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Danai Chitakasha-Special Correspondent
ANY keen follower of the South African league will have been saddened to hear that KickOff Magazine, which many considered as the “Football Bible” in that country, will publish its last hard copy this September.
The founder of the magazine Mark Gleeson, who started it in 1994 said: “Rising inflation, increasing fuel, paper prices, a decline in circulation and advertising sales in the past ten years have taken their toll.
“The demise comes at a time when the game is at a low ebb which is sad. I am bereft…!”
The sadness is understandable because this was a very enriching football magazine which covered the length and breadth of all matters South African Football.
Many of our Zimbabwean football stars now call South Africa home and they featured prominently on the cover of this magazine.
It is interesting to note that the one which featured Robson Muchichwa broke sales records. Whether it was the attraction of Muchichwa who was then at Kaizer Chiefs on the cover or other topics in the publication which led to the record sales, cannot be ascertained but the fact that Muchichwa was on the cover is very interesting from this side of the Limpopo.
Was he the star attraction? I cannot rule it out since he was having a blinder of a season that year.
The only comfort is that the magazine will continue with its online edition.
However, a hard copy is always a collector’s item and the cessation of publications will be felt by the readers in South Africa.
My knowledge of South African football was enriched by this magazine.
Online Reporter