Times Of Swaziland: MHLAMBANYATSI ROVERS NO MORE MHLAMBANYATSI ROVERS NO MORE ================================================================================ BY ASHMOND NZIMA on 25/09/2015 07:15:00 MBABANE – Former Premier League champions, Mhlambanyatsi Rovers, will soon be history. They are one of the oldest and most successful teams in the country, having been formed in 1963. The 2003/4 MTN League champions, who will start campaigning in the Manzini Super League this weekend following their relegation from the National First Division League in the past season, entered into a merger with Mankanyane Promotion League outfit CNB Football Club this week to dissolve the old structure. According to documents in our possession, the outfit will be known as CNB Rovers with effect from the 2016/17 season. CNB Chairman is Lincoln Dlamini, who ironically, was the Director at Rovers until last season. “For the purposes of conformity in 2015/16, the name Mhlambanyatsi Rovers shall not be changed. The agreement to have the new set-up was made between CNB management and Rovers’ Council of Elders who include Joseph Dlamini, who is retired forward Mfanizile ‘Fash’s father. As part of the agreement, all players with the old team are now free agents. “The partners/owners, managers of the surviving Football Club shall have a sole and exclusive control of the ‘new’ Mhlambanyatsi Rovers Football Club in 2015/16 and CNB Rovers Football Club from the 2016/17 season,” reads the agreement. “The directors and officers of the new club shall be appointed by CNB Rovers.” One of the country’s oldest teams, Rovers suffered the discomfiture of being relegated from the Premier League on May 2, 2011. They lost their National First Division status at the end of the past season. ‘Sibaya Esikhulu’ as they are widely known; were first relegated in 1979 and regained promotion in 1985. The club used to make waves in local football and produced several stars who include Sihlangu skipper Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze, Young Buffaloes’ Mpendulo ‘Baiano’ Kunene, Manzini Wanderers captain Gcina ‘Kwere’ Mazibuko, retired burly forward Mfanuzile ‘Fash’ Dlamini, former Swazi international Mzwandile ‘Navara’ Ndzimandze and midfielder Lwazi ‘Zidane’ Maziya, among others.