Sports / Local
BCC team eyes premiership football
11 Jan 2015 at 10:43hrs | Views
BULAWAYO City Council-sponsored BCC Golden Stars have shown serious intentions for their journey to the country's top flight league by to date becoming the only club in the Zifa Southern Region Division One League to have fully paid up their affiliation fees for the 2015 season.
The club reportedly paid the $3 000 fee last year in December following their promotion to Division One.
Zifa Southern Region board member, Bryton Malandule confirmed Golden Stars was the only club that had fully paid up the fee while other clubs had deposited various amounts and committed themselves to paying the full amount before the season kicks off.
Golden Stars, only a Bulawayo Amateur Football League team in 2012, decided to turn professional by moving into the Bulawayo province's Division Three league in 2013 and won promotion the same year to Division Two where they only stayed for one year before making it into Division One.
The City Fathers are reportedly eager to have the team in the Premiership within the next two years and are pulling out all stops to ensure the team smoothly progresses to the top flight.
The city council yesterday placed an advert in our sister paper The Chronicle inviting players aged between 18 and 25 to attend week long trials that kickoff tomorrow at Luveve Stadium.
The advert, signed by acting town clerk, Sikhangele Zhou, reads: "Interested members of the public and old players are invited to trials which will be held at Luveve Football Stadium on Monday 12 January to Friday 16 January 2015 from 0900 hrs. Players should be aged between 18 and 25 years".
The football club is likely to change its name from the current BCC Golden Stars to Bulawayo City and that is highlighted in the advert which reads "Bulawayo City Football Club Trials" although Malandule said they were yet to receive any official notice of a name change from the club.
BCC intends to follow in the footsteps of other council-owned football teams such as Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side, Harare City and Mutare City Council-run, Mutare City.
The council is also reportedly recalling its employee, Highlanders Football Club treasurer Jerry Sibanda from the Bulawayo football giants as they seek to bolster their executive with personnel with football administration experience.
Former How Mine and Chicken Inn coach Philani Ncube, who is also a council employee, is set to lead the squad in their quest to become the second municipal side to play in the Premiership after Harare City.
Former Highlanders and How Mine captain, Gilbert Banda is also reportedly on his way to the club following the expiry of his contract at the mining side.
The City Fathers reportedly felt challenged that other city councils had "prosperous" football clubs and made a decision to start funding a social soccer team that had been founded by its workers.
The council made the decision last year in April to fully fund the team that was then in Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Two League
The football club started as a social club for security guards based at Luveve Parade Base and had been depending on contributions by its members until last year when council decided to fund it.
Members reportedly decided to seek sponsorship from the council as their financial needs soared with their ascendancy.
According to last year's April 2014 council minutes, council would fund the annual registration, travel and subsistence, kitting and payment of allowances, among other costs related to running a football club.
The club reportedly paid the $3 000 fee last year in December following their promotion to Division One.
Zifa Southern Region board member, Bryton Malandule confirmed Golden Stars was the only club that had fully paid up the fee while other clubs had deposited various amounts and committed themselves to paying the full amount before the season kicks off.
Golden Stars, only a Bulawayo Amateur Football League team in 2012, decided to turn professional by moving into the Bulawayo province's Division Three league in 2013 and won promotion the same year to Division Two where they only stayed for one year before making it into Division One.
The City Fathers are reportedly eager to have the team in the Premiership within the next two years and are pulling out all stops to ensure the team smoothly progresses to the top flight.
The city council yesterday placed an advert in our sister paper The Chronicle inviting players aged between 18 and 25 to attend week long trials that kickoff tomorrow at Luveve Stadium.
The advert, signed by acting town clerk, Sikhangele Zhou, reads: "Interested members of the public and old players are invited to trials which will be held at Luveve Football Stadium on Monday 12 January to Friday 16 January 2015 from 0900 hrs. Players should be aged between 18 and 25 years".
The football club is likely to change its name from the current BCC Golden Stars to Bulawayo City and that is highlighted in the advert which reads "Bulawayo City Football Club Trials" although Malandule said they were yet to receive any official notice of a name change from the club.
BCC intends to follow in the footsteps of other council-owned football teams such as Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side, Harare City and Mutare City Council-run, Mutare City.
The council is also reportedly recalling its employee, Highlanders Football Club treasurer Jerry Sibanda from the Bulawayo football giants as they seek to bolster their executive with personnel with football administration experience.
Former How Mine and Chicken Inn coach Philani Ncube, who is also a council employee, is set to lead the squad in their quest to become the second municipal side to play in the Premiership after Harare City.
Former Highlanders and How Mine captain, Gilbert Banda is also reportedly on his way to the club following the expiry of his contract at the mining side.
The City Fathers reportedly felt challenged that other city councils had "prosperous" football clubs and made a decision to start funding a social soccer team that had been founded by its workers.
The council made the decision last year in April to fully fund the team that was then in Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Two League
The football club started as a social club for security guards based at Luveve Parade Base and had been depending on contributions by its members until last year when council decided to fund it.
Members reportedly decided to seek sponsorship from the council as their financial needs soared with their ascendancy.
According to last year's April 2014 council minutes, council would fund the annual registration, travel and subsistence, kitting and payment of allowances, among other costs related to running a football club.
Source - Sunday News
