Late cuts: Highs and lows of the NSL

By TERRY MADDAFORD

As summer peaks over the horizon that must mean the start of the 26th Australian National Soccer League season.

The competition began last night, with the Kingz playing Brisbane Strikers at Ballymore. There have been some highs - and probably just as many lows - since the first season in 1977 ...

* Of the teams who played in that inaugural competition only Adelaide City Force, Marconi, South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic (now Olympic Sharks) are in action again this season.

* New Football Kingz coach Mike Petersen, named coach of the year last season after taking South Melbourne to the grand final, is one of only two in the league's history of those who have coached 20 or more games, to have a winning percentage of better than 60 per cent. Only Jim Adam (1977-79) has a better record.

* John Kosmina, who coaches the Brisbane Strikers, was the under-21 player of the year in the league's first season. He also scored the league's first goal.

* In being named player of the year last season, Wollongong's Scott Chipperfield joined Leeds United striker Mark Viduka and Socceroos coach Frank Farina as the only players to take the honour in successive seasons.

* South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic have the most enduring battle in the NSL. They have met 47 times, with Souths winning 24 and Olympic nine.

* In 1980, Marconi beat Blacktown City 9-0. But in the return match that season, Blacktown won 5-1.

* In 1984, Heidelberg United went 728 minutes without conceding a goal. In December 1993-January 1994, the Parramatta Eagles were goal-less for 657 minutes.

* Last season champions Wollongong Wolves averaged a distinctly useful 2.6 goals during the regular season.

* Sydney United, with 65 yellow cards and three red, had the worst disciplinary record last season, although Parramatta Power did have six players sent off. The Kingz were the goody two-shoes, with just 32 bookings and no red cards.

* Damian Mori (Perth Glory) was last season's top scorer with 19. He finished third behind Chipperfield and his Perth team-mate, Bobby Despotovski, in the player of the year race.

* The biggest crowd last season was the 31,710 who watched South Melbourne beat Perth in the preliminary final at Perth's Subiaco Oval. Souths then lost to Wollongong, who followed Souths' lead in winning back-to-back grand finals.

* Bob Catlin, a 340-plus game NSL veteran, who has switched from Newcastle to Marconi, is one of only two goalkeepers to score a goal from open play. He has played more games than any other goalkeeper in the league.