Stellenbosch FC will make their PSL debut on Saturday when they face Chippa United in Port Elizabeth. This would be the first time a team from Stellenbosch and the Winelands will play in a PSL match. PHOTO: Supplied
Stellenbosch Football Club (SFC) will make history on Saturday when they face Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in their first game in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
This will be the first time that a football club from Stellenbosch or the Winelands will play in the PSL. This comes after the SFC, that was bought by the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) at the start of the 2018/19 season, famously won the National First Division (NFD) last season to gain automatic promotion to the 2019/20 PSL season.
“The primary reason we purchased and secured the professional franchise for our town, is to use the club to inspire and uplift our youth and communities,” said Rob Benadie, SAS and SFC Chief Executive.
“Being in the prestigious PSL provides an even greater platform for us. It is just amazing to see how our Youth Academy players have become more confident individuals since the senior team started performing so well, and how so many people seem excited about the prospect of following their team in the PSL, and watching SFC against teams like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates right here in Stellenbosch,” Benadie said.
With the support of the new owners, SFC also made some exciting transfers to bolster the squad. These include experienced local campaigners Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Marc van Heerden (Amazulu) and Mpho Matsi (Cape Town City), as well as exciting foreign players such as Dutchman Boy de Jong and Mexican Diego Morales.
SFC coach Steve Barker was very optimistic about the new additions to the team.
“We needed to add to our squad seeing that in the PSL there is also the Multichoice Diski Challenge, which adds an extra thirty matches to our season. This season is a big step up and for that we needed to add experience and depth to the squad,” Barker said.
SFC retained 18 of their 23 players from last season.
Barker further added that the levels of excitement in the squad increased since the start of the pre-season. “Each and every player knows what the vision of the club is and buys into what we are trying to establish and achieve over the long-term,” he said. “It is not only very special and exciting for them as individuals to play in the PSL but also to be part of history and writing a brand new chapter for sport and football in Stellenbosch.”
Barker confirmed that the pre-season has been successful and that they are ready for the upcoming season. “We look forward to kicking the season off in the iconic Nelson Mandela Stadium on Saturday, followed by a Cape derby in the Cape Town Stadium,” he said.
Despite all the excitement, there is still uncertainty regarding a home stadium. “The club intends on playing its home matches in Stellenbosch but to date has not secured a venue that is compliant with the rules of the PSL,” Eunice Visagie, spokesperson of SFC, said.
Benadie added that discussions for a home stadium are still ongoing. “There are rightfully so, strenuous safety and eventing rules in our country and the PSL complies to these,” he said. “We are in discussions with the Stellenbosch University regarding their Danie Craven and Coetzenburg Stadiums as well as with the Stellenbosch Municipality regarding Idas Valley Sport Stadium.”
If SFC can’t reach an agreement with the above-mentioned parties, they will have to initially play at the Athlone and Cape Town Stadiums. “We are quietly confident that all parties will work together to find a solution so that we can ensure that PSL matches are hosted right here in Stellenbosch. We feel this is not only important for the team’s performance but a responsibility we have to the people of Stellenbosch and the Winelands,” Benadie said.
SFC played their home NFD matches at the Idas Valley Sport Stadium last season.
After the opening match against Chippa United, SFC will play the first derby of the season when taking on Cape Town City FC at the Cape Town Stadium on 10 August. That is followed by Maritzburg United on 25 August.