Galatama

Galatama (an acronym for Liga Sepak Bola Utama, Premier Football League) was a semi professional football league in Indonesia, established in 1979 by the Indonesian Football Association, PSSI. Prior to the establishment of the competition, an amateur football league named Perserikatan had existed since 1931. Both Perserikatan and Galatama existed and run in parallel until 1994 when they were both merged to form a new, unified league called Liga Indonesia.[1]

History

Until 1979, the Perserikatan was the only national-level competition in Indonesia. The competition is an amateur competition. Starting in 1979, Football Association of Indonesia started a semi-professional league, named Liga Sepak Bola Utama (English: Premier Football League), shortened to Galatama. Galatama is one of the pioneers of professional and semi-professional football league in Asia alongside the Hong Kong League.

Throughout its history, Galatama always operated in a single-division format except for the 1983 and 1990 seasons, when it was divided into two divisions.

Until the 1982 season, Galatama allowed the recruitment of foreign players. One of the most famous foreign players in the competition is Fandi Ahmad (Singapore) who played for Niac Mitra. He successfully led his club to win the Galatama title and he also became an honorary citizen of Surabaya as an award for his performance with Niac Mitra. Fandi Ahmad and other foreign players were forced to ply their trade outside of Indonesia because of the foreign players ban imposed in Galatama.

After a few seasons, the popularity of Galatama is starting to decline. The cause of the decline is blamed on the banning of foreign players, match-fixing allegations, and also referee bribery scandals. The declining popularity of the league amongst the Indonesian football fans forced many of the league's member clubs to withdraw one by one.

In 1994, Galatama and Perserikatan were merged into the fully professional Liga Indonesia.

List of champions

Galatama

Season Winner Result Runner-up
1979/1980 Warna Agung Jayakarta
1980/1982 Niac Mitra Jayakarta
1982/1983 Niac Mitra 3-2 UMS 80
1983/1984 Yanita Utama 1-0 Mercu Buana
1984 Yanita Utama 2-0 UMS 80
1985 Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 1-0 Arseto
1986/1987 Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 4-2 Pelita Jaya
1987/1988 Niac Mitra 3-1 Pelita Jaya
1988/1989 Pelita Jaya 2-1 Niac Mitra
1990 Pelita Jaya 1-1 Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian

(Pelita Jaya won 4-2 in 1990 by penalty shootout)

1991/1992 Arseto Pupuk Kaltim
1992/1993 Arema Malang Pupuk Kaltim
1993/1994 Pelita Jaya 1-0 Gelora Dewata

Galatama First Division

Season Winner
1980 Angkasa
1983 Semen Padang
1990 Assyabaab Salim Group Surabaya

List of top scorers

Season Name Club Goals
1979/1980 Hadi Ismanto Indonesia Muda 22
1980/1982 Syamsul Arifin Niac Mitra 30
1982/1983 Dede Sulaeman Indonesia Muda 17
1983/1984 Bambang Nurdiansyah Yanita Utama 16
1984 Bambang Nurdiansyah Yanita Utama 13
1985 Bambang Nurdiansyah Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 9
1986/1987 Ricky Yacob Arseto 9
1987/1988 Nasrul Kotto Arseto 16
1988/1989 Mecky Tata & Dadang Kurnia Arema Malang & Bandung Raya 18
1990 Ricky Yacob Arseto
1991/1992 Singgih Pitono Arema Malang 21
1992/1993 Singgih Pitono Arema Malang 16
1993/1994 Ansyari Lubis Pelita Jaya 19

References

  1. ↑ (Indonesian) Sejarah Persatuan Sepakbola Seluruh Indonesia (PSSI)
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