Founder members of the NPSL

Several attempts to form a black professional soccer league failed in the 1960s, first through regime sabotage as its intransigence destroyed the SA Soccer League.

Later efforts to kick off the National Professional Soccer League were stymied by a combination of lack of money and organisational disfunction.

But finally in 1971 the NPSL was launched, and Pirates were among the founder members of the organisation that has led directly to the current day Premier Soccer League.

Black supporters had watched for more than a decade as the whites had their own league, the National

Football League, and so the launch of the NPSL was the cause of much pride and excitement for downtrodden communities.

Pirates were one of the first clubs to commit formally and the Buccaneers have been ever-presents since, along with their arch rivals Chiefs, and won nine championships, the

last of which in 2012.

Pirates played away at Bloemfontein Celtic in their opening game on April 3, 1971, and won 2-0, going on to become the first ever champions.

They finished the season one point ahead of Chiefs, winning 17 of their 24 games with a total of 38 points. In those days, two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw.

Pirates would go on to win four of the first six seasons and were the dominate force of the NPSL, which in 1977 added the white clubs to their ranks.

In 1985 there was a breakaway, including Pirates, to form the National Soccer League, which a decade later was rebranded as the Premier Soccer League.

Pirates have been champions nine times in total since 1971, behind Mamelodi Sundowns (14) and Chiefs (12).