Doc’s memory bank: A well-balanced team they had

I remember the day I went to the stadium with my dad, like we always did whenever they were playing. I was still very young, but this one particular match between Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs stays with me to this day. You know, when they talk about a left-footed player, it is very rare for them not to have skill or flair. Like I said earlier, that Swallows team was formidable and could beat anyone. The likes of Andries Maseko and Ace Mnini would give opposition sleepless nights. They used to have Admiral as their technical sponsor and would wear a white jersey with maroon shorts and white socks. What a wellbalanced team they had! They had Bra James, Bra Shakes and Aaron “Roadblock” Makhathini, Frederick “Congo” Malebane, the late Daniel “Vader” Mophosho, to mention just a few. I was seated on the touchline and I remember this day vividly. Chiefs was coached by the late Eddie Lewis and I was so heartbroken because Chiefs were really up against it. This formidable Swallows team was giving them serious problems and they were defensively solid whenever Chiefs tried to forge an attack. We left the stadium with our heads down because Swallows beat Chiefs and it was not a nice feeling at all. The better team won and that was clear for all to see. As I mentioned earlier, if it was not for apartheid, these guys would have been world stars because of the talent they had. With social media now, I can only imagine the level of interest that would have been attracted by these legends’ talents.