Highbury FC wrapped on knuckles for failing to honour league fixture

Port Elizabeth-based ABC Motsepe league side Highbury FC have been issued with a warning, and could find themselves in hot water after failing to honour a fixture against Bizana Pondo Chiefs in eMaXesibeni two weeks ago.

The match was scheduled to take place at Mount Aylif stadium on 15 February, but resulted in a 2-0 walkover for Pondo Chiefs due to the nonarrival of Highbury.

Eastern Cape Safa provincial executive member, Isaac Klaas, confirmed that mid-table dwellers Highbury have been handed a written warning.

“Since this is their first time failing to honour a fixture we gave them a warning and awarded the match points to the opposite team.

“If they do it again, then the matter will be taken to the disciplinary committee and they will be fined.

“We do not care about the reasons why. We just follow the rules,” he said.

The reasons for Highbury’s failure to honour the game are unclear, but Klaas said the habit was a common practice during this time of the season.

“Teams like doing this kind of behaviour during the second half of the season.

“It is mostly often the teams who are on the top of the table who have enough points to see it as cost saving to not attend some fixtures.

“They are a mid table team fighting against relegation, so I fail to understand why they did not attend the fixture. It doesn’t make sense,” he said.

ABC Motsepe league sides each receive a monthly subsidy of R30,000 for transport related costs.

According to Klaas, each team before the start of the current 2019-2020 season agreed to pay costs for not attending fixtures.

“If your team is from East London, for example, and you have a fixture that is far, that could cost you about R13,000. If you fail to attend that fixture then you will have to pay those costs as a form of punishment” he said.

A month before the start of the current season Mthatha Bucks and Butterworth FC threw in the towel and put their clubs’ status up for sale due to financial challenges related to transport costs.

Clubs argue that at a minimum of R150,000 is required for cover transport related costs.

Klaas is urging club owners to be prepared when joining the third tier league.

“You need to be prepared financially for this league. We know clubs often run to the papers about the issue of transport. You join the league at your own risk,” he said.

The proposal of teams for an improved subsidy could hit a pitfall after Safa recorded a R74m loss during the 20182019 financial year due to squabbles with the SABC over broadcasting rights.