1966 NSW First Division season

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1966 NSW First Division season

The 1966 NSW First Division was the tenth season under the NSW federation. The regular season ran 18 rounds from March to August, with 90 matches played, followed by a seven-match finals series. APIA Leichhardt finished the regular season on top of the ladder, becoming premiers for the second time (their first was in 1964). The finals used a four‑team playoff with a round‑robin format among the top four, culminating in a grand final where Hakoah defeated APIA Leichhardt to become champions. The pre‑season Ampol Cup was won by APIA Leichhardt for the first time.

Promotion and relegation changes for 1967: the league planned expansion to twelve teams. Polonia-North Side were promoted from the Second Division as premiers. The First Division wooden spooners, Corinthian BESC, had to contest a play‑off against the second and third placed teams from the Second Division for the two remaining spots. The three‑team play‑off was staged over two matches, with Canterbury receiving a bye to the final. Melita Eagles defeated Corinthians in the first match to earn direct entry into the First Division, leaving Corinthians with one last chance against Canterbury, who won 1–0 to claim the final spot.

Individual honors and attendance: Best Player was Brian Lincoln. The season’s top scorer was John Giacometti with 20 goals. The highest regular-season attendance was 10,500 for APIA versus Pan Hellenic.

Season highlights: The campaign opened with the floodlit pre‑season night series, the Ampol Cup, culminating on 20 March in front of 8,700 spectators. The event featured a group stage with two groups of five and a unique scoring system: 12 points for a win, 5 for a draw, and a point for every goal scored. APIA and Prague advanced from Group 1, while Hakoah and Yugal advanced from Group 2. The semi‑finals, third‑place playoff, and Final followed the established format.