▁saw ▁a ▁battle ▁for ▁the ▁NS L ▁title , ▁eventually ▁finishing ▁third , ▁ 8 ▁points ▁behind ▁Champions ▁Sydney ▁City , ▁with ▁stri ker ▁Paul ▁Wil kin son ▁we igh ing ▁in ▁with ▁ 1 2 ▁goals . ▁In ▁those ▁days ▁the ▁NS L ▁comp elled ▁clubs ▁to ▁change ▁any ▁eth nic ▁titles ▁in ▁their ▁name , ▁and ▁as ▁such ▁City ▁were ▁occasionally ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁Br is b ane ▁Glad i ators ▁around ▁this ▁time . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁two ▁seasons ▁were ▁a ▁struggle , ▁bottom ▁of ▁the ▁table ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁third ▁bottom ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁with ▁city ▁riv als ▁Br is b ane ▁L ions ▁bottom . ▁It ▁was ▁t ough ▁times ▁for ▁NS L ▁football ▁in ▁the ▁city . ▁For ▁the ▁following ▁three ▁seasons ▁the ▁NS L ▁was ▁increased ▁in ▁size ▁but ▁divided ▁into ▁two ▁Con ferences , ▁with ▁City ▁finding ▁themselves ▁in ▁the ▁Southern ▁Division ▁alongside ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁and ▁Ad ela ide ▁clubs . ▁Fort unes ▁didn ' t ▁improve ▁however ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁with ▁a ▁return ▁to ▁a ▁single ▁division ▁NS L ▁and ▁a ▁reduction ▁in ▁clubs , ▁City ▁were ▁re leg ated ▁along ▁with ▁Br is b ane ▁L ions ▁to ▁the ▁Queensland ▁State ▁League ▁where ▁they ▁remain ▁today ▁bringing ▁to ▁an ▁end ▁nine ▁success ive ▁seasons ▁at ▁national ▁level . ▁ ▁The ▁very ▁last ▁NS L ▁match ▁at ▁Sp encer ▁Park ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁ 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 8