The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Munzabwa, Sports Correspondent
FOR a football fanatic, the late American singer Aaliyah’s 1994 debut single Back and Forth later to headline her debut studio album, Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number written and produced by disgraced R&B singer R Kelly, could have but been prophetic to Hwange Football Club’s dithering football journey.
In that same year, when the modern day Premier Soccer League was celebrating completion of its first season won by Bulawayo giants Highlanders Football Club adding to their first-ever league title in 1990.
And in that same year Chipangano also affectionately known as The Fire in Action were part of the 14 premiership pioneering clubs that survived the dreaded relegation that swallowed Shu-Shine and Ziscosteel into its belly with coal miners finishing in 10th position.
In that same year, a Zimsec examiner and teacher at Marist Brothers Secondary School in Dete hailing from Matabeleland South’s Gwanda we called Mr Nyathi and nicknamed Blah Blah (probably because his of obese body frame, taught us this poetic English and little did he know we would use it and its superlatives today.
Prophetic indeed it penned out for Hwange who rebranded from the colonial linked Wankie at the dawn of the new millennium but alas instead of reaping at least a league title, the club has endured a “Back and Forth” dance between the country’s top two tiers of the game.
While Hwange has won promotion in 2008, 2018 and 2022, Black Rhinos have achieved theirs in 2008, 2012 and 2016 and Shabanie Mine completed their treble in 2000, 2009 and 2016.
Of the three treble promotion winning record holders, only Hwange have spent the least number of seasons in First Division football this millennium — three seasons (2008, 2018 and 2022) — with Black Rhinos spending six seasons (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016) while Shabanie Mine spent seven seasons (2000, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016 and 2019).
Numbers don’t lie, Hwange Football Club are now one relegation away from the dreaded and unwanted millennium record of four relegations from premiership held by Chauya Chikwata (or is it Chaenda Chikwata), Zimbabwe Saints.
The 1988 Super League Champions not only the fastest relegation treble — unmatched three in five seasons (2002, 2004 and 2006) but added also broke and extended their millennium record to four in 2011 probably explaining the “super” in what is sometimes used as Super Chikwata.
As of today they are at least six clubs that have been relegated three times this millennium namely Bantu Rovers (2010, 2014 and 2017), Black Rhinos (2007, 2009 and 2014), Chapungu (2003, 2008 and 2019), Hwange (2007, 2017 and 2019), Masvingo United (2002, 2008, 2011) and Shabanie Mine (2006, 2014 and 2018).
Of the six, only Black Rhinos have the only closest permutation of joining Zimbabwe Saints on four relegations should unexpected, yes highly unexpected dreaded circumstances hit something that will spell as the biggest-ever football miracle should it be lived.
File Photo: Try Ncube
And as Hwange Football Club march into the premiership, Try Ncube has his work cut out on something to use as motivation against relegation and that to avoid record equalling chop and reading from his comments in our sister paper, the mentor who now sits on two promotion winning shows having won the same title with Bulawayo City in 2019, knows fans in the coal mining will not take mediocre performance with salt.
“We are happy that we are back in the topflight league.
“I give credit to the executive, the technical team, players and most importantly our fans who never doubted us and kept believing we will be back in the elite league,” added Ncube.
It remains to be seen if The Fire in Action will burn again and smelt opponents in the notoriously hot Hwange and turn the iconic Colliery Stadium into a fortress that will frustrate many foes, feeding them with humble pies and preserve the elite status in Matabeleland North.
However, the stuck reminder remains the glaring need to a sound investment of the game to pluck out hidden football talents not only from peripherals but from its own village bellies Lwendulu, Cinderella, Madumabisa and Makwika.
If the same pockets could give us some of the credible names that rose to even national team level such as Posani Sibanda, Weekly Mwale, Fabian Zulu, Walter Chuma, Marvelous Nakamba, Chenjerai Dube, Method Mwanjali and Venancio Ncube.
The team hungry and thirsty needs the sound Giant Killers et al that fed its football stomach with the prowess of Isaac Chuma, Mebelo Njekwa, Roger Sibanda, Anthony Nakamba, Anthony Sibanda, Aleck Nyoni, Chingumbe Masuku, Chabuka Mwale, Tembo Chuma (apologies to those not listed) to name but a few.
Marvelous Nakamba
The time for that change of football mindset is now lest the prophetic football dance to Aaliyah’s Back and Forth becomes a new norm in this football rich coal mining town, swallowing the drums accompanying sweet melodic voices to the popular “tikakweshe lelo, tikakweshe ku malasha, tiwonane lelo, tiwonane ku malasha” into oblivion and entertainment trash cans.
Take take nabeve!
Summary of wanted and unwanted promotion and relegation records surrounding Hwange Football Club this millennium.
Most promotions this
millennium
Black Rhinos (3)
Hwange FC (3)
Shabanie Mine (3)
Most Relegations this millennium
Zimbabwe Saints (4)
Bantu Rovers (3)
Black Rhinos (3)
Chapungu (3)
Hwange FC (3)
Masvingo United (3)
Seasons spent in First Division for the most promoted teams this millennium
Hwange (3 years)
Black Rhinos (6 years)
Shabanie Mine (7 years)
Seasons spent in Premiership for the most relegated teams this millennium
Hwange (17 seasons)
Chapungu (14 seasons)
Black Rhinos (11 seasons)
Zimbabwe Saints (10 seasons)
Masvingo United (9 seasons)
Bantu Rovers (7 seasons)
