Premier Soccer League

Premier Soccer League
Countries	South Africa
Confederation	CAF
Founded	1996
Number of teams	16
Relegation to	National First Division
Level on pyramid	Level 1
Domestic cup(s)	MTN 8; Telkom Knockout; Nedbank Cup
International cup(s)	Champions League; Confederation Cup
Current champions	Supersport United (2008–09)
Most championships	Mamelodi Sundowns FC (5)
Website	www.psl.co.za; www.absapremiership.com
	Premier Soccer League 2009–10

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Premier Soccer League (South Africa))

Jump to: navigation, search

Premier Soccer League is the trading name of the National Soccer League (NSL) of South Africa, also known by its initials (PSL). The top league is the ABSA Premiership, sponsored by ABSA. The next highest league is the National First Division which is divided into two regional streams.

The current CEO of the PSL is Norwegian Kjetil Siem who succeeded Englishman Trevor Phillips after the 2006-07 season. The PSL's headquarters are located in Parktown, Johannesburg.

[edit] History

The PSL was founded by Kaizer Motaung, Irvin Khoza, Raymond Hack and Jomo Sono, in 1996.
Manning Rangers were the first to be crowned champions of the PSL in 1997 when the Gordon Igesund-coached side was stunning all and sundry by winning the title ahead of a number of more fancied opponents.

From 1998 to 2000 the league was dominated by Sundowns, who pulled off a hat-trick of titles.

In 2001, Igesund moved to Orlando Pirates and helped the Buccaneers secure the title. The following season he moved to Cape Town-based Santos, and steered it to win the league title, thus becoming the first coach to win the championship with three different clubs.

The 11 April 2001 marked a dark chapter in South African history when 43 people lost their lives and 158 others were injured in a stampede during a match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at an overcrowded Ellis Park Stadium.

Main article: Ellis Park Stadium disaster

The league was reduced from 18 to 16 teams after the end of the 2001-02 season to avoid fixture congestion, causing two teams, Ria Stars and Free State Stars, to be disbanded.

In 2004, a match-fixing scandal rocked South African soccer. An investigation codenamed "Operation Dribble" was launched by the South African police in June 2004. More than 40 arrests were made, ranging from club bosses to match commissioners, referees and their assistants.

Kaizer Chiefs successfully defended their league title in 2005 after they won the prestigious trophy in 2004 for the first time in a decade.

The 2005-06 season saw Mamelodi Sundowns capturing the title for the fourth time.

In 2007, the PSL signed a television deal with SuperSport. Worth R1.6-billion, it is the biggest sporting deal in the history of South Africa, and it took the PSL into the top 15 ranked leagues in the world in terms of commercial broadcast deals. In the same year ABSA replaced Castle Lager as name sponsor.

In 2008 and 2009, Supersport United won back to back league titles.

[edit] Sponsorship

Since its inception in 1996, the Premier Soccer League has been sponsored. The sponsor has been able to determine the league's sponsorship name. The list below details who the sponsors have been and what they called the competition:

1996–2007: Castle Lager (Castle Premiership)
2007–: ABSA (ABSA Premiership)

[edit] Format

There are sixteen clubs in the Premier League. During the course of a season (which lasts from August to May) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents for a total of 30 games for each club. Teams receive three points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a defeat.

The champion of the Premier League and the second placed team advance to the MTN CAF Champions League, the third placed team, and the Nedbank Cup champions, advance to the CAF Confederation Cup, which is the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

The bottom team in the ABSA Premiership is automatically relegated. The team finishing 15th on the log enters a playoff with the loser of the promotion playoff between the winner of the Coastal Stream and the Inland Stream and the two teams who ended the season in second spot in the two streams.

[edit] 2009-10 season

Main article: Premier Soccer League 2009–10

[edit] Clubs

[edit] Standings

for updated standings visit PSL.co.za

PSL table

[edit] Past winners

Team	Wins
Mamelodi Sundowns	5
Kaizer Chiefs	2
Orlando Pirates	2
Supersport United	2
Manning Rangers	1
Santos	1

Season	Winner	Relegated	Runner-up
1996–97	Manning Rangers	Michau Warriors; Witbank Aces	Kaizer Chiefs
1997–98	Mamelodi Sundowns	African Wanderers; Real Rovers	Kaizer Chiefs
1998–99	Mamelodi Sundowns	Dynamos; Vaal Professionals	Kaizer Chiefs
1999–00	Mamelodi Sundowns	AmaZulu; Mother City	Orlando Pirates
2000-01	Orlando Pirates	Bloemfontein Celtic; African Wanderers	Kaizer Chiefs
2001-02	Santos	AmaZulu; Tembisa Classic	Supersport United
2002-03	Orlando Pirates	Bush Bucks; African Wanderers	Supersport United
2003-04	Kaizer Chiefs	Hellenic; Zulu Royals	Ajax Cape Town
2004-05	Kaizer Chiefs	Manning Rangers; Wits University	Orlando Pirates
2005-06	Mamelodi Sundowns	Free State Stars; Bush Bucks	Orlando Pirates
2006-07	Mamelodi Sundowns	Maritzburg United	Silver Stars
2007-08	Supersport United	Black Leopards; Jomo Cosmos	Ajax Cape Town
2008-09	Supersport United	Bay United; Thanda Royal Zulu	Orlando Pirates

[edit] League records

Most PSL titles: 5 – Mamelodi Sundowns (1997/98; 1998/99; 1999/00, 2005/06, 2006/07)
Biggest PSL win: 8-1 – Supersport vs Zulu Royals (2003/04)
Most goals scored in a season: 73 – Chiefs (1998/99)
Most goals conceded in a season: 85 – Mother City (1999/00)
Most points in a season: 75 – Sundowns (1999/00)

[edit] Top goalscorers

Season	Player	Team	Goals
2008/2009	Richard Henyekane	Golden Arrows	19
2007/2008	James Chamanga	Moroka Swallows	14
2006/2007	Chris Katongo	Jomo Cosmos	15
2005/2006	Mame Niang	Moroka Swallows	14
2004/2005	Collins Mbesuma	Kaizer Chiefs	25
2003/2004	Jackie Ledwaba	Zulu Royals	14
2002/2003	Lesley Manyathela†	Orlando Pirates	18
2001/2002	Ishmael Maluleke	Manning Rangers	18
2000/2001	Daniel Mudau	Sundowns	15
1999/2000	Daniel Mudau	Sundowns	15
1998/1999	Pollen Ndlanya	Kaizer Chiefs	21
1997/1998	Keryn Jordan	Manning Rangers	11
1996/1997	Wilfred Mugeyi	Bush Bucks	22