The 2022 edition of the Southern League kicks off this weekend and is this the first ‘true’ Southern League (SL). The reason for asking this is that when the ‘old’ SL was contested between 1968 and 1999 (under various formats - including a travelling 2nd Division), it was never a true South Island wide league as clubs in the Nelson and Marlborough Football Associations were part of the Central League, based around the lower half of the North Island. This changed in 2002 when the Nelson and Marlborough Football Associations became part of the newly formed Mainland Football Federation, which saw the start of the Mainland Premier League, and further south the Football South Federation, which ran the Football South Premier League. True, in the last three of the competition (not contested in 2020 due to Covid), there has been a SL contested by the top sides from the Mainland and Football South regions, but they were not ‘home’ and ‘away’, so were never a ‘true’ league. 

The eight teams that contested the SL last season (Cashmere Technical, Christchurch United, Coastal Spirit, Green Island, Nelson Suburbs, Otago University, Selwyn and South City Royals) were automatically granted a place in the league this season. However, Otago University did not meet the NZ Football Licence requirements, so Mosgiel AFC – known as The Plainsman, will replace them. Ferrymead Bays and Nomads, who finished in the top two in the promotion series, make up the ten teams. After the Caversham and Dunedin Technical merger was completed in the off-season, South City Royals have been renamed the Dunedin City Royals. 

Christchurch United, Coastal Spirit and Selwyn will all have new coaches, Paul Ifill at United, Jose Matiz at Coastal, with Lee Padmore back at Selwyn. Alan Walker is in charge at Ferrymead Bays, Rory Crow and Malcolm Fleming at Mosgiel, and Andy Pitman at Nomads. 

Covid has been a factor in the pre-season build-up for most teams, having had cases that have impacted preparations to various degrees, with many build-up games cancelled due to lack of numbers. Most coaches indicate they are several weeks behind where they would like to be in their preparations going into the opening round. 

As usual, there have been plenty of player movements which include the following: 

Christchurch United: Signed Blake Weston, Mika Rabuka and Jordan Spain from Coastal, along with striker Sanni Issa, who played for Coastal two seasons ago for a brief period before returning to play in the Northern Premier League, and keeper Scott Morris from Wairarapa United.

Cashmere Technical: Gained Chester Gaskin - Nelson Suburbs, Sam Richards from Coastal and Lachie McIsaac from Melville United.

Dunedin City Royals: Sean Cooper, a former NZ Under 23 rep from Auckland United / University of California Davis and Hayden Aish, a former NZ Under 17 player from Western Springs. Along with Oban Hawkins, Ben and Tim O'Farrell, Finn Rathbone, Ben Stanley, Tom Stewart, En Watanabe, Finn Rathbone, and Ben Stanley all moving across town from Otago University. 

Coastal Spirit: In comes Michael Geologo, Nick Smith and Seth Simpson, all from ChCh United, along with Hemi Innes from Bays 

Ferrymead Bays: Michael White is back after being at ChCh United last season, Oliver Scholz - Selwyn, Ben Kiore ex-Caversham, Coey Turipa - FC Twenty 11, and Erik Panzer back in the country after a period offshore, after having played for Nelson Suburbs 

Green Island: Retained the bulk of their squad from last season while signing on the following Owen Dabkowski (Nomads), Ollie Simms (Selwyn), Oscar Owen (Cashmere Tech) and Caleb Mason (Ferrymead Bays).

Mosgiel: Using the bulk of their squad from last season, with several additions who have moved to Dunedin to study. 

Nelson Suburbs: Jack Carter via Waterside Karori, Van Cen Huang, FC Nelson, Patrick Keys, formerly at Richmond Athletic, Jamie McGookin, ex Tahunanui, La Bu Pan, back with the club after time with FC Nelson, Louis Thomas, ex Ole Academy and Wainuiomata, Nic Van Hattum - newly appointed keeper coach at the club and cover in goal, who has been playing in Melbourne, and Scott Wallace from Mt Albert Ponsonby AFC.

Nomads: They have retained most of their 2021 squad and several promising juniors moving up from Nomads Under 17 Academy.

Selwyn: Welcome back Aiden Barbour-Ryan, studying in Dunedin for several years and playing for Otago University last season. Luke Jerkovic and James Martin are from Cashmere Tech, with Martin formerly at the Wellington Phoenix Academy, and Jak Stevenson via Roslyn Wakari.

The promoted team for the 2023 season will be found after a staged playoff series. The opening stage will see the champions from the Nelson Bays Division 1 and the Canterbury Championship Leagues playing off, with the winner then playing off against the Football South Southern Premiership winner, subject to the respective champions seeking promotion, as well as meeting NZ Football Licence requirements. 

Round 1 matchups see Christchurch United hosting Coastal Spirit at the Christchurch Football Centre, Dunedin City Royals face Mosgiel at Logan Park, and Ferrymead Park is the venue for Bays / Technical clash. All these games are kicking-off at 2:45 pm on Saturday. On Sunday at 11 am at Saxton Field, Suburbs take on Green Island.

The fixture between Selwyn United and Nomads United has been postponed due to an outbreak of COVID-19 in the Selwyn United squad. The postponement was requested by Selwyn United and approved by New Zealand Football. Details of the rescheduled fixture will be announced in due course.

Written by Gavin Searle. 
Article added: Thursday 24 March 2022