Mpengesi wants NMB clubs to follow in Chippa’s footsteps
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Chippa United chair Siviwe Mpengesi said his wish was for local soccer clubs in Nelson Mandela Bay to follow his team’s footsteps into the DStv Premiership.
He said this on Thursday when he was discussing the club’s renewal of the sponsorship with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
The city will sponsor the club R6m a year for three years, as well an additional R7m a year in anchor tenant fees.
It will also pay R500,000 a year in marketing fees.
The Eastern Cape-based professional club was founded in January 2010 when Mpengesi purchased the Vodacom League franchise of Paarl-based Mbekweni Cosmos.
Chippa played one season in the third tier and another season in the National First Division before making their way into the PSL.
However, the team were relegated in their first season in the top-flight football during 2012/13, but bounced back in 2014/15 season after winning the NFD title.
Upon signing the renewal of the metro sponsorship, Mpengesi told executive mayor Thsonono Buyeye that the day would go down in the club’s history book.
“We always call ourselves a fortunate team because few of the PSL clubs in South Africa are enjoying this love that we are receiving from the community of Nelson Mandela Bay,” Mpengesi said.
“So, I am very happy to have signed this contract today.
“Today will be one of the memories that will always be there as part of the club’s history.
“This is our seventh season now in the PSL as residents of the PE. Our vision was always that 80% of our players must come from Nelson Mandela Bay.
“We are a club that started from nowhere. We started from grassroots and we never bought the status.
“So we are hoping that the small teams from our LFAs [Local Football Association] can learn from us as Chippa United, because one day we want to see another Chippa United here.
“There must another club from the development or the grassroots [that progresses to the PSL].”
He said it should not be a club from another province but a home-grown club from the Bay.
HeraldLIVE