'Chikwata will rise again'

THE Zimbabwe Saints Football Club family has finally accepted its fate and will now concentrate on juniors and playing in Division Three next year.

The club has over the years been buying franchises either in the elite Premiership or Division One, only to struggle both on the field of play and financially.

This year they were chucked out of the Zifa Southern Region Division One league after failing to meet their obligations like registration fees and player licence fees.

Revival of Zimbabwe Saints committee chairman, Gibson Homela, told Chronicle Sport that Chikwata was not "dead and buried" as some would want to believe.

"My wish and that of other Zimbabwe Saints family members is that the team must resurrect and resurrect it will. We have asked ourselves the way forward and realised that we first need to harness funds then next year operate an academy from the Under-14, 16 and 18s," he said.

Homela said the Under-18s would be registered with the Bulawayo Province Division Three League with Chikwata giving them two to three years to bounce back into mainstream football.

Asked to explain what caused the demise of this once great institution that scooped the league title in 1988 and went on to represent the country in the African Cup of Champions Club in the following year where they reached the quarter-finals, Homela said Chikwata was a club that had few passionate fans who were willing to carry the burden financially during hard times.

"We had and still believe we have a lot of supporters but it was a handful of people like Herbert Ushewokunze, Reuben Zemura, Elliot Mkonto and others who would always chip in when the chips were down, these days it's a different issue all together," said the former club kingpin.

Respected administrator Vincent Pamire echoed Homela's sentiments that very soon, the Zimbabwe Saints' faithful would be chanting "Chauya Chikwata".

"I have no doubt in my mind that Saints will come back. The route to that started some time back when we put in a committee to lobby for the return of fans and members but I think they have taken too long and are losing that momentum," said Pamire.

He concurred with the general opinion that unnecessary infighting among members contributed immensely to the turmoil at the club.
"Remember I have been there before. We are the ones who bought that club house but when you are successful you get people who will always criticise you so when that happens, you let them come on board and run things so that they see that it's not kids' play," said Pamire.

He said quite a number of potential investors were willing to come on board and rescue Zimbabwe Saints but what was needed was transparency from everyone concerned about Zimbabwe Saints.

"I can, however, assure you that Zimbabwe Saints will rise again," said Pamire.

Famous for its youth development, the club has been home to some of the finest footballers to ever grace the Zimbabwe football landscape such as Joseph Machingura, Agent Sawu, Muzondiwa Mugadza, Ronald Sibanda, Henry McKop, Ephraim Chawanda, Homela, John Sibanda and Ebson "Sugar" Muguyo.

Zimbabwe Saints were also the losing semi-finalists in the Cecafa Club championships in 1988.