Yesteryear greats with Lovemore Dube
WANKIE FC now Hwange Football Club was no ordinary side in the elite league in the 1960s and 1970s. It was a top Chamber of Mines side that dominated the likes of Rio Tinto, Mhangura, Gwayi River Mine, Kamativi, Zisco, Shabanie, Peak Mine and Gaths Mine.
“We used to dominate those mines and we were a top-four side in the league. It pains to see our club battling relegation every now and then yet there are solutions like taking advantage of the old system of schools and the inter-village league system that nurtured us,” said former club striker Twyman Ncube who had a deadly combination with Peter Nyama, Billy Sharman and Topsy Robertson at Chibuku Shumba in Harare then Salisbury from 1970 to 1973.
This week Ncube who was high up there among the best strikers of the era such as Gibson Homela, Nyama, Ernest Kamba, Chris Mhlanga, Wonder Chisetera, Chita Antonio and Josiah Nxumalo, takes us through a list of players he played with at Chipangano who he describes among the club’s real greats and legends.
Goalkeeper: Posani Sibanda. A very good goalkeeper, good arranger of the defence, very good in the air and could dive either side with equal power and catching brilliance. He could even save penalty kicks and could not be beaten in one-on- one situations.
Right-back: Daniel Rendo. Nicknamed Kaliyabantu, he was a no-nonsense right-back, good athlete and hard worker on the pitch. He was a fighter on the field of play and hated losing and would put everything into his game as we fought for the pride of the club and mine badge.
Left-back: Sam Mtende Ndlovu. He was a big player, very skilful, read the game well. He had speed which he used both on the offensive and defensive end of his game. He was hard to beat and a delight to watch when venturing forward to send crosses. The odd moment he tried a cracker at goal it was a stinger.
Centre-back: Amos Rendo. He was an all-round excellent centre-back who had discipline and worked hard on the field to cover his goalkeepers Chimao and the great Posani Sibanda. Amos had great technique and even when he went for the jump, he calculated very well. Made it difficult for opponents to face the goalkeeper in one-on-one situations.
He was comfortable with the ball, a defender who would with a clean tackle get the ball and give midfielders a clean pass unlike others who would boot the ball forward. He had pace, stamina and vision, never lost on tackle as he timed well.
Centre-back: Mwape Sakala. Could play as a midfielder and even striker. A sprinter of repute in the Rhodesia era who represented the country and Wankie Colliery Company in the Chamber of Mines Championships.
We would deliberately play the ball in our half and have him move close to the centre-line from a defence position and play the ball upfield into space and he would outsprint opponents and score goals for us. As a defender he was outstanding and used his great asset — speed to good use. An outstanding club legend alongside Amos Rendo for the club and mine.
Number 6/Linkman: Barry Daka is automatic. He gave great service to the club and Zimbabwe football on either side of Independence. An intelligent and dynamic midfielder who joined towards the end of 1970 from Highlanders and went on to get legend status. When he arrived in Hwange we told him what to do.
He had to play our way unlike what he was doing, keeping possession by himself and dribbling away from his teammates. Once he mastered the way we played he became a gem and darling of the community. As Hwange, we played the two-triangle system where the ball from goalkeeper or goal-kick went to the wings and then from the centre we direct play towards opposition goal to score.
Right-winger: It is a close call because am looking more at those I played with for much longer. I did not play for too long with David Khumalo hence I have decided to go along with Obert Agayi. He was forced to go to Zambia with his family after the Kamandama Disaster in 1972. He was a very good dribbler, had pace and could deliver good crosses and at the same time pack ferocious shots. Because he packed them so hot, goalkeepers tended to spill and that is where the likes of me came in to finish off.
Number 8/Midfielder: Twyman Ncube , Centre Striker/Number 9: Joseph Mapholisa. I played with very many good players at the club. I would give the nod to Joseph Mapholisa. Stocky, packed ferocious shots from distance and was accurate in front of goal and benefitted from the industry of midfielders he played with.
Centre Striker/Number 10: Joachim Mkaka. Here there are guys like Rodrick Simwanza, Nyaro Mumba, Isaac Phiri all very good players who gave great service to the club and the sport. I go with Joachim Mkaka.
He was an excellent dribbler and with Barry Daka in midfield they provided goals and creativity to our attack and we used to drub most of our opponents. The teams from the cities knew that it wouldn’t be an easy outing when they came to Hwange as we would score lots of goals.
Left-winger: Chris Yoyo. He was a master dribbler. He would take on the defenders right to the goal-line and send crosses into the box for his teammates to finish off.
Ncube said he enjoyed playing with these guys when Hwange were a top team that even won the Castle Cup in 1970 when he was still there and they repeated the same feat in 1973 when he was at Chibuku Shumba. Ncube said that from 1968 to 1982 Hwange had very good forwards and no one was guaranteed a place.
“If you did not make the grade, the competitive local league, allowed you to sharpen your skills. There was also the Chamber of Mines Games, they were quite competitive and the reserves got to play in that league,” said Ncube.
He had to compete with the likes of Nathaniel Maduku, Jimmy Sibanda, Mapholisa, Skeva Phiri, Machona Sibanda, Barton Mwalukuka, David Khumalo, Nyaro Mumba, Leonard Tembo, David Zulu, Philemon Nyathi, Melvin Kennedy, Obert Agayi, Barry Daka, Mkaka and Chris Yoyo.
Ncube played for Chibuku Shumba and Kadoma United before his return to the Colliery in the mid-1970s.
He was nicknamed “The Ghost of Chibuku” for his type of play as he was a nightmare to defenders and goalkeepers as he would just ghost in and score.
Among the players he rubbed shoulders with at Chibuku were Kizito Tembo, Nyama, Sharman, Shadreck Ngwenya, John Humphreys, Mike Civitis, Posani Sibanda and Steven Chuma. Ncube is married to Christine and have three children Patrina, Wendy and Single.