Lawrence Maphosa
HIGHLANDERS Football Club has a solid history of remarkable players that contributed to the growth of the institution.
As Highlanders celebrates its centenary, it is prudent to look at some of the players who were outstanding throughout the 100 years broken down into different eras and departments in the club setup namely goalkeeping, right backs, left backs, central defence, central midfield, wingers, centre strikers, right attack and left attack
As we celebrate it will be good to go down memory lane looking at the best players of the club by position.
In the goalkeeping area so many names come up, they were outstanding individuals who kept guard in between the sticks.
Highlanders produced biggest names in the goalkeeping department namely Bruce Grobbelaar, Ananias Dube, Peter Nkomo, Tapiwa Kapini, Sydney Zimunya, Joseph ‘Masawa’ Tembo, Washington Arubi and Ariel Sibanda.
Bruce Grobbelaar joined Highlanders in 1974 and immediately took over the number one position from the trusted Ananias Dube who had been key in the Chibuku Trophy campaign on 1973 and regional league campaign.
Grobbelaar went on to prove his mantle on the world stage when he won the English championships with Liverpool and Uefa titles.
Peter Nkomo is one of the longest serving players in the history of Highlanders after having saved the club for more than 15 years and is the first goalkeeper to win league championship with the club after Independence in 1990.
Nkomo won the 1988 Goalkeeper of the Year ahead of Japhet Mparutsa, Brenna Msiska, John Sibanda and Peter Fanuel, great goalkeepers in their own right.
Tapiwa Kapini features in the elite group of goalkeepers that donned the black and white jersey with his famous jersey number 16, he was one of the first goalkeepers to take penalties for the club as well as saving them. Among Bosso goalkeepers he has the record of the most number of goals scored either ffrom open play or from the spot.
Ariel Sibanda tops the list of the Highlanders goalkeepers that broke and set records in the Zimbabwean football league, he is the only minder in the history of the local game to have won four Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
In terms of penalty conversions he is second to Kapini.
For 16 years he was in the Highlanders first team and makes him among the longest serving players at the institution.
Then on the rightbacks position, I have a few names but the best is Mercedes Sibanda who was the first player to win the Soccer Star of the Year award from Highlanders when he was crowned in 1987.
The legendary right back was runner-up to two other great players, Moses Chunga in 1986 and Ephraim Chawanda in 1988.
He once captained the Young Warriors while Willard Khumalo was his deputy and also the national team. He had a brief stint in Denmark with the late Rahman Gumbo.
Other notable rightbacks at Highlanders are Noel Kaseke, Lawrence Phiri, Fanuel Ncube, Sam Sibanda, Abraham Mbambo, Augustine Lunga, Simon Sibanda, Melusi Sibanda, Bekithemba Ndlovu, Zenzo Dabengwa, Chutika Tembo, Manase Mwanza and Andrew Mbeba.
Mbeba is one of the few defenders with many assists at the club, one to score from freekicks and more than once on the Soccer Star of the Year calendar.
As the club continues celebrating its centenary, the debate over the greatest players to play for the club will continue position by position and the leftback has a lot of talent. Names into focus are Dumisani Nyoni, Netsai Moyo, Gift Lunga Junior, Peter
Nyoni was a natural left footer who did not struggle with ball control and sending in crosses, swinging them in naturally and also he converted penalties so easy for the club.
Peter Zimuto was one of the best leftbacks that’s why he was selected into the then strong national team with great players of the late 1970s.
Lunga (Junior) transitioned to leftback with impressive assists records, did very well in that position from 1997 to 2003.
Central defence had very tough tackling players namely Douglas Mloyi, Itai Godzamapere, Cleopas Dlodlo, Dazzy Kapenya, Boet Van Ays, Peter Muduhwa, Melody Wafawanaka, McDonald Silongwe, William Mabika, mixed with skilful players like Alexander Maseko, Sikhumbuzo Ndebele, Thulani Ncube, Abraham Mbambo and Richard Ndlovu.
The central defence of Douglas Mloyi and Alexander Maseko was a formidable pairing that set high standards for upcoming players, who were promoted into the first team during that time namely Willard Khumalo, Mercedes Sibanda and Abraham Mbambo.
Kapenya and Ncube set standards too high too.
Next week Lawrence Maphosa looks at midfielders, wingers and strikers that made Highlanders.
