2007–08 National First Division
Football league season
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The 2007–08 National First Division was the 12th season of the National First Division, the second tier of South African soccer.
Bay United
| Season | 2007–08 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 28 September 2007 – 13 April 2008 |
| Champions | Maritzburg United |
| Promoted | Maritzburg United Bay United |
| Relegated | Ga-Rankuwa United Western Province United |
← 2006–07 2008–09 → | |
Due to a lack of sponsorship, the previously national league was split into two streams, a coastal stream and an inland stream, with the winners of each meeting in a final.[1]
The champions were Maritzburg United, who were promoted to the South African Premier Division in their first season in the second tier following relegation from the 2006–07 Premier Soccer League,[2] alongside play-off victors Bay United. Ga-Rankuwa United and Western Province United were relegated to the SAFA Second Division.[3][4]
Inland Stream champions FC AK were initially found guilty of bribery and docked 15 points, but after a protracted appeals process, the sanction was reversed, and FC AK took their place in the championship final.[5][6]
After winning the league, Maritzburg coach Ian Palmer parted ways with the club.[7]
Inland stream
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC AK | 21 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 37 | Qualification to Championship play-off |
| 2 | Dynamos | 21 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 31 | 23 | +8 | 31 | Qualification to Promotion play-off |
| 3 | Winners Park | 21 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 25 | 24 | +1 | 31 | |
| 4 | African Warriors | 21 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 20 | 21 | −1 | 29 | |
| 5 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 21 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 26 | 23 | +3 | 28 | |
| 6 | Witbank Spurs | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 26 | |
| 7 | University of Pretoria | 21 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 23 | 27 | −4 | 25 | |
| 8 | Ga-Rankuwa United (R) | 21 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 31 | −9 | 21 | Relegation to SAFA Second Division |
Coastal stream
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maritzburg United | 21 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 31 | 13 | +18 | 47 | Qualification to Championship play-off |
| 2 | Bay United | 21 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 30 | 10 | +20 | 45 | Qualification to Promotion play-off |
| 3 | Nathi Lions | 21 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 13 | +9 | 34 | |
| 4 | FC Cape Town | 21 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 26 | |
| 5 | Ikapa Sporting | 21 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 30 | −5 | 21 | |
| 6 | Durban Stars (R) | 21 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 19 | 31 | −12 | 21 | |
| 7 | Hanover Park | 21 | 5 | 4 | 12 | 22 | 32 | −10 | 19 | |
| 8 | Western Province United | 21 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 40 | −20 | 14 | Relegation to SAFA Second Division |
Championship play-off
| FC AK | 1–1 | Maritzburg United |
|---|---|---|
Khaiseb  32' |
Davids 57' |
Maritzburg United win the championship and earn promotion, FC AK go through to the promotion playoffs
Source:[8]
Promotion play-off
Semi-finals
Black Leopards, who finished 15th in the 2007–08 Premier Soccer League, were relegated to the 2008–09 National First Division
Final
Bay United were promoted to the 2008–09 Premier Soccer League.
Source:[8]