50 Years of Glory: Kaizer Chiefs Celebrate its Greatness

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By Mahlomola Martin Lefupana

Kaizer Chiefs, the most successful football club in South Africa is celebrating 50 years, a half century. The Soweto Glamour Boys is 50 years and growing stronger as a brand. Chiefs is celebrating its 50 years in possibly the strongest position in football and financial terms. 

Chiefs is a club with a glorious past, founded in 1970 after the original club Kaizer XI started playing friendly across the country in 1969. The club did not take time to achieve success, they won the Life Challenge Cup in 1971. The Life Challenge Cup win in 1971 would revolutionize Chiefs culture of winning. 

As one of Africa’s famous sports brand, Chiefs celebrates its half century with knowledge that their club is loved by majority of fans in South Africa and loathed by few. Chiefs has been blessed with passionate fans that are affectionately referred to as the love and peace. The club used the black and gold colours and would become synonymous with Chiefs to this day. The formative years of the 70s decade saw chiefs experience unrivaled success by winning several trophies including Life Challenge Cup (1971, 1972), BP Top Eight (1973, 1974, 1976), Champion of Champions (1972, 1974, 1976) and league title in 1974 among other trophies. The trophy room in Naturena, Chiefs Head Quarters, is laden with multiple trophies won over the last 50 years. The trophy museum is indisputable evidence of a football club riddled with memories that captures its status as South Africa’s most decorated club. Chiefs have won 12 league tittles, 1 African Cup, 13 National Cup, 13 League Cup, 15 top 8 trophies and many other trophies.

Perhaps it will be injustice to only highlight the trophies Kaizer Chiefs won without mentioning some of biggest players to have donned the famous gold and black. The golden era of the 70s includes legends such as Pule “Ace” Ntsoelengoe, Joseph ‘Banks’ Sethlodi, Ryder Mofokeng, Petros ‘Ten-Ten’ Nzimande, Vusi ‘Computer’ Lamola, Abednigo ‘Shaka’ Ngcobo etc. The 80s gave us stars of the calibre of Marks Maponyane, Sputla Nhlapho, Doctor Khumalo, Frank ‘Jingles’ Pereira, Absolom “Scara” Thinthwa, Howard ‘The Rock’ Freese and others. As the 80s became the 90s, the likes of Lucas Radebe, Neil Tovey, Shoes Moshoeu, Brain Baloyi, Thabo Mooki, Fani Madida, Donald “Ace” Khuse, Steve Komphela, Thabang Lebese would stars in Kaizer Chiefs side that continued to win trophies.

Through the years, big names such as Jabu Pule, Itumeng Khune, Simphiwe Tshabalala would belong to Amakhosi and etched their names in the club folklore. For those who supported the club in the millennium, Itumeleng Khune would standout as one the club’s greatest ever player. Khune is an icon of the club, blessed with precise distribution, reflexes, shot stopping, and acrobatic goalkeeping. He led Chiefs at a very difficult period for the club where trophies became very hard to come by and perhaps his heroic will be appreciated when he finally retires.

When you have a storied history such as that of Kaizer Chiefs, it becomes difficult to point out what made the club a huge success. The club has had great players over the years, but club owner Kaizer Motaung has been constant for the past 50 years. Motaung is known as the supreme of South Africa football, but for Kaizer Chiefs, he has been the epitome of great leadership, characterized by mastery in delegation, visionary and humility. Kaizer has built a club that has become an embodiment of brand perfection, a sports institution to marvel at and sports business to be proud of.

Since the start of the year, the club has been rightly celebrating its 50 years through various activities like allowing free entrance between their league game against Highlands Park. The club plans to celebrate this milestone throughout 2020 with many activities across the country including gala diner, charity work etc. One would hope that the club could celebrate its half century of years by having an off-season 50 years tournament that include continental powerhouse or even a global power club.

Perhaps a climax to the club 50 year celebration will be to win the 2019/2020 league season. Winning the league will cap a great celebration for the famous gold and black, Phefeni Glamour Boys. 
We wish Kaizer Chief a happy birthday!!!

(Image sources: Kaizer Chiefs, Soccer Laduma!)
Location: 323 Jeff Masemola St, Pretoria Central, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

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