A grand parade for Birmingham
Newly promoted ABC Motsepe League team Birmingham City unveiled 11 new players over the weekend as they prepare to enter their maiden third-tier league season which starts on Wednesday.
Former Mthatha Bucks and Baroka left-wing, Loyiso Simandla is part of the new City squad, and the club’s chairperon Vusi Khumalo said they couldn’t pass the opportunity of getting an experienced player of his calibre into the team.
“We basically signed 10 players and we promoted one from our junior side, and just to have a bit of experience we’ve brought back [Loyiso] Simandla.
“We couldn’t let a former Birmingham City player who was campaigning at a higher level pass us. He’s now back in the club where he started his football career.
“So that’s the first big signing that we have,” said Khumalo.
City has also signed Awethu Makeleni and Awonke Bamisi, both from Willows, that’s campaigning in the SAB League, and Sive Gweja and Nkuthalo Makapela, from Mighty Tali- ban. “When we got promotion we told ourselves that we needed to sign those two boys [Makeleni and Bamisi].
“Plus we had to sign Nkuthalo Makapela as well, because he’s a young promising boy who was the top goalscorer for the Eastern Cape at the U21 national championships [recently held at King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban].
“And we have added two experienced goalkeepers, Sinalo Mathyolo, and Yonela Ntlanganiso – who’s a young promising keeper.
“Ntlangiso is a 20-year-old boy who was playing for Bhisho Stars.
“Mathyolo, we got him from the runners of the SAB League who were giving us a tough time for two seasons – Mighty Swallow.”
City has also roped in an experienced centre-back from North West, Lindokuhle Ndoni and they have retained Victor Gomeni as head coach and Khumalo believed the new signings would make a huge difference in the team.
“We promoted one of our juniors whom we feel is ready to compete at high level, Lonwabo Mnxeba, and we have kept our coach.
“We didn’t just sign any player, but we sat down with technical team and looked at the areas we needed to reinforce.
“And we are proud to say that out of the entire squad 16 of the players are U23s. We have a young team and we are planning for the future with these young boys.”
He added that the club’s plan was to maintain its third-tier league status.
“The plan is to keep our status for the next season, and learn how things are done in this league, because it’s important that our players know how things work here.
“But give us two seasons, and then the boys will be matured enough and then we’ll challenge for the title.”
He said one of the new signings, Athayanda Mdelwa, was a player to watch for during this season.
“He’s from Mthatha. He came early to the trials and we gave him a chance and we saw potential in him, and I think he’s promising to be a good striker.”
The East London-based outfit will kick off their campaign with an encounter against Future Tigers at the Central Stadium in Uitenhage.
The plan is to keep our status for the next season, and learn how things are done in this league