Online Reporter
Noel Munzabwa in Siteki, Eswatini
BULAWAYO Chiefs have earned themselves a slot among the most promoted teams this millennium.
Chiefs were promoted back to the PSL in the just ended Zifa Southern Region League.
Their coach John Nyikadzino is becoming the king of promotions after leading four different teams to First Division glory, Amakhosi were this season completing a hat-trick of promotions joining the trio of Black Rhinos, Hwange Football Club and Shabanie Mine.
Nyikadzino, a previous promotion winner with Chapungu, Nichrut and Sheasham added his fourth with Bulawayo Chiefs, earning his flowers to the record but for the once kings of social media, it eked them a place among the most promoted teams.
Indeed to borrow from the English champions, Liverpool, Bulawayo Chiefs are not walking alone in the promotion sunshine.
Having bagged their first promotion as Plumtree Chiefs in 2013, which they later ‘donated’ to Bantu Rovers, adding the second in 2017 — the 2025 promotion became their third — a feat, which had only been achieved by three teams.
Hwange won promotion in 2008, 2018 and 2022, Black Rhinos have achieved theirs in 2008, 2012 and 2016 with Shabanie Mine having completed their treble in 2000, 2009 and 2016.
Of the four treble promotion winning record holders, only Hwange have spent the least number of seasons in First Division football this millennium — four seasons (2008, 2018, 2022 and 2025) — with Black Rhinos spending seven seasons (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016 and 2025) while Shabanie Mine have now spent 11 seasons (2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021/22, 2023, 2024 and 2025).
Numbers don’t lie, three teams carry the dreaded and unwanted millennium record of four relegations from premiership namely Black Rhinos, Hwange football Club and Zimbabwe Saints.
Until 2023, this record was held by Chauya Chikwata (or is it Chaenda Chikwata), Zimbabwe Saints with Hwange Football Club joining them in 2024.
The 1988 Super League champions not only hold the fastest relegation treble — unmatched three in five seasons (2002, 2004 and 2006) but also broke and extended their millennium record to four in 2011 probably explaining the “super” in what is sometimes used as Super Chikwata.
Black Rhinos’ relegation cards has 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2023 while Hwange Football Club has 2007, 2017, 2019 and 2024 completing list of the joint holders of the most relegated teams.
And yet Bulawayo Chiefs remains three relegations away from the bad boys record, having suffered relegation only once, in 2024.
As of today, chances of a new entry to that record remain remotely out as the other teams sitting on three relegations are either defunct or sweating it out in First Division.
There are at least four clubs that have been relegated three times this millennium namely Bantu Rovers (2010, 2014 and 2017), Chapungu (2003, 2008 and 2019), Masvingo United (2002, 2008, 2011) and Shabanie Mine (2006, 2014 and 2018).
