Football legend Mike Ntombela has teamed up with Moroka Swallows legend and former captain Andries Mpondo and legal eagle Levy Ramajoe in a bid to revive the Dube Birds, who were sold and were defunct at the end of last season.
Ntombela, who gained fame playing for Wits University and Mamelodi Sundowns, said they were holding consultative meetings to bring back Swallows from extinction.
He said they had their first meeting with the club’s supporters and interested parties in Soweto last week.
After a financial struggle, the Dube Birds faced difficulties in paying the salaries of players, coaches, and general staff.
The club’s financial woes were so deep they were fined and had points deducted after they failed to honour some of their PSL fixtures. At the end of the season, club owner David Mogashoa closed shop and sold their PSL status to Marumo Gallants’ owner Abram Sello.
“I could not sit back and watch such a big institution of our football collapse and evaporate into thin air just like that,” Ntombela, a former Adidas football manager, told Sunday World.
“I was also involved in the Swallows revival even in the first attempt, which brought the club back to the PSL after it was demoted to the fourth tier of SA football.
“I am not a Swallows fan, I am still a staunch Sundowns supporter but I do not care, when it’s a giant of SA football I am going to get involved. I did the same when Bloemfontein Celtic went under – I wrote articles and spoke to people in Bloemfontein,” he added.
“Swallows is one of the biggest clubs in the country and if they die just like that, it will affect our game. Imagine if Orlando Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs were to stop existing, it would be a tragedy.
“At this stage we are identifying people; we are assessing the situation; we are talking to friends who are influential and asking them to come on board and to assist.
“We are engaging the supporters, and we are coming up with ideas and plans that are sustainable. We are still at a consultative level with all parties involved.
“You will be surprised; the fans are still there. Most of them are now old. There are also young supporters, some of them drove to the meeting all the way from Tokoza.
“Some people say that it is wishful thinking – but we cannot just fold our hands,” he said.
“The meeting resolved that the Dube Birds are going to be partly owned by the supporters so that it can never be resold again.
“We are talking about crowd funding, but we are not experts in that field. We are encouraging experts, even from other clubs, to come on board.
“Swallows are going to stop this bad phenomenon of clubs being sold and moved to
other places.
“This is just the first phase. Going forward into the next step, we will discuss money
issues, contributions and other ideas needed in reviving this club,” he explained further.
