I played FA Cup – Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe

MBABANE – “People do not know that I played in an FA Cup.”

These were the words of former Mbabane Swallows lethal striker Mfanafuthi ‘Taribo’ Bhembe during an interview with this publication yesterday. He revealed that he was lucky to have played in the FA Cup in England while in the books of Buxton Football Club, which was campaigning in the lower divisions of the English football.

The former national team Sihlangu lanky forward revealed that they were invited for trials in the United Kingdom by a family friend of local football administrator Fritz ‘Mdala’ Selbie, alongside another former Umkhonto KaShaka striker Junior Fritz.

“We headed up to Yorkshire with Junior Fritz to Chesterfield Football Club for trials during a preseason and ended up playing for a low league club called Buxton for a season and within that period, I played the league and an FA Cup tie against Atherstone,” Bhembe said.

“People do not know that I am the only liSwati to play in the FA Cup tie hey, this was in the 2001/02 season,” he said.

The now Eswatini Teqball Federation (ETF) president said he came as a second half substitute in a packed mini-stadium and felt like all the eyeballs were on him. He, however, disclosed that they lost the game.

When quizzed about his experience of playing in one of the leading soccer nations in the world, the former South Africa’s Jomo Cosmos player said showcasing his talent in the UK was amazing.

“The level and tempo of the game is different as well as incredible with fast pace and hard tackle,” he said.

(Read more in tomorrow’s publication on the Legends Corner)