Thidiela family to discuss involvement in football after Leopards’ relegation to amateur ranks

Black Leopards chairperson Tshifhiwa “Chief” Thidiela has says the family will convene a meeting soon to decide whether to continue their involvement in football. 

Leopards, together with fellow Limpopo side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), were recently relegated from the National First Division (NFD) to the amateur third tier of South African football. 

“We will sit as a family and obviously the debate is whether we are going to continue our involvement with football,” said Thidiela, adding that running a football club has become expensive. 

''Even teams that are in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), I don’t think anyone is making a profit. Owners put money from their pockets to make sure that their clubs run.'' 

Thidiela added it cost them almost R1m a month to run the club. 

“For us it was never about money because we do it for the benefit of the community. But as a family we are sitting and looking at all the options to say do we continue, what avenues are there and at what price? 

“But most importantly, the serious discussion ;that we are going to have is that we don’t want to acquire a status and do the same thing or go through the same route.  

“We are going to have serious debates and a period of introspection but we are not rushing into anything at the moment.'' 

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