THE Highlanders story would be incomplete without dedicating a page to the men who proudly wore the captain’s badge and led the team with distinction to many conquests that have defined the 100-year-old football club.
Each generation of players had its own captains, coaches and leaders on the field, men who went to the toss and made decisions as crucial as which side to take while sometimes guiding other players on the field of play.
While the toss may seem just a pre-match ritual, in some instances, there are factors taken into consideration when making that simple decision.
Some captains consider the direction of the wind and the position of the sun and how they might affect their defence or attack.
Others consider the fans. Older Bosso fans believed that scoring at the Soweto end in the second half was the right omen to drive the boys on.
Some captains simply continued the tradition because that was how they had always found it.
“They always attacked the Soweto end in the second half in the past,” was one former captain’s answer when asked about it.
One captain felt that scoring at the Mpilo end was an advantage because as the sun began to set in the west, it would trouble the goalkeeper.
There is no scientific measure to settle the debate over who was the greatest. The circumstances differed during each captain’s tenure.
Some captained the club when it was in turmoil; others did so when sponsorship was plentiful. Others were captains when Highlanders swam in a pool of mediocrity, with players staying at the club because of who had brought them there or because the club lacked the resources to find better players.
But even in a class of dull pupils, there is always a leader. Such has been the case at Highlanders.
Lawrence Phiri, who was successful as both a player and a manager said appointing a captain was not merely routine.
“Coaches looked at a number of things, including an individual’s characteristics and how he fitted into the team, to determine whether he could meet expectations. Discipline and authority were among the traits coaches looked for.
“At times, we appointed troublesome players so that they would tone down and become leaders of the group,” said Phiri, who was captain during the 1976–77 split that gave birth to Olympics.
Phiri said that, in his time, the legendary Tymon Mabaleka was captain. He was a disciplined player who led by example, serving the club well both on and off the pitch. He wore the captain’s armband in many cup victories, including the 1980 Chibuku and Heroes Cup triumphs.
Adding to his status at the club, where he could be viewed as its best player of the decade from 1971 to 1980, Mabaleka went on to become the first Highlanders player to be capped at senior level after Independence.
Edward ‘Sales House’ Dzowa captained Highlanders in the 1970s. A left-footed player who weathered the 1963 Cobras split alongside the likes of Silas Ndlovu, Edward ‘Magungubala’ Dlamini and Nichodemus Sibanda, he was a disciplinarian with a commanding voice and presence.
He had the charisma and drive to lead, having been with the club from the 1950s until his retirement in the mid-1970s.
Another early club captain was Andrew ‘Scrupata’ Jele.
Jele joined from Wankie FC following an agreement under which the coal miners helped Bosso after it had lost several players to Cobras.
After a friendly match held to raise funds for uniforms, balls and operating expenses, Wankie officials offered Jele who spoke Ndebele and had some family in Bulawayo the opportunity to join Highlanders.
For decades, players moved between the two teams with ease. The most notable were Barry Daka, Sebastian Sibanda, Barton Mwalukuka and Rodrick Simwanza, all of whom are deceased, and Chenjerayi Dube, now the goalkeepers’ trainer at ZPC Kariba.
In the 1980s, Highlanders enjoyed a fine run of cup successes. The club had also enjoyed a strong spell from 1973 to 1976, with great players such as Boet Van Ays, Cavin Duberley, Tommy Masuku, Itai Chieza, Peter Bepe, Stanley Nyika, Jeoffrey Mpofu, Benjie Mpofu, Josiah Nxumalo, Martin Kennedy, Bruce Grobbelaar, Billy Sibanda and Majuta Mpofu.
At the heart of that success were talented and hard-working players such as Madinda Ndlovu, Netsai Moyo, Tito Paketh, Douglas Mloyi, Amin Soma-Phiri, David Phiri, Titus Majola, Tutani Moyo, Peter Nkomo, Nqobizitha Maenzanise, Alexander Maseko, Mercedes Sibanda, Willard Khumalo, Richard Ndlovu, Cephas Sibanda, Tobias Mudyambanje, Dumisani Nyoni, Dumisani Ngulube, Tanny Banda, Bigboy Ndlovu, Mark Watson and Abraham Madondo.
Lawrence Phiri managed the team in 1980.
“We had some problematic players in that era and at times the best thing was to appoint some of them as captains so that they would try to lead by example. At times, it worked wonders,” said Lawrence.
He said Mloyi, Khumalo and Mercedes Sibanda were considered for captaincy as a way of keeping them in check.
“For players like Mloyi, Mercedes and Willard, we did that as a disciplinary measure. They were very good players,” said Phiri.
Some of the captains during Phiri’s tenure as coach and manager included Abraham Mbambo, Mercedes, Khumalo, Mloyi, Nkomo and Fanuel Ncube, who played with great effort and dedication and was loved by the fans.
With Khumalo’s surname resonating with the founding family, fans roared “Nduuunaa” as if in approval of his ‘royal status.’ He had the charisma and talent of Mloyi and another brilliant player of the era, Mercedes.
Blessing Gumiso, who arrived in 1998 as a striker from Mutare United before being moved to anchorman by the late Rahman Gumbo and Benjamin Moyo, paid tribute to Thulani Ncube, nicknamed Biya, as the best captain he played under.
It was an era in which Highlanders won four consecutive titles, as well as a league-and-cup double in 2001. The league titles came in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
Melusi Ndebele, Dazzy Kapenya, Biya and Bekithemba Ndlovu wore the captain’s badge during this period. It was probably the club’s most successful run, with a team of great players comparable to the other two distinct successful periods of the 1970s and 1980s.
Gilbert Banda stands out among the club’s captains of the past 20 years. He was the last to lift a league championship, leading a team featuring key players Honour Gombami, Vusa Nyoni, Ralph Matema and Obidiah Tarumbwa.
Ariel Sibanda, Highlanders’ most successful goalkeeper as an individual, was the last captain to wear the armband when Highlanders beat Ngezi Platinum 1–0 to win the Chibuku Super Cup in 2019.
Eric Mudzingwa, Felix Chindungwe, Peter Muduhwa and Innocent Mapuranga also captained Highlanders sides that showed promise but failed to win the title after 2006.
