Much-decorated Daine Klate increases his medal haul

Diane Klate is now the Premier Soccer League's most decorated player, having earned a sixth league title and capping a special evening with Bidvest Wits' second goal in their championship-clinching 2-0 win over Polokwane City on Wednesday night.

Klate's sixth league medal takes him to two above ex-Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Andre Arendse in the PSL era. Arendse won four in the Premier League and one in the old NSL with Cape Town Spurs in 1995.

Klate joined former Durban City and Kaizer Chiefs legend Neil Tovey on six in any era. Klate also has a staggering eight cup medals.

• Bucs have the upper hand - Diane Klate With five league titles and seven cup winners' medals, all coming at SuperSport United and Orlando Pirates, no one seems more qualified than Daine Klate to appraise those two teams' chances in Saturday's Nedbank Cup final. 

The most recent was when Wits won the MTN8 in October, making for not just the club's first league title in their 96-year history in 2016-17 but also a memorable league and cup double.

"Ja, I think it's a spectacular evening for myself. But I'm more delighted for the club," Klate said after Wednesday night's stirring victory at Bidvest Stadium.

"It's overwhelming. As we speak I still have to make sense of it all."

As one commentator said of the little player with a Midas touch: "If you want to win the league, sign Daine Klate."

However, it was not just Klate's signing by Gavin Hunt but also other members of the Wits coach's old guard from three successive titles at Supersport United from 2008 to 2010 - including 2008 player of the season Elias Pelembe - that, it seems have given the Clever Boys a championship edge.

• Chiefs and Pirates get home tiesThe three Soweto Premier Soccer League giants, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Moroka Swallows all got home ties when the seeded draw for the MTN8 competition was made at the Orlando Stadium. 

"Ja, I think tonight was proof of that, with myself and Pelembe coming back into the starting lineup," Klate said.

"There had been a few games we'd been out - I was on a red card and on the bench and Pelembe too.

"I think it showed tonight - Pelembe was fantastic. I think he played his best game of the season, and showed his experience. And obviously myself getting the goal, and Bongani Khumalo at the back.

"Having guys around like Moeneeb Josephs who won titles with me at Orlando Pirates and had done it previously helped everybody."

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport