admin
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
MANCHESTER United Zimbabwe Supporters will converge at two venues in Bulawayo this afternoon as they launch their chapter in the city with a match of their own to be followed by them watching their team in action against Chelsea.
The Red Devils fans will converge at Crescent Sports Club where they will play a social soccer match in their DHL-sponsored kits. From there, they will proceed to Hartsfield Tshisa Nyama to witness, on the big screen, Manchester United taking Chelsea in a league match at Old Trafford.
Shepherd Kamuruko, the Manchester United Zimbabwe supporters chapter chairperson said they were looking forward to have a fun filled afternoon with the club’s fans based in Bulawayo as they get to share the club’s vision.
“We want to make the Manchester United Supporters Club Zimbabwe a national thing rather being viewed as a Harare project. Our idea is to bring every Manchester United supporter in Zimbabwe on board so we can share the same feelings and vision of the supporters club,” Kamuruko said.
Based on their online activity and the events they manage to organise, Manchester United fans are the most organised of all English Premiership supporters in Zimbabwe. They already have a website, with their Twitter page having over 10 000 followers with the second best being the Chelsea Zimbabwe account with just over 4 000 followers while Arsenal have less than 200 following their Twitter handle.
In February, Manchester United Supporters Club Zimbabwe productively held the first DHL United Delivered tour as part of the global expedition held in acknowledged countries where fans come together as one. The event which was held at Alexandra Sports Club in Harare saw the club’s fans from all over in Zimbabwe engaging in a clean-up campaign in the capital city. DHL are the official transport and logistics partner for Manchester United.
Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation representatives attended the official opening where the trophy was handed out on behalf of Minister Kirsty Coventry.
At the end of last year, the Manchester United Zimbabwe Supporters Club got their operating licence as well as certificate of registration as a social club from the Sports and Recreation Commission. The Zimbabwe chapter’s ultimate goal is to get recognition from the parent club in England. At the moment, the only supporters clubs in Africa officially known by Manchester United are those in Egypt and South Africa.
Online Reporter