Once-mighty Moroka Swallows on brink of being relegated to amateur football

29 March 2017 - 20:26 By Mahlatse Mphahlele
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A file photo of Swallows players during the National First Division match between Witbank Spurs and Moroka Swallows at Puma Rugby Stadium on May 22, 2016 in Witbank, South Africa.
A file photo of Swallows players during the National First Division match between Witbank Spurs and Moroka Swallows at Puma Rugby Stadium on May 22, 2016 in Witbank, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Moroka Swallows will have to beat Orange Vaal Professionals in their last match of the ABC Motsepe League on Saturday to avoid the possibility of being relegated to the fourth division next season.

The Dube Birds go into the last match of the campaign sitting dangerously second from the bottom and defeat will see them relegated to the amateur ranks next season completing what has been a freefall over the past three seasons.

Swallows were relegated from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in May 2015‚ then from the National First Division (NFD) last year and another relegation will see a proud history of more than 70 years go down the drain.

Swallows go into the last round of matches having played 29 matches where they accumulated 24 points from five wins, nine draws and 15 losses and they trail third from the bottom Vaal Professionals by two points.

On Wednesday, long standing Swallows official Godfrey Gxowa said a number of the club directors were willing to take over the club next season if it get relegated from the third division this weekend.

Gxowa, who has been associated with the club for almost half a century, said together with Charles Makhubu, former club’s midfielder Andries Mpondo and Dan Zwane are committed to rebuilding the club and returning it to the PSL if the worst fears are realized.

“There is number of us who are saddened by what is happening to this club and we are willing to take over and start from scratch.

"It is sad to see a club with 70 years of history and deep tradition go down because of people who came with the sole reason of making money and with no interests of the club at heart,” said Gxowa.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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