1982–83 Saudi Premier League

Football league season

Saudi Premier League
Season	1982–83
Dates	16 December 1982 – 8 April 1983
Champions	Al-Ettifaq (1st title)
Relegated	Ohod Al-Rawdhah
Gulf Club Champions Cup	Al-Ettifaq
Arab Club Champions Cup	Al-Ettifaq
Matches played	90
Goals scored	218 (2.42 per match)
Top goalscorer	Majed Abdullah (14 goals)
Biggest home win	Al-Nassr 7–2 Al-Rawdhah (18 February 1983)
Biggest away win	Al-Ittihad 2–5 Al-Ahli (7 April 1983)
Highest scoring	Al-Nassr 7–2 Al-Rawdhah (18 February 1983)
Longest winning run	7 games Al-Hilal
Longest unbeaten run	18 games Al-Ettifaq
Longest winless run	15 games Ohod
Longest losing run	5 games Al-Nahda
← 1981–82 1983–84 →

The 1982–83 Saudi Premier League was the 7th season of Saudi Premier League since its establishment in 1976. Al-Ittihad were the defending champions, having won their 1st title in the previous season. The campaign began on 16 December 1982 and ended on 8 April 1983. The number of teams in the league was reduced from the previous season. The league was contested by 10 teams, the top 5 teams from Groups A and B.

Going into the final matchday, Al-Hilal were leading the table with 1 point ahead of Al-Ettifaq. The two teams would face their city rivals in the final matchday on separate days. On 7 April 1983, Al-Ettifaq defeated Al-Nahda 2–0.^[1] This meant that Al-Hilal needed just a draw against Al-Nassr to secure the title, as they were ahead of Al-Ettifaq on goal difference as well. On 8 April 1983, Al-Nassr defeated Al-Hilal 2–1 to hand Al-Ettifaq their first league title.^[2] Al-Ettifaq ended the season without a single defeat and became the first Saudi team to ever do so. Al-Ettifaq also became the first team from Dammam to win the title.^[3] Khalil Al-Zayani also became the first Saudi Arabian manager to win the league title.

Ohod were the first team to be relegated following a 5–1 away defeat to Al-Shabab on 7 April 1983.^[4] The following day, Al-Rawdhah were defeated by Al-Qadisiyah 2–0 and were relegated.^[5]

By winning the league title this also meant that Al-Ettifaq would qualify for the 1983 Gulf Club Champions Cup and the 1984 Arab Club Champions Cup, which they went on to win as well.

On 1 April 1983, Abdullah Al-Suwailem assaulted referee Mohammed Foda during the match against Al-Hilal. During the 90th minute while the scores were still level at 1–1, Mohammed Foda sent off Al-Shabab's Al-Suwailem for receiving a pass from the goalkeeper in the 18-yard box. Minutes later in the 2nd minute of stoppage Al-Hilal would go on and score the winner. Al-Suwailem then rushed towards the referee and assaulted him. He was eventually held back by the stadium security. Foda then immediately blew for the final whistle and Al-Shabab's players rushed towards the referee. Foda was escorted out of the stadium by the police. In the aftermath, the Saudi FF suspended 4 players from Al-Shabab and the perpetrator, Al-Suwailem, was put in prison.^[6]

The season was also marked by tragedy. On 14 March 1983 Al-Nassr goalkeeper Sultan Marzooq was killed in a car accident, while he was on his way to the team's training ground.^[7] He played his final match three days prior in a 3–3 draw against Al-Ahli.

Teams

Ten teams competed in the league – the top five teams from Groups A and B of the previous season. The top five teams from Group A were Al-Shabab, Al-Nassr, Al-Ettifaq, Ohod, and Al-Qadisiyah. The top five teams from Group B were Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal, Al-Nahda, Al-Ahli, and Al-Rawdhah.

The ten relegated teams were Al-Tai, Al-Kawkab, Al-Ansar, Al-Riyadh, Al-Wehda, Al-Jabalain, Damac, Al-Khaleej, Al-Taawoun, and Okaz.

Stadiums and locations

Al-Ahli
Al-Ittihad

Al-Ettifaq
Al-Nahda

Al-Hilal
Al-Nassr
Al-Shabab

Al-Qadisiyah

Al-Rawdhah

Ohod

class=notpageimage|

Locations of teams in the 1982–83 Saudi Premier League

Club	Location	Stadium
Al-Ahli	Jeddah	Youth Welfare Stadium in Jeddah
Al-Ettifaq	Dammam	Youth Welfare Stadium in Dammam
Al-Hilal	Riyadh	Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz
Al-Ittihad	Jeddah	Youth Welfare Stadium in Jeddah
Al-Nahda	Dammam	Youth Welfare Stadium in Dammam
Al-Nassr	Riyadh	Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz
Al-Qadisiyah	Khobar	Youth Welfare Stadium in Dammam
Al-Rawdhah	Al-Jeshah	Al-Hasa Sports Center Stadium
Al-Shabab	Riyadh	Youth Welfare Stadium in Al-Malaz
Ohod	Medina	Youth Welfare Stadium in Medina

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Al-Ettifaq (C)	18	10	8	0	25	10	+15	28	Gulf Club Champions Cup and Arab Club Champions Cup
2	Al-Hilal	18	11	5	2	32	17	+15	27
3	Al-Shabab	18	9	6	3	31	16	+15	24
4	Al-Nassr	18	7	6	5	29	22	+7	20
5	Al-Ahli	18	5	10	3	25	19	+6	20
6	Al-Ittihad	18	5	6	7	22	26	−4	16
7	Al-Qadisiyah	18	3	8	7	19	22	−3	14
8	Al-Nahda	18	3	5	10	10	21	−11	11
9	Al-Rawdhah (R)	18	1	9	8	12	32	−20	11	Relegated
10	Ohod (R)	18	2	5	11	13	33	−20	9	Relegated

Source: rsssf.com Al-Madina
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Promoted: Al-Wehda, Al Riyadh.

Saudi Premier League 1982-83 winners
Ettifaq 1st title

Results

Home \ Away	AHL	ETT	HIL	ITT	NAH	NSR	QAD	RAW	SHB	OHD
Al-Ahli		1–1	0–1	1–1	2–1	3–3	1–1	1–1	1–0	4–2
Al-Ettifaq	1–0		0–0	1–0	1–0	3–1	2–0	1–1	2–2	1–0
Al-Hilal	1–1	0–0		2–1	3–1	1–2	2–2	4–1	2–3	2–0
Al-Ittihad	2–5	0–0	3–5		1–0	1–0	2–0	4–1	1–3	0–0
Al-Nahda	0–0	0–2	0–1	0–1		1–1	0–2	1–0	0–3	2–0
Al-Nassr	1–0	2–2	1–2	1–1	1–0		0–1	7–2	0–1	2–1
Al-Qadisiyah	1–1	1–2	0–1	1–1	1–2	1–1		2–0	1–1	3–1
Al-Rawdhah	1–1	2–2	0–2	2–1	0–0	0–0	1–1		0–0	0–2
Al-Shabab	0–0	0–1	1–2	2–0	1–1	3–2	2–2	3–0		5–1
Ohod	1–3	0–3	1–1	2–2	1–1	0–3	1–0	0–0	0–1

Source: ^{[citation needed]}
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Top scorers

Rank	Player	Club	Goals
1	Majed Abdullah	Al-Nassr	14
2	Khalid Al-Ma'ajil	Al-Shabab	13
3	Jamal Mohammed	Al-Ettifaq	9
4	Abdullah Al-Jarbo'o	Al-Hilal	7
4	Talal Sobhi	Al-Ahli	7
6	Hamad Al-Dossari	Al-Qadsiah	6
6	Hussam Abu Dawood	Al-Ahli	6
8	Amin Dabo	Al-Ahli	5
	Naif Marzooq	Al-Shabab
	Abdulrahman Al-Qoosi	Al-Shabab

References

^ "ودع الاتفاقيون اشقائهم بالنهضة".^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Al-Jazirah newspaper 09-04-1983".
^ "بطل الدوري يصل فيقلب ليل المنطقة نهارا".
^ "الشباب يودع احد بخمسة اهداف".
^ "القادسية تعلن هبوط الروضة".^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Al-Jazirah newspaper 03-04-1983".
^ "سلطان مرزووق الى رحمة الله".

External links

RSSSF Stats
Article writer for Saleh Al-Hoireny - Al-Jazirah newspaper 03-09-2010

Saudi Arabian football leagues

Pro League

Clubs

Seasons

1970s	1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80
1980s	1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90
1990s	1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000
2000s	2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10
2010s	2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20
2020s	2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25