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This week marks 30 years on the dot since the first game of a brand-new Premier Soccer League (PSL) was played.
When the final whistle sounded in what was the Durban derby between AmaZulu and Manning Rangers, Usuthu had beaten their neighbours, with one Warren Lewis scoring one of the goals of the 2-0 win.
However, Rangers recovered to end the season having carved a piece of history. The name of the unfancied club was the first to be engraved on the coveted trophy.
Hordes of fans saluted as the Mighty Maulers of the Chatsworth Stadium slaughterhouse claimed the inaugural Castle Premiership crown.
The beer of Charles Glass flowed for the Gordon Igesund Class of ’96, which included fancy Solomuzi Nzimande, lanky George Koumantarakis, crafty Clinton Larsen, reliable Bradley Muir, trusted Grant Johnson, lively Innocent Chikoya, foxy Simon Makhubela, lethal Kerryn Jordan and bulldozing Gilbert Mushangzhike.
Seasons later, Rangers made another special entry in the history books. The now-defunct outfit remains the only PSL side to register the biggest margin of victory on opening day when they beat Hellenic 7-0.
Fallen by wayside
Eight of the teams that started the then 18-team top flight have fallen by the wayside. There were Michau Warriors of Wade du Plessis and Frank Schoeman.
Alex Bapela and Mpangi Merikani helped Mahwereleng Real Rovers narrowly avoid relegation by a point as they finished on 36 points, the same as Serame Letsoaka and Innocent Mayoyo’s Vaal Professionals.
Umtata Bush Bucks were blessed with the identical Mugeyi twins, Wilfred and William. Witbank Aces boasted player-coach Harris Cheou and Marco Mourmarda.
Wits University had Lovers Mohlala and Bradley Carnell. Steve Crowley and Andrew Tucker were at SuperSport United. In the green and white of Bloemfontein Celtic were George Nechironga and Simon Gopane.
Phumlani Dindi nestled in the nest of The Birds, which also housed one of the best left-backs, the late Jacob Lekgetho. Qwaqwa Stars featured Robinson Muchichwa and Fees Moloi. All these teams lie in the scrapheap of South African football oblivion.
New era
It was a game-changing season that heralded a new era. An era in which some clubs no longer paid players on the 32nd day of their 13th month.
An era which stopped clubs being administered from the boots of cars. I exaggerate, but you catch my drift.
An era that came with a R500,000 cheque for the winners and introduced the innovation that saw players donning jerseys bearing their names.
As it morphed through its different guises, headlined by sponsors such as Absa (2007-20), DStv (2020-24) and Betway (2025-26 to date), winners of the now 16-team elite league take home R20m. Participating clubs compete for more prize money as they chase glory in the MTN8, Carling Knockout and Nedbank Cup.
Allowing this crazy culture to continue unaddressed is to wait for another Orkney or Ellis Park disaster to happen.
It is more professional, with improved broadcast quality, and continues to be the main sport at the centre of conversation in the country. It rules the roost in the commercial stakes on the continent.
It benefits from the 2010 legacy of world-class infrastructure, which is also used by neighbouring countries that lack facilities meeting the international standards required by the Confederation of African Football and world governing body Fifa.
While stadiums remain the battlefields on which fierce football contests take place, the venues are fast becoming places to avoid for fans who value their safety above their love for the sport.
Too often, social media is awash with videos of supporters trapped in dangerous situations.
Dismissing the raising of the alarm about these incidents as alarmist is defeatist. Brushing aside warnings about fans flooding into stadiums without tickets and forcing their way in, is foolhardy.
Allowing this crazy culture to continue unaddressed is to wait for another Orkney or Ellis Park disaster to happen.
Dicing with death are the unruly crowds, putting the lives of orderly supporters at risk and inviting an avoidable stampede.
They bring the ugly to the beautiful game. It is poor form from citizens of a country that hosted the best World Cup in 2010. (Psst, don’t tell Donald T I said that.)
The template for good crowd control exists. What is lacking is the political will to implement it. Only the Holy Spirit knows why.
X – @bbkunplugged999
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