Vinalian Superliga

Vinalian Superliga

Current season, competition or edition: 2019-20 Superliga season
Formerly	First League, Sporting League
Sport	Association football
Founded	May 15, 1999 (1999-05-15) Orlavo, Vinalia
Inaugural season	1999-2000
President	Kyrylo Taras
Commissioner	Hryhorij Korzh
No. of teams	14
Country	Vinalia
Confederation	Asteria Superior
Most recent champion(s)	Chervona Coyotes (4th title)
Most titles	Velkarichka F.C. (5 titles) Orlavo Red Stars (5 titles)
TV partner(s)	VIN Sports
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Super Combine
Official website	Суперліга.com

The Vinalian Superliga (Narodyn:Виналійська Суперліга), or simply Superliga is the highest division of Vinalian annual football championship. It was formed in 1999 do to the merge of the Northern Vinalian First League, and the Southern Vinalian Sporting League, which had remained separated following Vinalian Unification. In 1999 the top 7 teams of each league entered into the Superliga, with the remaining teams (7 Northern, and 5 Southern) would enter the Super Combine.

Teams play each other twice for a total of 28 matches, the team with the best record wins the league. The top 8 Teams classify for the Novikov Cup, a country wide playoffs for the cup of which the Superliga gets the most slots. Teams currently part of the Superliga have won all 37 times the cup has been been disputed, most recently in 2019 when the Orlavo Red Stars won it.

The top teams of the Superliga are the historic teams of Velkarichka F.C. and the Orlavo Red Stars which were on their own respective leagues the best teams, the Chervona Coyotes are a team of great success in recent years but with little success before the Superliga, the Nazica F.C. are the only team to win the Superliga without having previously won a First or Sporting League title when they won the league in 2017.

History

Foundation (1999-2009)

Ideas for creating a unified Vinalian league had existed since the establishment of the Novikov Cup in the early 80's, but the involved economical risk and the ever present threat of war breaking out between both Vinalia's, as was the case in 1987 which saw the Novikov Cup cancelled for 3 years. When Vinalian reunification was achieved calls for the unification of both nations football pyramids was called for, but reluctance over the issue of franchise ownership (most Southern teams were owned by a private entity, while Northern teams tended to be owned by different groups sometimes the cities they played in), and the issue of team allocation as Northern teams advocated for greater quota of teams based on more teams in their First League, and better international and inter-Vinalian playing records which was rejected by Southern teams.

Following a controversial game winning penalty kick, Orlavo Red Star fans lit flares before an ensuing riot

In 1994, over continued disagreement and following the breakout of violence between fans of the Velkarichka F.C. and the Orlavo Red Stars at the finals of the Novikov Cup the main teams of South and North Vinalia respectively, and the ensuing riots in Orlavo following the defeat do to a highly controversial penalty kick, forced the government to intervene on the subject. But disagreements kept the First and Sporting League separated, but the expansion of the Novikov Cup to include the top 4 teams of each league in a league type format in 1995, eased the tension and removed the immediate need for the unification of both systems.

By 1996 the third level leagues of both nations were combined in the United League, and by 1997 the second level league of the Super Combine was established with many teams that would later play in the Superliga playing against one another only to be segregated again upon ascending. In 1998 an agreement was reached, with the top 7 teams of each league entering into the new Superliga, to keep the Novikov Cup as the premier playoffs of Vinalian soccer it was expanded to include the top teams of all 3 leagues.

First years

The first years of the league saw the success of the top teams of each former league the Velkarichka F.C., Catherinsk Tigers and the Vevetsia F.C., and the Orlavo Red Stars dominating the league between 1999 to 2005, when only 2 times did other teams crack the top 3 most prominently in 2003 when the Morechia Foxes would win the Superliga, their only victory. Fedir Eduardovych became the first top goalscorer for the league following his successes in the Sporting League, leading the superliga in goals scored from 1999-2000 to 2003-2004, coming within one of the 2004-2005 winner Danylo Sheremet. Both are 1st and 2nd in all-time goalscorers for the Superliga, with Edyardovych setting in 2003-2004 the highest goals total at 27.

Northern teams suffered from poor performance, as Southern teams became highly competitive in the free market, and the development of prospects, foreign players were also offered higher bonuses from Southern teams, and the Northern teams were put at a disadvantage. Following traditional Northern teams being relegated such as Apajia F.C. in 2008-2009, and Orlavo F.C. in 2010-2011, teams such as a the Norelinsk Monkey's and Chervona Coyotes received renewed support. The Coyotes had been the flagship Northern team with strong seasons, and a deep prospect pool, they were the first Northern team to win the Superliga since 2002-2003 when they won in 2009-2010 under a high scoring season by Yurik Shevchenko.

International players had been allowed since the start of the league, with 2 international players being allowed at all times in squads, something previously not allowed in the First League. The Polianian Blogai Teodorov became the first international player to become the highest goal scorer in the league with 18 for the Velkarichka F.C., followed by the Narozalican Zykin Panteley the following year at 20 goals for the Vevetsia F.C., an international player would not secure such a title until Marcus McBríen from Halland lead the league with 23 goals in 2018-2019, all 3 players won the Superliga on their high scoring seasons.

Modern day

Sanzo Vukovenic battling against Velkarichka F.C. players in 2013

The Red Stars had come under new management in 2008-2009 following disappointing seasons, coming under control of legendary Red Stars player Yaroslav Herasymenko, under his guidance the Red Stars would become highly aggressive in the acquisition of prospects and free agents landing highly valued Vinalian-Dezevauni prospect Sanzo Vukovenic in 2010. Vukovenic would clash into the Superliga stage setting rookie goals, and assists records in his first season in 2011-2012, leading the Red Stars to 3 consecutive titles, with himself being the top goal scorer for 5 years straight.

The Velkarichka F.C. would in 2014-2015 defeat the Red Stars following a 3-2 game at the end of the season between the two. Since the victory the Velkarichka F.C. and Red Stars have struggled to secure another victory do to the rise of the Chervona Coyotes, and Nazica F.C. with the Coyotes winning 3 out of the 4 previous seasons.

Rivalries

North-South Derby

Historically the Orlavo Red Stars had been the premier team of North Vinalia, and Velkarichka F.C. the premier team of South Vinalia, the first time both teams played each other was in 1959 when two exhibition matches were played between the two with the Orlavo Red Stars winning both. Both teams would hold this informal matches in 1959, 1960, and 1969, with the teams splitting them at 3 a piece. With the establishment of the Novikov Cup in 1980, both teams would meet in 1980, 1981, 1985 and 1989, with the Red Stars winning 3 out of 4, losing in 1989. With Vinalian reunification around the corner, the political environment in which the matches were played was exchanged, for attempts at unification. Both teams would meet in 1994 for the 1st time since reunification, leading to large scale riots in Orlavo after a controversial penalty was called against the Red Stars leading to the game winning penalty kick, they would meet again in the Novikov Cup for 3 straight years starting in 1997, with the Velkarichka F.C. winning all 3 series including the finals of 97, and 99.

Since joining the league the rivalry has only increased, with the Red Stars and Velkarichka F.C. usually contesting the league title as was the case in 2014, and 2015, as both teams always play their final game against each other since 2001, the rivalry has a become a hotspot with the deployment of riot police, and sometimes of the People's Guard to prevent violence between protesters, which lead to a 2015 decision to ban the attendance of away fans to games which has removed some of the violence between both clubs.

Teams

Team	Home City	Stadium	Position in 2018-2019	Seasons in Superliga	First season in Superliga
Chervona Coyotes	Chervona	Chervona Hall of Sport	1st	20	1999-2000
Velkarichka F.C.	Velkarichka	National Stadium	2nd	20	1999-2000
Catherinsk Tigers	Catherinsk	New Life Stadium	3rd	20	1999-2000
Orlavo Red Stars	Orlavo	Orlavo National Stadium	4th	20	1999-2000
Nazica F.C.	Nazica	Nazica New Stadium	5th	20	1999-2000
Vevetsia F.C.	Vevetsia	Vevetsia Municipal Stadium	6th	20	1999-2000
Morechia Foxes	Morechia	Morechia Hall of Sport	7th	20	1999-2000
Vinalinsk United	Vinalinsk	Vinalinsk National Stadium	8th	2	2017-2018
Norelinsk Monkeys	Norelinsk	Chervona Hall of Sport	9th	20	1999-2000
Orlavo Red Foxes	Orlavo	Red Foxes Stadium	10th	8	2012-2013
Apajia F.C.	Apajia	Apajia Hall of Sport	11th	14	1999-2000
Velkarichka Metropolitans	Velkarichka	Metropolitan Stadium	12th	5	1999-2000
Orlavo F.C.	Orlavo	Orlavo New Jula Stadium	13th	9	1999-2000
Virona F.C.	Virona	Virona Hall of Sport	14th	Debut	2018-2019

Champions

Season	Champion	Runner-up	Third place	Top goalscorer
1999-2000	Orlavo Red Stars	Velkarichka F.C.	Vevetsia F.C.	Vinalia Fedir Eduardovych (Vevetsia F.C., 19)
2000-2001	Velkarichka F.C.	Catherinsk Tigers	Orlavo Red Stars	Vinalia Fedir Eduardovych (Vevetsia F.C., 20)
2001-2002	Orlavo Red Stars	Velkarichka F.C.	Catherinsk Tigers	Vinalia Fedir Eduardovych (Orlavo Red Stars, 27)
2002-2003	Morechia Foxes	Orlavo Red Stars	Vevetsia F.C.	Vinalia Fedir Eduardovych (Orlavo Red Stars, 22)
2003-2004	Velkarichka F.C.	Orlavo Red Stars	Catherinsk Tigers	Vinalia Danylo Sheremet (Catherinsk Tigers, 20)
2004-2005	Catherinsk Tigers	Vevetsia F.C.	Norelinsk Monkeys	Vinalia Danylo Sheremet (Catherinsk Tigers, 25)
2005-2006	Vevetsia F.C.	Norelinsk Monkeys	Morechia Foxes	Vinalia Petrov Bojic (Vevetsia F.C., 19)
2006-2007	Catherinsk Tigers	Velkarichka Metropolitans	Chervona Coyotes	Vinalia Danylo Sheremet (Catherinsk Tigers, 21)
2007-2008	Velkarichka F.C.	Catherinsk Tigers	Chervona Coyotes	Poliania Blagoi Teodorov (Velkarichka F.C., 18)
2008-2009	Vevetsia F.C.	Velkarichka F.C.	Orlavo F.C.	Narozalica Zykin Panteley (Vevetsia F.C., 20)
2009-2010	Chervona Coyotes	Vevetsia F.C.	Velkarichka Metropolitans	Vinalia Yurik Shevchenko (Chervona Coyotes, 22)
2010-2011	Velkarichka F.C.	Chervona Coyotes	Norelinsk Monkeys	Vinalia Yurik Shevchenko (Chervona Coyotes, 20)
2011-2012	Orlavo Red Stars	Velkarichka F.C.	Velkarichka Metropolitans	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic (Orlavo Red Stars, 21)
2012-2013	Orlavo Red Stars	Velkarichka F.C.	Catherinsk Tigers	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic (Orlavo Red Stars, 24)
2013-2014	Orlavo Red Stars	Catherinsk Tigers	Velkarichka F.C.	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic (Orlavo Red Stars, 22)
2014-2015	Velkarichka F.C.	Orlavo Red Stars	Norelinsk Monkeys	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic (Orlavo Red Stars, 20)
2015-2016	Chervona Coyotes	Orlavo Red Stars	Velkarichka F.C.	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic (Orlavo Red Stars, 21)
2016-2017	Nazica F.C.	Chervona Coyotes	Velkarichka F.C.	Vinalia Serhiy Bilyj (Nazica F.C., 25)
2017-2018	Chervona Coyotes	Nazica F.C.	Orlavo Red Foxes	Vinalia Serhiy Bilyj (Nazica F.C., 21)
2018-2019	Chervona Coyotes	Velkarichka F.C.	Catherinsk Tigers	Halland Marcus McBríen (Chervona Coyotes, 23)
2019-2020	Orlavo Red Stars	Nazica F.C.	Chervona Coyotes	Vinalia Mazur Burkala (Orlavo Red Stars, 20)

Record Holders

Rank	Name	Goals
All-time Goals leader
1	Vinalia Fedir Eduardovych	174
2	Vinalia Sanzo Vukovenic	158
3	Vinalia Danylo Sheremet	140
4	Vinalia Yurik Shevchenko	126
5	Vinalia Petrov Bojic	120
Players in Bold are currently playing.