1970

South concentrated its funds on recruiting local players, with new arrivals at Middle Park including centre-back Steve Walker (Lions) and striker Jimmy Armstrong (Hakoah). Both went on to become two of South’s all-time greats. Ulysses Kokkinos returned from Greece and goalkeeper Tim Auger, winger Geoff Gould and full-back Alan Rutherford were imported from England. Brocic returned to lead the club to its second successive Ampol Cup victory in front of 15,000 spectators, but he quit soon afterwards. Despite the Cup success, the league belonged to Juventus and South had to settle with a fifth-placed finish. Highlights included the 5-2 win against Lions and the 4-0 win over George Cross in the league and the 7-1 annihilation of Alexander in the Quarter Final of the Docherty Cup. Armstrong backed up his 7 goals in the league with five goals in the Ampol Cup and two goals in the Docherty Cup.

Final League Position:	5th out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Runners-up (0-2 against Juventus)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Champions (3-2 against JUST)
Top Goal Scorers:	Jim Armstrong, David Gorrie, Ulysses Kokkinos (7 each)
President:	George Rallis
Coach:	Lou Brocic

 

1971

South’s bid for the title in 1971 was hampered by the loss of striker Kokkinos, who again returned to Greece mid-way through the season. Many believed that his absence cost the club the championship, as Footscray JUST won the league by one point. Ernie Ackerley scored four valuable goals in the last four games as he made his return to the field after spending much of the season on the sidelines. Jimmy Armstrong was the top goal scorer for the club with 13 goals. In the State League Cup, South reached the final before Croatia snatched a 3-2 win. In somewhat of a consolation, Jim Pyrgolios won the Bill Fleming Medal as Victorian Player of the Year. Further highlights of the season included 4-0 wins over both George Cross and Lions and the 3-0 win against Wilhelmina.

Final League Position:	2nd out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Fifth Round (1-3 against Keilor City)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Semi Finalist (0-1 against Croatia)
Top Goal Scorer:	Jim Armstrong (13)
Presidents:	George Rallis and Theo Marmaras
Coach:	Lou Brocic

 

1972

Two excellent young full-backs in Giovanni Batticciotto and Bill Hasapis were introduced into the team. Peter Bourne was imported from English club Burnley and linked up with Ian Marshall in the midfield. George Cross led the league for the majority of the season but with Armstrong scoring goals galore, Bourne and Marshall controlling the midfield and Bedford and Walker impassable in defence, South kept the pace with George Cross before overtaking them on the ladder in round 21. In the final round, South could only manage a scoreless draw against Juventus, while George Cross beat Keilor Austria. This left both South and George Cross level on 35 points each, however due to superior goal difference South won the title for the fifth time in its history. Armstrong was the top goal scorer in the league with 17 goals and Bourne finished runner-up in the Rothmans Medal voting. Further highlights included the 4-0 win against George Cross and the 7-0 win over Box Hill.

Final League Position:	1st out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Fifth Round (0-0 against JUST, 2-4 on penalties)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Failed to progress from the sectional round
Top Goal Scorer:	Jim Armstrong (20)
Presidents:	Theo Marmaras and Sam Papasavas
Coaches:	Bill Curran, Manny Poulakakis

 

1973

Bill McIntyre switched from Croatia to South Melbourne following Croatia’s expulsion from the competition. He was joined by Nat Little, a promising young forward from Altona City. South fared badly in the Ampol Cup, losing all three of its group matches. Again, George Cross and South battled at the top of the table. Going into the last round, both clubs were level on points but George Cross was ahead on goal difference. Both clubs won their last round matches, however Footscray JUST had two games in hand. JUST won both their remaining matches and won the league by one point over George Cross and South. Despite the disappointment of finishing third in the league, there were several highlights, including Armstrong and Little scoring 11 and 10 goals respectively. Further highlights included a 6-1 win over Box Hill, an amazing 7-7 draw against Wilhelmina and a 4-0 win against Polonia.

Final League Position:	3rd out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Quarter Finalist (0-2 against Hakoah)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Failed to progress from the sectional round
Top Goal Scorer:	Jim Armstrong (11)
President	Sam Papasavas
Coaches:	Manny Poulakakis, Jim Pyrgolios

 

1974

South broke its run of bad luck to clinch the title for the sixth time in its history. With young man Arthur Xanthopoulos having established himself in the team, and with new men Andy Savage (from Scotland) and Nick Nechvoglod (Lions in Adelaide) arriving, complemented by the return of Kokkinos for yet another stint at the club, South led the ladder for the majority of the season. It won the championship having suffered defeat only twice during the season and finishing four points ahead of George Cross. Armstrong’s 22 goals throughout the season saw him as the top goal scorer for the entire league, with his efforts recognised as he was awarded the Bill Fleming Medal for Victorian Player of the Year. For the first time in its history South won the Docherty Cup, beating Wilhelmina 4-1 in the final thanks to goals from Marshall, Armstrong, Nechvoglod and Bourne. Further highlights included a 4-0 win over Mooroolbark, a 5-1 win against George Cross and a 4-0 win over Heidelberg Alexander.

Final League Position:	1st out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Champions (4-1 against Wilhelmina)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Failed to progress from the sectional round
Top Goal Scorer:	Jim Armstrong (22)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coach:	John Margaritis

 

1975

Jimmy Mackay joined South from Sydney Hakoah and Kris Kalifatidis stepped up from the reserves to cement a place in defence. South reached the final of the Ampol Cup before losing to JUST 1-0, with Armstrong’s 5 goals in the competition making him the equal top scorer of the series. After the Cup, right-back Mike Pye transferred to the club from Wilhelmina, while Howard Andrews arrived from South Africa. After a poor start to the league, Paul Murphy was brought in from George Cross. Murphy failed to reproduce the goal scoring form he had shown at George Cross but South improved, finishing the season in second place behind Heidelberg Alexander. However there was some consolation as South won the Docherty Cup for the second successive season, beating Sunshine City 2-1 with a goal from Mackay and a penalty from Armstrong. In addition, Reno Lia won the Weinstein Medal for Junior Player of the Year.

Final League Position:	2nd out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Champions (2-1 against Sunshine City)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Runners-up (0-1 against JUST)
Top Goal Scorer:	Jim Armstrong (17)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coach:	John Margaritis

 

1976

Peter Ollerton and Duncan Cummings were South’s star recruits. Appropriately, the strengthened team started the season by winning the Ampol Cup 4-1 against JUST, with Ollerton netting a hat-trick and with his seven goals being the highest amount scored by an individual in the competition. Margaritis Hagegmanouel established himself as a left-back during the season and South followed on from their Cup success by dominating the league to win their seventh championship by a massive nine points from JUST. Ollerton scored 10 goals, while Armstrong and Cummings contributed with eight goals each. While the club missed out on Docherty Cup and State League Cup success, it claimed an unofficial Australian championship after defeating New South Wales champion St George Budapest over two legs (1-1 in Sydney and 2-1 in Melbourne), with the victory inspired by the brilliance of Mackay in the midfield. Further highlights included a 4-0 win over Polonia and an 8-0 win over Fawkner.

Final League Position:	1st out of 12 teams
Docherty Cup Placing:	Quarter Finalist (1-2 against Alexander)
Ampol Cup Placing:	Champions (4-1 against JUST)
Top Goal Scorer:	Peter Ollerton (10)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coaches:	Brian Edgley, Manny Poulakakis

 

1977

The start of the National Soccer League saw South join Footscray JUST, Heidelberg United and Mooroolbark as the Victorian representatives in the 14 team competition. South lost Bourne and Mackay and transfer-listed champions Walker and Armstrong, claiming they were too old for the NSL. This took the back-bone out of the team and not even recruits of the calibre of Jack Reilly, Ian Gibson (both from Heidelberg), Billy Rogers (APIA), Chris Kent (Wilhelmina), Anton Dosen (Hakoah), John Gardiner (Essendon Croatia) and Graham French (Mooroolbark) could change that. As a result, the club had an average start to its NSL adventure, finishing the season in 11th place in the league, with Ollerton the top goal scorer with 6 goals. Positives to the season included a 4-2 win against Mooroolbark and the 15,000-strong crowd against St George Budapest to watch guest player Malcolm McDonald.

Final League Position:	11th out of 14 teams
NSL Cup Placing:	First Round (0-1 against Mooroolbark)
Top Goal Scorer:	Peter Ollerton (6)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coaches:	John Margaritis (17 games), Dave MacLaren (9 games)

 

1978

In an effort to improve on the previous season, Dave MacLaren was appointed as coach, arriving at Middle Park from Sydney City. MacLaren went on a recruiting spree, signing goalkeeper John Hansen and centre-back Stuart Baxter (Sweden), Bertie Lutton (Sydney City), Sammy Wright (Wolves), George Campbell (Aberdeen) and Bobby McGuinness (Sydney City), as well as promoting George Christopoulos from the reserves. This resulted in a respectable third-placed finish in the league and a Quarter Final place in the National League Cup. Further highlights included Cummings scoring 10 goals in the league, a 5-2 win over St George Budapest, a 4-0 win against JUST and a 5-0 win against Adelaide City. Big crowds flocked to the games, with 16,000 present for the derby against West Adelaide Hellas and 25,000 at the friendly against Olympiakos of Greece (that Olympiakos won 1-2).

Final League Position:	3rd out of 14 teams
NSL Cup Placing:	Quarter Finalist (1-2 against Heidelberg United)
Top Goal Scorer:	Duncan Cummings (9)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coach:	Dave MacLaren (26 games)

 

1979

This was the lowest point in the club’s NSL history and arguably in its entire history. Four rounds into the season, the National Soccer League deducted three competition points from South, after the club was found guilty of using new left-back Tony Turner in three league matches even though he was not cleared by his former English club. Three coaches (MacLaren, Duncan McKay and John Margaritis) all had stints throughout the course of the season but could not stop the club finishing in last place. There were real fears that South would not be re-admitted into the league the following season; however the club kept its place in the top flight as Sydney Olympic were relegated instead. Positives for the season included a 3-0 win over Brisbane Lions and the emergence of Alan Davidson to the senior team after the youngster was recruited from Altona City.

Final League Position:	14th out of 14 teams
NSL Cup Placing:	First Round (1-2 against Heidelberg United)
Top Goal Scorer:	Alun Evans (6)
President:	Sam Papasavas
Coaches:	Dave MacLaren (7 games), Duncan Mackay (9 games), John Margaritis (10 games)