competing division in South Africa, for promotion/relegation to and from the topflight NSL Castle League.[1]
Already in 1978, there was a merger of the topflight NFL and NPSL, to form the first non-racial division for the First Level of South African football. The new common topflight league, was named NPSL Castle League in 1978-84, and renamed to NSL Castle League in 1985-95. In the early years from 1978-1986, relegation/promotion to and from the topflight non-racial football league, according to official records actually did happen, but apparently it still happened from a Second Level league structure, divided into whites/blacks/coloureds.[2]
In the earliest 3 seasons of the first non-racial Second Level division, the OK League in 1987 + 1988 + 1989, it was organised as one division with 17 teams. As it had become too expensive to operate a single league, the following season in 1990 introduced two separate divisions, known as the ‘O’ and ‘K’ Streams - each comprising 20 clubs. Soon the league was further developed into four geographical streams (Northern, Southern, Eastern Cape/Natal and Western Cape), each comprising 19 clubs.[1]
When the new topflight Premier Soccer League was established in 1996, the organizers at the same time for the Second Level, replaced the former OK League with the new National First Division. Apart from a new name and a better sponsor deal, the most significant change -both at the First and Second Level- was to change the fixture schedule from yearly seasons, into the more commonly used International standard of September-May seasons.
Winners
Season Winner (promoted to NSL) Also promoted to NSL 1985 QwaQwa Stars Klerksdorp City 1986 Leeds United Blackpool 1987 Cape Town Spurs Umtata Bush Bucks, Natal United 1988 Mighty Blackpool Vaal Reef Stars 1989 Umtata Bush Bucks Halls Dynamos, Pretoria City 1990 African Wanderers Highlands Park FC, and the 6 highest ranked FPL teams:
Real Taj, Tongaat Crusaders United, Bosmont Chelsea
Santos, Manning Rangers, Dangerous Darkies.1991 Cape Town Spurs Ratanang Mahlosians 1992 Vaal Professionals D'Alberton Callies 1993 Real Rovers Royal Tigers 1994 African Wanderers Jomo Cosmos and Rabali Blackpool Second Division
Year Winners Region 1995 Camps Bay Western Cape Pretoria City (Promoted) Northern Transvaal Crystal Brains (Promoted) Kwazulu-Natal Stocks Birds Northwest Region 1996/1997 Santos (Promoted)[3] Western Cape Black Leopards Northern region African Wanderers (Promoted)[4] Natal/Eastern/Cape Tembisa Classic Southern region Source:[5]
References
- ^ a b "About the National First Division". PSL. http://www.psl.co.za/content.asp?id=16443. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ "South Africa 1978". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zaf78.html. Retrieved 7 May 2011.
- ^ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_info/psl_team_info_santos.htm
- ^ http://www.sportscheduler.co.sz/psl_info/psl_team_info_african_wanderers.htm
- ^ "South Africa Cup History". rsssf.com. http://www.rsssf.com/tablesz/zafchamp.html. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
Football in South Africa South African Football Association National teams MenNational team (Bafana Bafana) · Olympic (U-23) (Amaglug-glug) · U-20 · U-17 · development (Amabinneplaas)WomenLeague system MenActiveDefunctNFL (1959-77) · SASL (1961-67) · FPL (1969-90) · NPSL Castle League for blacks (1971-77) · NPSL Castle League (1978-84) · NPSL (1985-95) · NSL Castle League (1985-95) · OK League (1985-95)Domestic cups MenActiveDefunctNFL Cup (1959-77) · Baymed Cup (2006) · Telkom Charity Cup (1986-2010) · Carling Black Label Cup (2011)Awards Footballer of the Year · Top scorers · SAFA Awards · PSL AwardsLists All-time Table · Champions · Clubs · Club name changes · International footballers · Foreign players · VenuesMen's clubs · Women's clubs · Men's players · Women's players · Expatriate players · Managers · Referees · Venues · Seasons · Records Categories:- National Football League (South Africa)
- Defunct Football Leagues in South Africa
- Sport and Apartheid in South Africa
- Association football organization stubs
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