Online Reporter
Lovemore Dube, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE football legend Gibson Homela was known as a player with a fiery temper during his playing days; very few dared confront him.
On Sunday, he opened up at his 79th birthday party about an incident that happened in 1979 when his Zimbabwe Saints were held to a 3-3 draw by the rising Caps Rovers, and he was sent off after assaulting referee Paul Williams.
The drawn final was played at Rufaro Stadium before a capacity crowd.
This was in the final of the Chibuku Trophy, eventually won 5-2 by Caps United in a replay at Barbourfields Stadium.
“While we were playing, it must have been 1-1, there was a clash between my teammate Max Tshuma and the Caps Rovers one was Tobias (Moyo). The referee blew the whistle and ran to the two players. There was a clash between the two and the referee rushed and issued a card to Max. Max could be rough, I thought it was a 50-50 tussle,” said Homela.
Homela said he was stunned to be given his marching orders after, as team captain, he had gone to Williams to ask why only Tshuma had been booked.
“I went to the referee as the team captain to ask why he was issuing a yellow card to one player. He was carrying a yellow card, and he pulled out a red card, meaning I was being given marching orders for asking why he had flashed a yellow card only to one player. As he raised the red card, I hit him hard with my fist and he ran along the touchline trying to escape. I ran after him. As we got to an exit point, I sat on his heels. Behind was a cop chasing me, who eventually caught me. A second joined, but let me loose, and then I hit him too,” said Homela.
A sergeant who was watching the drama ordered that they let him free.
“I then went to sit on the terraces as a player who had been sent off,” said the former Saints and national team coach.
For the offence, Homela was banned for life from the game and only got a reprieve after an appeal the following year, just as the country was being re-admitted to the FIFA family, having been suspended in 1970.
But prior to that incident, Homela’s temper had been exhibited in a cup game when he beat up a ‘muti man’ for double-dipping.
It is alleged the ‘muti man’ had been dispatched as the advance party for a final against Mangula (Mhangura) that was to take place at Harare’s Rufaro Stadium.
Leaving on Thursday, it was expected he would cast a spell on the opposition, but come match day, Hove, as the man was called, came out leading Mangula and celebrated the team’s goals.
After the match, he taunted the Bulawayo team and received a thorough beating from Homela and his defence partner, the late Emmanuel Sibanda.
Homela is regarded as one of the best players ever for Zimbabwe Saints and the country.
