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Sports Reporter
THE Highlanders home match at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday was one of the least attended in history, incurring a deficit of about US$1700, as fans (pictured) chose to gather at the Highlanders club house where a fundraising event was held for the club.
Less than 2000 people are said to have turned up to watch Highlanders beat ZPC Kariba 2-0 and move up to third in the log standings of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table. But the victory was overshadowed by the event at the Club House where fans about 2000 fans, who decided to boycott the match turned up, and paid their match fees as a donation to the club that was recently fined US$6000 by the PSL for crowd trouble in Shamva.
It was also in that Chibuku Cup quarter final match in Shamva where hosts, Simba Bhora, were awarded a questionable penalty, which was protested by Highlanders leading to the abandonment of the match. Highlanders are waiting for the outcome of the Disciplinary Hearing that took place in Harare last week.
Barbourfields Stadium was empty as fans either chose to stay at home or gather at the Club house where artists like Jeys Marabini, Khaya Arts, Dziva lemvula, Thabiso the Poet and DJ Crazy D took turns to entertain fans from the afternoon until late at night. All the artistes donated their services for the event coordinated by a team of Highlanders members led by media personality Ezra “Tshisa” Sibanda. Fans from outside Bulawayo and those in the diaspora contributed to the fundraising event by buying tickets, with huge numbers recorded from the UK, Harare, Victoria Falls, Botswana and South Africa, among others. In a show of support, Harare giants, Dynamos’ fans bought 50 tickets at the Club House in a show of solidarity with their traditional rivals. The gate was manned by people seconded by the club who also sold the tickets.
“The BF match was a total disaster. There was a deficit of about US$1700 when the books were balanced and some service providers on the day were not paid as money raised was not enough. This explains what we have always been saying that Highlanders is the cash cow of football in Zimbabwe and the club deserves some respect. Last week in the mid-game against Arenel, about US$8000 was raised but after giving a share to other stakeholders like PSL, Zifa, SRC, BCC, police, private security, ambulances and cashiers, among others who include referees, the club was left with only US$2000.
“People voted with their feet on Sunday and the message has been sent to PSL, Zifa and all those at the top of football leadership that the game must be run professionally. We cannot allow cartels and referees to destroy the game. All the teams must be treated fairly, rich or poor. On Sunday it was Highlanders fans who decided to stay away from the match, and the question is who is next?” said a source close to goings on at Highlanders and PSL.
It has also emerged that there were futile frantic efforts at PSL and Highlanders to stop the match boycott event.
“Some in the club board wanted the event blocked. Some even suggested that it could be done when the team is playing an away match, but the tide was already in favour of the boycott, with even some executive members backing the match boycott as they felt the club had to send a message to PSL that it was being unfairly treated.”
After the match had ended at Barbourfields, Highlanders players and technical staff visited the Club house where a number of players took to the stage to greet their supporters, led by assistant coach Try Ncube and manager Netsayi Moyo.
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Online Reporter
Londile Moyo