‘BIG 3’ DESERVE AUTOMATIC PLE SEATS – LANDERS’ ALLY

MBABANE – They hold the key to the country’s Premier League of Eswatini’s (PLE) success.

That is the three biggest teams in the land, Mbabane Highlanders, Mbabane Swallows and Manzini Wanderers as indicated in the PLE AGM reports. In reaction to the news that his club Highlanders collected the most revenue and were the most watched team in the past season, which did not play to the end, the black and white side’s director, Chief Ally Kgomongwe minced no words about the power of the team and their two other big rivals.

“Our supporters should be proud to know that we pumped in the money into the PLE coffers and also made good revenue through their support. With the PLE going to elections this weekend (today), I think it says one thing, that the big three teams should automatically be in the PLE leadership,” Kgomongwe said. He said the statistics from the PLE 2019/20 review report were a clear sign that football in the country was nothing without Highlanders, Wanderers and Swallows.

voted

“It’s time we’re taken seriously as the big clubs in the league. We need to have automatic seats as opposed to being voted for to be in PLE Executive. If we can do that, I think even the sponsors and other countries like South Africa would take us even more seriously. Even in PSL, the big teams have the say as opposed to having smaller clubs make decisions for them,” Kgomongwe said.

He said if this could not happen during the AGM which continues today at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini after being postponed last week due to time restrictions under the COVID-19 regulations, then it must happen in next election.

return

“Coming back to our supporters, I want to thank them for their loyalty. I said when I arrived last year that even those who had decided to stay away from the club would return and must still return because we need to grow bigger and stronger. We’ve made few new supporters for ourselves and we can keep going but that also takes building a strong team that can win trophies,” he said.

He said the club was already moving forward in terms of meeting the much-required Confederation of African Football (CAF) Club Licensing as they have an office, a clubhouse, a leased training ground, junior structures among some of the basics. 

progress

He added that they were also looking at launching the club’s website soon but that was still work in progress. 

Highlanders reportedly made over E2m in revenue last season after winning the Charity Cup; finished as runners-up of the Ingwenyama Cup, quarterfinalist in EswatiniBank Cup and over E300 000 was from ticket sales. Swallows were second with over E200 000 from ticket sales.

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