The1997 National Summer Soccer League was the second season of a short-lived nationwideassociation football club competition inNew Zealand. Despite being known as the 1997 league, competition started in November 1996, with the later rounds and final playoffs held in 1997. The competition was won byWaitakere City.
The league was an invitation-only competition, with no promotion or relegation taking place. Matches took place between November 1996 and April 1997, with a three-week break from late December to mid-January. The competition was divided into two stages. In the first stage the ten teams took part in around-robin league, with each team playing every other team home and away. 1996 participantsWaikato United were replaced by new teamMelville United, which had been formed from a merger of Waikato United andMelville AFC.
The top four teams from this stage progressed to a play-off series. This involved the top two teams from the league phase playing each other, and third and fourth place also playing each other. The winner of the match between first and second progressed through to the final; the loser of that match met the winner of the other match to decide the other finalist.[1]
A unique system of awarding points was used for this competition. Teams were awarded four points for a win and one for a draw. In drawn matches, a penalty shoot-out (minimum of three shots per side) would then take place, with the winning side awarded a bonus point. This system was abandoned at the end of the season; the 1998 league was played using the traditional system of three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss, with no penalty shoot-outs.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | BP | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Napier City Rovers | 18 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 42 | 18 | +24 | 0 | 50 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 2 | Central United | 18 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 47 | 26 | +21 | 1 | 50 | |
| 3 | Waitakere City(C) | 18 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 39 | 21 | +18 | 1 | 43 | 1996–97 National Soccer League Champions |
| 4 | North Shore United | 18 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 40 | 29 | +11 | 3 | 43 | 1997 National Soccer League Finals |
| 5 | Miramar Rangers | 18 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 35 | 26 | +9 | 4 | 42 | |
| 6 | Nelson Suburbs | 18 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 25 | 33 | −8 | 0 | 36 | |
| 7 | Melville United | 18 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 31 | 43 | −12 | 2 | 25 | |
| 8 | Wellington United(R) | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 31 | 46 | −15 | 0 | 25 | Team withdrew |
| 9 | Woolston WMC | 18 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 17 | 39 | −22 | 2 | 17 | |
| 10 | Mount Maunganui(R) | 18 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 40 | −26 | 3 | 13 | Team withdrew |
| Waitakere City | 2 – 1 | North Shore United |
|---|---|---|
| Gray 2 | Stevens |
| Central United | 1 – 3 | Waitakere City |
|---|---|---|
| de Jong | K Smith,Viljoen,Laus |