| Season | 2001–02 |
|---|---|
| Champions | African Wanderers (Coastal) Dynamos (Inland) |
| Promoted | African Wanderers,Dynamos |
2002–03 → | |
The2001–02 National First Division was the 6th season ofthe second tier of South Africansoccer since the reorganisation in 1996.
It consisted of two streams, an Inland stream of 16 teams, and a Coastal stream of 14 teams.
The Coastal stream was won byAfrican Wanderers[1] and the Inland stream byDynamos, with both earning promotion to the2002–03 Premier Soccer League.
Two seasons after setting a number of records for worst performing team in the Premier Division,Mother City were relegated from the Coastal Stream, finishing bottom.[2]
The manager of promotion-chasingAvendale Athletico, Trevor Heinrich, along with the coach, David Byrne, claimed to have been approached shortly before the club's game against William Pescod by a man offering that he could arrange for the game to go their way, forR6,000. The man claimed that another club, also in the promotion race, had offered the referee R4,500. Avendale refused the offer, and the game was drawn 1-1, with Avendale having a goal disallowed in the last minute.[3]
League winners Wanderers defeatedAvendale Athletico 1–0 in another key game, with a goal controversially disallowed amongst allegations of bribery and corruption.[4]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | African Wanderers(C, P) | 26 | 16 | 7 | 3 | 45 | 21 | +24 | 55 | Promoted to2002–03 Premier Soccer League |
| 2 | Avendale Athletico | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 48 | 23 | +25 | 48 | |
| 3 | Maritzburg City | 25 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 37 | 18 | +19 | 45 | |
| 4 | Park United | 26 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 32 | 28 | +4 | 42 | |
| 5 | Saxon Rovers | 26 | 10 | 11 | 5 | 41 | 35 | +6 | 41 | |
| 6 | Rainbow Stars | 26 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 37 | 38 | −1 | 38 | |
| 7 | Basotho Tigers | 26 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 39 | 38 | +1 | 36 | |
| 8 | William Pescod | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 34 | 39 | −5 | 32 | |
| 9 | PE Technikon | 26 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 24 | 32 | −8 | 32 | |
| 10 | Premier United | 26 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 33 | 38 | −5 | 29 | |
| 11 | Royal Tigers | 26 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 41 | −14 | 28 | |
| 12 | FC Fortune | 26 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 30 | 43 | −13 | 27 | |
| 13 | Newtons(R) | 25 | 5 | 5 | 15 | 25 | 37 | −12 | 20 | Relegation to2002–03 SAFA Second Division |
| 14 | Mother City(R) | 26 | 1 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 41 | −21 | 13 |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dynamos(C, P) | 30 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 22 | +29 | 65 | Promoted to2002–03 Premier Soccer League |
| 2 | Silver Stars | 30 | 18 | 7 | 5 | 52 | 32 | +20 | 61 | |
| 3 | Pietersburg Pillars | 30 | 19 | 3 | 8 | 53 | 29 | +24 | 60 | |
| 4 | Bloemfontein Celtic | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 48 | 29 | +19 | 59 | |
| 5 | Bloemfontein Young Tigers | 30 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 44 | 29 | +15 | 49 | |
| 6 | Welkom Stars | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 53 | 48 | +5 | 47 | |
| 7 | Mabopane Young Masters | 30 | 14 | 4 | 12 | 37 | 30 | +7 | 46 | |
| 8 | Spartak | 30 | 12 | 5 | 13 | 48 | 41 | +7 | 41 | |
| 9 | City Sharks | 30 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 37 | 41 | −4 | 41 | |
| 10 | Ledwaba Power Stars | 30 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 49 | 48 | +1 | 37 | |
| 11 | Alexandra United | 30 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 37 | 45 | −8 | 33 | |
| 12 | Dobsonville All Nations | 30 | 9 | 5 | 16 | 43 | 55 | −12 | 32 | |
| 13 | Sporting | 30 | 8 | 6 | 16 | 35 | 53 | −18 | 30 | |
| 14 | Witbank Black Aces | 30 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 38 | 56 | −18 | 27 | |
| 15 | Katlehong City(R) | 30 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 28 | 56 | −28 | 23 | Relegation to2002–03 SAFA Second Division |
| 16 | Mamelodi Juventus(R) | 30 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 29 | 68 | −39 | 18 |