Johannesburg – Bloemfontein Celtic have resurfaced in the ABC Motsepe League but Siwelele’s biggest fans say they will not support the club because the owner, Max Tshabalala, is playing with their emotions.
The club’s status was sold to flamboyant KwaZulu-Natal businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, but the former owner Tshabalala kept the name, the franchise and the ladies’ team.
The club’s general manager, Sainty Molale, said they were working hard to get back to the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
“We have been strengthening our team with good players,” Molale said.
“We are competing and facing the hardships of the third division [ABC Motsepe League].
“We are developing, and we want to go all the way to the PSL. Nothing has changed, it’s the same owners and we have no intentions of buying a status of another club, we will fight our way back by representing the province and getting to the [first division] GladAfrica Championship,” said Molale.
However, the club’s former national supporters’ chairperson Mabena Pule and number one fan Botha Msila said they had spoken to other fans and would not support the club. “We have cut ties with the club and Max Tshabalala.
He does not care about the people of Bloemfontein and the Celtic that we loved is gone. It’s a very sad state of affairs in Bloemfontein since the PSL season started.
He did not even speak to us, and we will not support the club.” Msila was more vocal and scathing in his criticism of the club owners: “They are playing with our emotions and feelings.
He killed the club and now he wants to rebuild it – it’s like we are a yoyo, going up and down. He is holding a remote control and presses whenever he wants to.
Where is the trust, what if we support the club and once it gets to the PSL they sell it once again?” asked Msila.
“He is a businessman, and we cannot interfere, but we will not support the club. The pain he caused to the people of Bloemfontein is too much and he must stop being arrogant.
He must come and address the people and apologise – the only thing he can do is to partner with the community in the running of the club.
“He really failed us, and we are trying to heal and live with the reality that we do not have a team in the PSL. So, how can we support the club?” asked Msila.
Celtic was sold in spectacular fashion in the off -season and the players and technical staff were yanked to the headquarters of Royal AM in Pietermaritzburg.
The deal was reported to be in the region of R50-million.
Royal AM’s GladAfrica Championship status was acquired by Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.
Celtic players and coaches have had a fantastic start in the PSL, sitting third on the log table before this weekend’s round of fixtures.
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