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The Capital League was a soccer league based in Brisbane, Queensland which was founded in 2013 and ran as the third, fourth, fifth until 2021 when then league folded in place of the Football Queensland Premier League – Metro's fourth, fifth, and sixth divisions.
| Founded | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Folded | 2021 |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland |
| Number of clubs | 12 |
| Level on pyramid | 6–8 |
| Domestic cup(s) | National Australia Cup Regional Canale Cup |
| Last champions | Logan Metro (2021) |
Capital League 1
The first edition of a second tier league in the Brisbane soccer competition to be widely reported was the newly formed Division 2 in 1921. Seven clubs contested the Division 2 championship in 1921: Blackstone Rovers, Queens Park, Kangaroo Rats, Western Suburbs, Toowong, Bulimba Rangers and Kedron United.[1] Blackstone Rovers, an Ipswich-based club, won the Division 2 premiership after beating Queens Park 1–0 in a play-off after the clubs finished level on points at the end of the regular season.[2]
A second division of the Brisbane soccer competition has been contested continuously since 1921 with the exception of the early 1930s when the Ipswich clubs broke away from the Brisbane competition to form their own league, and during World War 2. When the top clubs split away to form the Queensland Soccer Federation in 1962, enough clubs joined the new body to form a Division One under the new State League. The QSF absorbed the former Brisbane & Ipswich District Football Association clubs in 1964 and the top two divisions were renamed back to Division One and Two in 1965. Since the formation of the Brisbane Premier League in 1983, the Brisbane soccer competition structure has been altered several times. Second tier divisions in the Brisbane competition have been:
- Division 2 (1921 to 1961)
- QSF Division 1 (1962 to 1964)
- Division 2 (1965 to 1982)
- Division 1 (1983)
- Intermediate League (1984 to 1986)
- Division 2 (1987 to 1996)
- Semi-Pro Division (1997 to 2001) – in North and South sections from 1997 to 2000
- Division 1 (2002)
- Premier Division 1 (2003 to 2012)
- Capital League 1 (2013 to present).[3][4]
From 2003 to 2012 the tier below the Brisbane Premier League was known as Premier Division 1. It operated as a twelve team competition from 2004 to 2009, then expanded to fourteen teams for season 2010, to accommodate clubs returning to the BPL from the now defunct Queensland State League.
Since being renamed Capital League 1 in 2013 in which the competition has returned to a 12 team format.
Capital League 2
Prior to World War 2, the Brisbane soccer competition irregularly operating a third division when team numbers required it. After the war, the 1947 season was the first to require three divisions. Six teams participated in the 1947 Division 3 competition: Kookaburra (the eventual champions[5]), YMCA reserves, Junction Rangers, Judeans, Caledonians and Merton Rovers reserves.[6][7]
The third tier of Brisbane soccer continued to be known as Division 3 from 1947 to 1982, with reserve teams from the two top divisions continuing to participate alongside first grade teams of other clubs until the early 1970s. When the Brisbane Premier League was formed in 1983, the Tier 3 league became Division 2. An intermediate league existed at Tier 2 between 1984 and 1986 and the third tier became Amateur Division 1. From 1987 to 1996, Tier 3 was again known as Division 3 before reverting to Amateur Division 1 again between 1997 and 2001, then Division 2 for the 2002 season.[8] Despite all these changes in divisional name, the division's format remained consistently a 12 team competition from 1977 to 2001.[9]
From 2003 to 2012, the third tier of Brisbane football was known as Premier Division 2, which operated below the Brisbane Premier League and Premier Division 1. It functioned as a 12 team competition from 2003 to 2010, expanded to 14 teams for season 2011 only, then reverted to 12 teams again in 2012.
Since being rebranded Capital League 2 in 2013 following a restructure of Football Brisbane competitions, this division has continued in its 12 team format, with 22 rounds of matches played in the regular season to decide the premiers, followed by a finals series involving the top four teams to determine the champions.
Capital League 3
The 1949 Brisbane soccer season was the first in which the number of entries required the formation of a fourth division. The seven teams competing in 1949 Division 4 were Shafston Rovers (undefeated Div 4 champions[10]), Redbank, Wilston (all first grade teams), and reserves teams of Merton Rovers, Corinthians, Latrobe and Wynnum.[11]
The fourth tier of Brisbane soccer continued to be known as Division 4 from 1949 to 1982, with reserve teams from higher division teams continuing to participate alongside first grade teams of other clubs until 1977. When the Brisbane Premier League was formed in 1983, the Tier 4 league became Division 3. An intermediate league existed at Tier 2 between 1984 and 1986 and the fourth tier became Amateur Division 2. From 1987 to 1996, Tier 4 was again known as Division 4 before reverting to Amateur Division 2 again between 1997 and 2001, then Division 3 for the 2002 season.[12]
From 2003 to 2012, the fourth tier of Brisbane football was known as Metro League Division One, which operated below the three tops tiers: the BPL, Premier Division One and Two. The league was composed of a mix of first grade teams from some clubs, and reserve teams from other clubs in the three premier divisions. The most successful club during this period was University of Queensland FC which won four Metro League One Grand Finals in the ten seasons between 2003 and 2012.
Since being rebranded Capital League 3 in 2013 following a restructure of Football Brisbane competitions, this division has continued in its 12 team format, with 22 rounds of matches played in the regular season to decide the premiers, followed by a finals series involving the top four teams to determine the champions.
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The regular seasons consisted of 22 rounds with teams playing each other twice in a home and away format. The team which finished first was crowned as the Premiers of the division.
Following the regular season the top four teams on the table play in a finals series using the following format:
- First Week: Semi Final 1 – 3rd vs 4th; Semi Final 2 – 1st vs 2nd
- Second Week: Preliminary Final – Loser Semi 2 vs Winner Semi 1
- Final Week: Grand Final – Winner Semi 2 vs Winner Preliminary.
The winner of the Grand Final is declared as the Champions of the division.
Promotion and relegation
At the end of the regular season the top two teams are eligible for promotion to the next tier up. The bottom two teams at the end of the regular season are relegated to the next tier down.
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