Moroka Swallows F.C.

Moroka Swallows Football Club (often known as simply Swallows or The Birds) is a South African professional football club based in Soweto in the city of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province. They compete in the National First Division and play their home matches at Dobsonville Stadium.

Moroka Swallows
Full nameMoroka Swallows Football Club
Nickname(s)The Birds, The Beautiful Birds,
The Dube Birds
Founded10 October 1947
GroundVolkswagen Dobsonville Stadium, Soweto,
Johannesburg
Capacity24,000
OwnerUnknown Consortium
ChairmanDavid Mogashoa
Coach Brandon Truter
LeagueNational First Division
2018–197th

Founded in 1947, Swallows are one of the original two Soweto clubs, together with Orlando Pirates.

Until relegation in the 2014–15 season, the club had played every season of the Premier Soccer League.[1]

History

The club was founded in the 1940s by a trio of soccer lovers, Ishmael Lesolang, Strike Makgatha, and Johnny Kubheka.[2]

They originally named the side Congregated Rovers after the firm in which most of the players and officials worked, later changing it to Moroka Rovers.[3]

But then, on 10 October 1947, the trio decided to change the name again to Moroka Swallows, basing themselves in the township formally known as Masakeng.[4]

The name has lasted for the best part of 55 years, a period which has seen consistent success both on the field and off it.[5]

The name 'moroka' means 'rain maker' in Setswana and the township was probably named after Chief Moroka of Barolong boo-Seleka who became the president of the ANC in 1940s. It is hardly surprising therefore that the club was renamed the 'rain bird'.

The 1950s and 1960s were a successful time for the club, culminating in their greatest ever achievement, winning the South African League title in 1965.[6]

Off the field, the club was becoming a business and in 1971 they became the first ever football team to register as a public company.

That same year they were also the first to receive an official sponsorship when Teljoy began their association with the club. [7] The decade between 1982 and 1992 was a successful one for the team, culminating in four pieces of silverware.[8]

In 2007 the club celebrated its 60th anniversary. Two years later Swallows won the Nedbank Cup, the club's first piece of silverware for five years.[9]

The club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2013–14 season, finishing thirteenth. The 2014–15 season saw them relegated for the first time in their history, finishing 15th, and failing to retain their position after being defeated in the promotion-relegation playoffs.[10]

Following their first relegation from the top level, the club finished bottom of the log in the National First Division, and were relegated again to the SAFA Second Division.

Prior to the start of the 2018–19 season, Swallows purchased the franchise of National First Division team Maccabi for R8 million, and will compete in the 2019–20 National First Division.

Honours

Club records

Source:[11]

Premier Soccer League record

Club officials/Technical team
  • MD & CEO: Leon Prins
  • General manager: Sipho Xulu
  • Team manager: Bennet Mtshali
  • Coach: * Fani Madida
  • Assistant coach: Fani Madida
  • Goalkeeper coach: Edgard da Silva

Source:[12]

First team squad

As of 12 March 2015.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 GK Obren Čučković
2 DF Rudi Isaacs
3 DF Boris Savić
4 DF Tsietsi Mahoa
5 MF Eurico Marques
6 DF Ashraf Hendricks
7 MF Lantshene Phalane
8 MF Lucky Baloyi
10 FW Siyabonga Nomvethe
11 MF Dikgang Mabalane
12 MF Lefa Tsutsulupa (Captain)
13 MF Kevin Omondi
14 MF Lerato Chabangu
15 DF Giulio Giuricich
16 MF Luyolo Nomandela
No. Position Player
17 MF Mthokozisi Yende
18 FW Vuyisile Wana
19 DF Luvhengo Mungomeni
20 MF Philani Cele
21 MF Sandile Sibande
22 MF Thiago Rodrigo
23 FW Tshwarelo Bereng
24 MF Felix Obada
28 DF Larry Cohen
29 GK Sage Shane Stephens
31 DF Shere Lekgothoane
34 GK Greg Etafia
45 MF Anver Esterhuizen
47 MF Vladimir Mandic

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Foreign players who have acquired permanent residency can be registered as locals.

Notable former coaches

References
  1. PSL Club Info Archived 16 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Moroka Swallows Football Club - Succession". Moroka Swallows Football Club. 23 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. "The history of Moroka Swallows Football Club". Moroka Swallows Football Club. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. "PART 2: THE FIRST DECADE (1947-1957)". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  5. "THE SECOND DECADE (1957-1967)". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  6. "MOROKA SWALLOWS BIG XV 1968-1978". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 6 June 2015. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. "PART 5: THE FOURTH DECADE (1979-1988)". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  8. "PART 6: THE FIFTH DECADE (1989-1998)". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  9. "PART 7: THE SIXTH DECADE (1999-2008)". Moroka Swallows Online. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  10. "Moroka Swallows' relegation a historic one in South Africa". ESPN FC. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  11. "Moroka Swallows". Kickoff.com. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
  12. Kickoff PSL Yearbook 2013/2014, p. 32.
  13. "Moroka Swallows Have Appointed Craig Rosslee As Head Coach". www.soccerladuma.co.za. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
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