1983 NPSL First Division
Football league season
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The 1983 National Professional Soccer League was the sixth season of the multi-racial South African National Professional Soccer League (NPSL). The league was a merger of the previous NPSL, which due to the country's apartheid policies were for black teams only, and the National Football League, for white teams only.
| Season | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Durban City |
| Relegated | African Wanderers, Mamelodi United, Welkom Real Hearts, Ireland United |
← 1982 1984 → | |
The other professional league, the non-racial Federation Professional League, continued to function independently.
It was won by Durban City,[1] managed by Clive Barker, who defended their title won in 1982.[2][3][4]
Changes
Jomo Sono, after ending his playing career in the United States, purchased Highlands Park, naming the new club Dion Cosmos.[5]
Cape Town Spurs, Mamelodi Sundowns, Welkom Real Hearts and Ireland United were promoted.
AmaZulu, Bloemfontein Celtic, Leicester City were relegated from the 1982 NPSL First Division.[3]
With four clubs promoted, and three relegated, the size of the league expanded to 19 teams.
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durban City | 34 | 23 | 4 | 7 | 70 | 35 | +35 | 50 |
| 2 | Arcadia Shepherds | 35 | 19 | 7 | 9 | 68 | 43 | +25 | 45 |
| 3 | Kaizer Chiefs | 33 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 43 | 25 | +18 | 43 |
| 4 | Wits University | 36 | 16 | 10 | 10 | 46 | 38 | +8 | 42 |
| 5 | Moroka Swallows | 34 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 44 | 32 | +12 | 40 |
| 6 | Hellenic | 33 | 16 | 7 | 10 | 40 | 27 | +13 | 39 |
| 7 | Cape Town Spurs | 34 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 48 | 38 | +10 | 38 |
| 8 | Orlando Pirates | 33 | 16 | 5 | 12 | 47 | 39 | +8 | 37 |
| 9 | Dion Cosmos | 35 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 54 | 46 | +8 | 37 |
| 10 | Witbank Black Aces | 35 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 43 | 43 | 0 | 36 |
| 11 | Rangers | 35 | 13 | 7 | 15 | 41 | 40 | +1 | 33 |
| 12 | Durban Bush Bucks | 34 | 13 | 7 | 14 | 48 | 53 | −5 | 33 |
| 13 | Benoni United | 35 | 11 | 9 | 15 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 31 |
| 14 | Dynamos | 45 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 40 |
| 15 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 35 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 35 | 47 | −12 | 28 |
| 16 | African Wanderers (R) | 34 | 10 | 6 | 18 | 42 | 61 | −19 | 26 |
| 17 | Mamelodi United (R) | 36 | 6 | 13 | 17 | 27 | 52 | −25 | 25 |
| 18 | Welkom Real Hearts (R) | 35 | 7 | 10 | 18 | 38 | 56 | −18 | 24 |
| 19 | Ireland United (R) | 35 | 4 | 11 | 20 | 22 | 63 | −41 | 19 |