National Football League (South Africa)


The National Football League 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.
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 -Rangers, Germiston Callies, Arcadia Shepherds, Benoni United, Randfontein, Pretoria City, Brakpan United, Johannesburg City & Southern Park. Natal -Durban City, Durban United & Maritzburg Celtic. The League kicked-off on 4 July 1959.
A promotion play-off for the Champions of the various State Leagues was introduced in 1962, and the league spread to Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. A NFL Division II was established in 1969, with the Champions promoted to Division I. 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When NFL folded after 18 years in 1977, it was superseded by a non-racial league.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 and NPSL, to become the new common NPSL.

Winners

YearWinnersRunners-upThird place
1959Durban City Rangers JohannesburgDurban United
1960Highlands Park Durban CityGermiston Callies
1961Durban City Highlands ParkGermiston Callies
1962Highlands Park Southern SuburbsDurban City
1963Addington Highlands ParkDurban City
1964Highlands Park Durban CityDurban United
1965Highlands Park Cape Town CityDurban City
1966Highlands Park Port Elizabeth CityDurban United
1967Port Elizabeth City Highlands ParkCape Town City
1968Highlands Park Durban UnitedPowerlines
1969Durban Spurs PowerlinesHighlands Park
1970Durban City Cape Town CityMaritzburg
1971Hellenic Cape Town CityDurban City
1972Durban City HellenicBerea Park
1973Cape Town City Highlands ParkHellenic
1974Arcadia Shepherds Cape Town CityMaritzburg
1975Highlands Park HellenicMaritzburg
1976Cape Town City Highlands ParkWits University
1977Highlands Park LusitanoDurban United

Source:
TeamTitlesYears
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

YearPlayer of the YearFootballer of the YearForeign Player of the YearTop Scorer
1959Rocco Smith N/AN/ALes Salton 23
1960Malcolm Rufus N/AN/ALes Salton 40
1961Les Salton N/AN/ALes Salton 46
1962George Barratt N/AN/APeter McEwan 42
1963Ken Denysschen N/AN/ABazil Johnson 43
1964 Bobby Chalmers N/AN/ALes Salton 42
1965Malcolm Rufus N/AN/AArne Bjørnstad & Freddie Kalk 33
1966Freddie Kalk Robin Lowe Willie McIntosh Walter da Silva 44
1967Bob Davies Charlie Naude Bryan Orritt Jim Scott 27
1968Henry Hauser Derek Smethurst Peter Rath Stan Forster 32
1969Richard Allen Frank Pereira Gary France Walter da Silva 21
1970Archie Soekoe Bennie Booysen Tony Macedo Jim Scott 31
1971 George Eastham Ronnie Mann Ben Anderson Jim Scott 22
1972Trevor Gething Wilf de Bruin Johnny Haynes Wilf de Bruin 26
1973Ian Bender Hennie Joubert Peter Withe Wilf de Bruin 26
1974Steve Wegerle Steve Wegerle Dave Huson Geoff Wegerle 20
1975
1976
1977Ian Bender Tony Stathakis 28

Leading Aggregate Goalscorers

TotalPlayerClubsSeasons
253Les SaltonDurban City
Durban United 		1959-66
205Bobby ChalmersDurban City
Durban United
Maritzburg 		1962-74
196Freddie KalkSouthern Suburbs
Highlands Park 		1960-73
192Wilf De BruinHellenic FC 1970-1983
184Arne BjørnstadBoksburg
Southern Suburbs 		1960-70
157Jim ScottDurban City
Durban United
Johannesburg Corinthians
Maritzburg 		1966-74
154Vernon WentzelDurban City
Addington 		1962-68
153Percy OwenRangers Johannesburg1960-68
142Walter da SilvaHellenic
Highlands Park
Powerlines
Berea Park 		1964-72
136Ronnie MannDurban United
Durban City
Guild Apollo 		1962-77
132Danny Le RouxDurban City
Durban United
Addington 		1959-67

List of NFL Clubs 1959-1977

List of 2nd Level Clubs 1969-1975

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. 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 played Addington, Highlands Park, Rand Stadium.