Central Premier League

The Central League is an amateur status league competition run by Capital Football for Association football clubs located in the southern and central parts of the North Island, New Zealand. It is at the second level of New Zealand Football behind the national association based ISPS Handa Premiership, and the highest level of club based football available to teams within the region.

Central Premier League
Country New Zealand
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Number of teams10
Level on pyramid2
Current championsWestern Suburbs
Most championshipsWestern Suburbs FC (7)
WebsiteCapital Football
2020 Central Premier League

League history

The premier league was initially set up as one of the three feeder leagues to the New Zealand National Soccer League in 1992, and continued in this form until being disbanded at the end of the 1999 season. The league was reinstated in 2005 as the top club league for the central region of New Zealand football,[1] and the current strength of the league is demonstrated by it providing the past Chatham Cup winners in 2009 (Wellington Olympic), 2010 (Miramar Rangers), 2011 (Wairarapa United) and 2015 (Napier City Rovers).[2]

Central Premier League Clubs
As of 2 March 2018
Club Location Home Ground(s)
Havelock North Havelock North, Hastings Guthrie Park
Lower Hutt City Lower Hutt, Wellington Fraser Park
Miramar Rangers Miramar, Wellington David Farrington Park
Napier City Rovers Napier City, Napier Bluewater Stadium (4,000)
Stop Out Lower Hutt, Wellington Hutt Park
Wairarapa United Masterton Memorial Park Turf
Waterside Karori Karori, Wellington Karori Park
Wellington Olympic Wellington Wakefield Park
Wellington United Wellington Newtown Park (5,000)
Western Suburbs Porirua, Wellington Endeavour Park
As of 8 July 2020
Club Location Home Ground(s)
Petone FC Petone, Wellington, Petone Memorial Park
Lower Hutt City Lower Hutt, Wellington Fraser Park
Miramar Rangers Miramar, Wellington David Farrington Park
Napier City Rovers Napier City, Napier Bluewater Stadium (4,000)
Stop Out Lower Hutt, Wellington Hutt Park
Wairarapa United Masterton Memorial Park Turf
Waterside Karori Karori, Wellington Karori Park
Wellington Olympic Wellington Wakefield Park
North Wellington AFC Wellington Alex Moore Park
Western Suburbs Porirua, Wellington Endeavour Park

2017 winners

Western Suburbs FC coached by Declan Edge won the Central League title with two games to go by beating Palmerston North Marist at home 6-0; it was the club's first title since 2009 and sixth since the league was formed in 1992.[3]

Promotion/Relegation

With the bottom team getting relegated each year, 2017 saw Palmerston North Marist finish last and get relegated back to a local Central League division. For promotion a home and away game is played by the winner of Capital Premier representing Capital Football which was Waterside Karori and the winner of Federation League representing Central Football Havelock North Wanderers. The first match was played at Havelock North home ground, Guthrie Park and resulted in a 2–1 win for Waterside Karori[4]. The second game was played in Karori Park and saw Havelock North win 1-0 meaning the aggregate result finished 2–2. Because of the away goal rule, Waterside Karori won promotion to the Central Premier League after an 18 year absence[5] Team Taranaki withdrew from the competition for 2018 and Havelock North Wanderers were invited to take up the vacant spot.[6]

Capital Football awards

The following awards were given at the Capital Football awards for the 2017 Central Premier League season.[7]

Men's Central League Player of the Year

Men's Young Player of the Year
  • Elijah Just – Western Suburbs

Records

Past Champions
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References
  1. "Honours Board". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  2. "Chatham Cup". The Ultimate New Zealand Soccer Website. Retrieved 6 June 2018.
  3. Hyslop, Liam. "Western Suburbs win Central League title with two games to go". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  4. Hyslop, Liam (3 September 2017). "Mixed emotions for Waterside Karori after first leg win in Central League playoff". Stuff.co.nz.
  5. Geenty, Mark. "Tears, jubilation as Waterside Karori end 18-year absence from Central League in playoff". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  6. "Ultra Football Central League gets underway with Easter Monday action". Capital Football. Archived from the original on 1 April 2018. Retrieved 1 April 2018.
  7. "2017 Capital Football Awards Winners Announced". Capital Football. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
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