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Bloemfontein Celtic Status Sale: A Supporter's Perspective....



As a football supporter you never think one morning you will wake up to headlines of the sale of your favourite club on every news channel. Well, sadly it happened to Bloemfontein Celtic fans. Kgothatso Malepe spoke to Mamello Makha who shared how the status of the club being sold has affected the supporters and the community of Bloemfontein—her hometown.


 

Bloemfontein Celtic Football Club may be history in the topflight league but the likes of Mamello Makha remain constant reminders that Siwelele put a smile on Bloemfontein people's faces, "Celtic was team of the people" says Makha. In August 2021 rumours of what I could refer to as Siwelele fans worst nightmare started building up rapidly, then mid-August hearts were shattered in the Free State Province as the status sale of their only club in DSTV Premiership was officially announced. For the community of Bloemfontein, it was not just about losing their beloved football team, but their township economy was to be shaken as well with no certainty of recovery. ''My mother was selling goodies during Celtic's games, that is how my love for the Bloemfontein Celtic developed. You see, it was not only about the team, but people also lost their jobs. Those women who sell food outside the stadium during games and activations have lost means to put food on the table for their families.'' explains Makha whose pain is vividly felt in her voice. 

According to Makha, the rumours about the status of the club being sold started four seasons ago when new management took over the reins. Lack of communication between the supporters and the club became order of the day. "Three seasons passed with the rumours popping up in each of those seasons, but nothing happened. So as supporters we started being in the comfort zone and thought that it will never happen. Everyone was shocked when the sale was finalised. The supporters were hurt, I am still hurt, I do not want to lie." It goes without saying that supporters are spiritual owners of football clubs, they are capable of winning the games from the stands, they make impact, and it cannot be denied that no fans sang for their club like Siwelele fans did for Celtic. For that reason, the club should have at least sent direct communication to the fans instead of taking them by surprise. "The management failed us, we wanted to contribute, we wanted to save our club. I believe proper communication with the supporters could have saved our club." Makha asserts that supporters will still lose their clubs in similar fashion in the PSL because clubs selling statuses has now become a norm in the PSL. She advises when that happens it is only fair for the club to communicate with the fans, although they might be nothing the supporters can do because football is business but nevertheless, the club should consider feelings of the supporters because supporters care and love their clubs. 

Recently, a bandaged was ripped off the bleeding wounds of Celtic fans when the only thing they were holding on to was also put on the market and bought, the former Sasol League National Champions Bloemfontein Celtic Ladies team. "The club was sinking. MaMkhize is a rescuer, what comforts us is that at least the players will still be getting paid because they are at work after all." Celtic has been participating in the famous Macufe Cup for as long as most of us can remember, this year, for Celtic supporters is as though salt is being added unto their wounds. "They are taking Macufe to Bloemfontein and Royal AM will be playing against Kaizer Chiefs. It is a trigger. The community and most Celtic supporters are not happy about this, they are planning to boycott the game. Why not bring Sundowns or Pirates at least so that Bloemfontein people can enjoy football without reliving any pain? I feel like the organisers of this event are inconsiderate. Personally, I am not going." Makha said in what I would describe as great agony. 

Football supporters are committed to their clubs, it is a lifestyle for them, especially those of Makha's calibre who travel with their teams everywhere. It cannot be easy losing that, letting go of an incredibly significant aspect of them, of their life, that they do not know if they can ever get back. "The Free State Sports Department failed us as well; they could have saved Bloemfontein Celtic. And the businesspeople who claimed they wanted to buy the club and keep it in Bloemfontein, but the sales never prevailed? I just feel like they wanted to be in the spotlight, it was just about them getting attention at the expense of the fans, they gave us false hope." Makha says if she had the financial muscle, she was going to buy Bloemfontein Celtic and revive it because more than anything, the club belongs to the people, "We own the logo, and the colours. Celtic belongs to us." 

The ever-beautiful Siwelele queen laughs at the question of whether she will be joining another DSTV Premiership club or not and she responds "I want to be a national supporter; I am going to attend all PSL games and eventually I will need a team to rally behind. If Celtic comes back one day of course I will go back to Celtic but until then, I need a team. Now it feels like i am not representing anything. I love football and the vibes it comes with, but I have no team to represent. Me and Botha we love being everywhere as long as the language is football." indeed it cannot be denied that Mamello Makha and Botha Msila are and have been the walking banners of Bloemfontein Celtic. Makha has been nominated at the 2022 Momentum gsports Awards in the category of Style Star of the year and Authentic Football Chats wishes her all the best!


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