North End, Safa legend Peffer bows out after brave fight
CEDRIC Peffer, arguably one of the greatest North End and Safa Border amateur footballers of all time, passed away on Saturday after losing his long battle with cancer.
He was 62.
Peffer passed away peacefully on Saturday morning at his residence where he had been receiving treatment since last year.
Peffer, fondly known by his peers as Sikkie, was a football wizard down the wing.
Apartheid denied this great talent from plying his trade in the professional football arena. He played all his life for Parkside and Buffalo Flatsbased Saints FC under the then North End-based Border Soccer Board, which was affiliated to the South African Soccer Federation.
He was a member of the Saints Football Club sides of the 70s and 80s that swept all before them, including winning 12 Easter Football Tournament Championship trophies at the North End Stadium.
Many football connoisseurs regarded Saints FC as arguably one the greatest national federation amateur football club sides of its generation.
He went on to enthrall the crowds in the domestic league and at provincial level with his flair down the wing. He was the outstanding talent in the Saints side that won the South African Soccer Federation Club Champ of Champs at Curries Fountain in Durban in 1982 when the East London-based outfit defied all and sundry by defeating tournament favourites, Western Province-based Battswood in the final on penalties.
He was also a member of the Border Football representative sides that won the SA Soccer Federation Provincial Championship trophy three years in a row, from 1979-1981. When Saints FC affiliated to Mdantsane Soccer Board in 1987 Cedric was voted Mdantsane Soccer Board Player of the Year after leading his side to the ’87 domestic league and cup double. He was also a member of the Mdantsane Soccer Board representative side that won the Interprovincial tournament in 1987, when they beat Griqualand West 2-1 in the final.
He was fondly known as Maradona by the huge Mdantsane football faithful, who adored him during the period from 1987-1990 when he scored plenty of goals for Saints and Mdantsane Soccer Board in the club, interprovincial and inter-district competitions.
Peffer represented the first unified Football Association of Border representative sides from 1991-1993, and was instrumental in the Saints club side that won the first unified Football Association of Border league championship trophy in 1991, going on to defend the title in 1992 and 1993, including sweeping the board in 1993.
He retired from competitive football in 1997 and went on to play for Rovers Masters in the East London Central LFA Masters Football League. Cedric collected many individual awards during his football career at Saints and while representing Border.
Former footballing great Geoffrey Gamiet, who captained Saints FC, Border and the South Africa Soccer Federation sides, described Cedric as “naturally athletic, tough, confident and a football genius”.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow evening at 86 Dippenaar Circle, Fynbos and will be hosted by Saints Football Club. Another service is on Thursday from 7pm at the St Martins Catholic Church in Buffalo Flats. He is survived by his wife Arlene and daughter Zeyana.