The 1987 National Soccer League season was the 11th season of the National Soccer League, the former top Australian professional league for association football clubs since its establishment in 1977. The season saw the format returned to a single league of fourteen teams instead of the two-conference system. Sydney City SC withdrew from the competition after round 1, reducing the competition to 13 teams. The finals series for the Championship was also removed and replaced with the standard non-Championship defining play-offs with the actual Championship determined by a first past the post, won by APIA Leichhardt.
Teams Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Stadium(s) CapacityAdelaide CityAdelaideHindmarsh StadiumOlympic Sports FieldAPIA LeichhardtSydney Lambert ParkBelmore OvalBrunswick JuventusMelbourne Olympic VillageOlympic ParkFootscray JUSTMelbourne Schintler ReserveHeidelberg UnitedMelbourne Olympic VillageDeakin ReserveMarconi Fairfield Sydney Marconi StadiumMelbourne CroatiaMelbourne Olympic ParkPreston MakedoniaMelbourne B.T. Connor ReserveSouth MelbourneMelbourne Middle ParkOlympic ParkSt George-BudapestSydney St George StadiumSunshine George CrossMelbourne Chaplin ReserveSydney CroatiaSydney Croatian Sports CentreSydney OlympicSydney St George StadiumKing Tomislav Park
Regular season
League table
Results
Finals series A top five Finals series was played at the end of the regular season. The Finals series was not considered the Championship for this season.
Preliminary semi-final
Elimination semi-final
Minor semi-final
Major semi-final
Preliminary Final
Grand Final
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Frank FarinaMarconi Fairfield162 Rod BrownAPIA Leichhardt143 Paul LewisMelbourne Croatia10 Steve SmithPreston Makedonia5 Joe MullenAdelaide City9 Robbie SlaterSydney Croatia Charlie VillaniAdelaide City8 Ron CampbellPreston Makedonia8 John MarkovskiSunshine George Cross Paul WadeSouth Melbourne
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Robbie SlaterSydney CroatiaMelbourne Croatia6–1 (H)29 March 1987 Frank McGrellisBrunswick JuventusHeidelberg United3–1 (H)5 July 1987 Paul TrimboliSunshine George CrossSouth Melbourne3–0 (H)19 July 1987 Frank FarinaMarconi FairfieldHeidelberg United5–1 (A)9 August 1987 Goce DimovskiPreston MakedoniaAPIA Leichhardt4–0 (H)13 September 1987 Frank FarinaMarconi FairfieldSydney Croatia5–0 (A)11 October 1987
Awards Award Winner Club Referee's Player of the Year Andrew Zinni Brunswick Juventus Player's Player of the Year Frank Farina Marconi Fairfield U-21 Player of the Year John Markovski Sunshine George Cross Coach of the Year Rale Rasic APIA Leichhardt
References OzFootball Archives – 1987 NSL Season