Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
FORGET about the glamour and hype that used to characterise Dynamos matches in the Eastern border city of Mutare when Dynamos was still Dynamos.
Forget about the sea of green flags and apparel that used to flood Mutare each time CAPS United used to come down for top-flight league matches at Sakubva Stadium.
Forget about the zebra like stripes that used to taint streets and public spaces of Mutare in the run-up to a football match involving Highlanders at Sakubva Stadium.
Mabviravira, as Scottland are fondly referred to by their growing fan base, are now the in-thing!
Indeed, times have changed as the Big Three now command small crowds of followers whenever they visit the City of Mutare, compared to what has been witnessed so far in the run-up to the Manica Diamonds encounter against Scottland at Sakubva Stadium tomorrow.
Netizens among the Scottland supporters in Mutare have also flooded social media space with content aimed at spreading the word of Mabviravira’s first ever top-flight league match at Sakubva Stadium.
That Scottland FC owner, Pedzisai Scott Sakupwanya comes from Manicaland has helped fuel the frenzy as word on the street has it that transport has already been arranged to ferry more fans from his rural home in areas around Watsomba.
Apparently, Scottland FC replica jerseys have been a common sight on the streets of Mutare of late.
Staunch Scottland FC fan, Malvin Makarawu, widely referred to in Mutare football circles as Schneider or Headmaster, the man behind most of the video clips circulating on social media about tomorrow’s match, said they intend to fill up Sakubva Stadium.
“We are running with the theme ‘fill up Sakubva Stadium as it’s Independence Day commemorations’. We have no doubt that we will do our best to support this team. We feel we have an obligation to support it because apart from playing good football, it is owned by one of us. It is against this background that we are calling upon every football loving person in Manicaland to spare time and effort to come watch this encounter,” he said.
Mutare football administrator and CAPS United supporter Lloyd Chinawa conceded that the Manica Diamonds vs Scottland encounter has created so much hype in Mutare.
“I think it is clear, and we must admit that the match pitting Manica Diamonds and Scotland FC has created so much pre-match hype and many people seem to be looking forward to it. This is exactly what we used to witness with matches involving CAPS United, Dynamos and Highlanders in the past. It seems the tables have turned. It remains to be seen, however, whether this allegiance will last long. If it does, then that will be good for football,” he said.
Scottland secretary general, Fortune Bwogni, said they are happy with the increasing number of fans following the club in their league matches.
“This is just our first year in the top-flight league, and we now have supporters’ chapters in all corners of the country. That is an achievement for us. We hope to build on that going forward. In fact, we know we are now having more than 45 000 supporters that are closely following and supporting the team. This is healthy for our football,” said Bwogni.
Online Reporter