Ajax Cape Town F.C.

Ajax Cape Town (Afrikaans: Ajax Kaapstad,[1] pronounced [ˈɑːjaks ˈkɑːpstat]) is a South African professional football club based in Parow in the city of Cape Town that plays in the National First Division. Dutch Eredivisie club AFC Ajax is their parent club and acts as the majority shareholder, The team plays its home matches at Cape Town Stadium.

Ajax Cape Town
Full nameAjax Cape Town Football Club
Nickname(s)Urban Warriors
Founded1999 (1999), merger of Seven Stars
and Cape Town Spurs
GroundCape Town Stadium, Cape Town
Capacity55,000
ChairmanAri Efstathiou
ManagerAndries Ulderink
LeagueNational First Division
2018–19National First Division, 4th
WebsiteClub website
Active departments of AFC Ajax
Eredivisie
(Men's)		 Eerste Divisie
(Reserves)		 Hoofdklasse
(Amateurs)
Eredivisie
(Women's)		 NFD
in South Africa		 eSports

History

Ajax Cape Town was formed in 1999 via the amalgamation of two Cape Town-based teams, Seven Stars and Cape Town Spurs, as AFC Ajax expanded their worldwide talent-feeder network to South Africa. Ajax Cape Town was originally founded by John Comitis and Rob Moore in 1999. John Comitis, the honouree life chairman of Ajax Cape Town, later sold his shares in the club after 14 years at the helm and is now the chairmen of his new football team, Cape Town City Football Club.

Ajax, nicknamed Urban Warriors, played their first official game against Kaizer Chiefs in the Iwisa Charity Spectacular on 17 July 1999. Ajax caused an upset when they beat Chiefs 1–0 with Sam Pam, the Ajax Cape Town captain, scoring the winning goal.

Former South Africa national team coach Gordon Igesund, the country's most successful club coach,[2] who won league titles with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Sundowns, coached the club from 2002 until 2006.

Since coming into existence, Ajax has never won the league title with their highest finish being runners-up in 2003–04, 2007–08 and 2010–11. Ajax managed to win the Rothmans Cup in 2000, the Nedbank Cup in 2007, the Telkom Knockout in 2008 and most recently the MTN8 in 2015.

In January 2007 Ajax CT managed to beat AFC Ajax 3–1 in a friendly game held in Cape Town. The next friendly, played in Amsterdam, ended in a 3–2 win for AFC Ajax in July 2009.

Over the years several Ajax CT players have made the step to the mother club, among them Steven Pienaar in 2002, Daylon Claasen in 2009, Eyong Enoh in 2008 and Thulani Serero in 2011.

In July 2013, it was announced that the Comitis brothers, longtime partners and shareholders with the Efstathiou brothers, had sold their shares to the Efstathiou family.[3] Ari Efstathiou was announced as the new chairman, and Muhsin Ertuğral was reinstated as manager of the club, following an interim managerial period after originally being hired as the club's new technical director.[4]

In September 2015, Ajax won the 2015 MTN8 tournament edging Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 in the final.

Youth programme

Since the inception of the club, Ajax Cape Town have imported the AFC Ajax philosophy and effective youth development schemes in the Western Cape. The majority of the senior squad players have come up from the club's own youth ranks, such as the likes of Nazeer Allie, Granwald Scott and Thulani Hlatshwayo, while others such as Steven Pienaar and Thulani Serero have moved on to some of the top clubs in Europe.

With the introduction of the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme in conjunction with the South African Police Services, Ajax CT also provides football opportunities to young people within the greater Cape Town area regardless of race, gender, social status or disability, facilitated through structured programs in a safe and fun learning environment.

Since then the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme has been implemented in more than 120 schools across the Western Cape as far as the Cape Winelands, reaching more than 8,000 children.[5]

Stadium

In the beginning Ajax CT played their home games at Athlone Stadium and Newlands Stadium. The latter is a 51,900 capacity venue, which was first built in 1888, and was also host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup opening match. Essentially being a rugby stadium, it was a home they shared with clubs Santos and Vasco da Gama, as well as rugby teams Stormers and Western Province. Athlone Stadium was home to the Santos and has a capacity of 30,000. The stadium located in Athlone, Cape Town was also host to some of Ajax CT early home matches as well.

Moving to the Green Point Stadium, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose stadium in the Green Point area of Cape Town. The stadium was eventually demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Cape Town Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Construction of the new stadium was completed in 2009, and the Urban Warriors have played their home games at the Cape Town Stadium since the beginning of the 2010–11 Premier Soccer League season to an improved capacity of 55,000. On 3 August 2011 a contract extension of three years was negotiated with the stadium, which will see Ajax CT playing their home games there until 2014.[6][7]

The first match played at the new stadium was a Cape Town derby between Ajax CT and Santos on 23 January 2010 as part of the official inauguration of the stadium.

Ajax Cape Town trains at their home base located in Parow. (33°53′45.5″S 18°34′41.5″E). It serves as the training grounds for the senior squad, as well as for the Ajax Cape Town Youth Development Academy. It has hosted a number of foreign clubs among them German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart during their midseason camp in 2014 as well as Viking FK from Norway.[8]

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Honours

Cup competitions
Winners: 2015
Winners: 2000, 2008
Winners: 2007

Preseason
Winners: 2007, 2008

Performance in CAF competitions

Continental appearances
2005 – Final Group Round
2009 – First Round
2008 – First Round of 16

Continental results
Season Competition Round Country Club Score CCP (1)
2005 Champions League Preliminary Round  Swaziland Mhlambanyatsi Rovers 1–0, 1–1 2.0
First Round  Burkina Faso ASFA Yennenga 1–0, 0–1
Second Round  Guinea Fello Star 2–0, 0–2
Final Group Round  Nigeria Enyimba 1–1, 2–0
 Morocco Raja Casablanca 1–1, 0–3
 Egypt Al Ahly 2–0, 0–0
2008 Confederation Cup First Round  Seychelles Anse Réunion 1–0, 4–1 1.0
First Round of 16  Cameroon Mount Cameroon 5–1, 0–5
2009 Champions League First Round  Zimbabwe Monomotapa United 3–2, 1–2 0.3
(1) CCP = CAF Co-efficiency points. Total number of points for CAF Coefficient: 17.0

Club records
  • Most starts: Brett Evans 311
  • Most goals: Nathan Paulse 56
  • Most capped player: Edelbert Dinha
  • Most starts in a season: Edelbert Dinha 41 (2000–01)
  • Most goals in a season: Mabhuti Khenyeza 23 (2008–09)
  • Record Victory: 5–1 vs Moroka Swallows (19/2/06, PSL); vs Mount Cameroon (26/4/08, CAF Confederation Cup)
  • Record defeat: 0–6 v Orlando Pirates (22/9/04, PSL); vs Golden Arrows (24/10/09, MTN 8)

Premier Soccer League record

Players
As of 21 July 2020[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  NED Nick Hengelman
3 DF  RSA Cohen Stander
4 DF  RSA Isaac Nhlapo
5 DF  RSA Thendo Mukumela
6 MF  NED Istvan Bakx
7 FW  RSA Thabo Mosadi
8 MF  RSA Grant Margeman
9 FW  RSA Eleazar Rodgers
10 MF  RSA Masilake Phohlongo
11 FW  RSA Abednego Mosiatlhaga
12 FW  RSA Mohau Mokate
15 MF  RSA Siphesihle Mkhize
16 GK  RSA Darren Johnson
17 MF  RSA Asenele Velebayi
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 DF  RSA Keenan Abrahams
20 FW  RSA Katlego Otladisa
22 DF  RSA Kiyaam Bull
23 DF  RSA Junior Sibande
24 MF  RSA Deolin Mekoa
25 DF  RSA Bongolwethu Siyasi
26 MF  RSA Riyaaz Koopstadt
27 DF  RSA Kegan Johannes
28 MF  RSA Sonwabile Mfecane
29 MF  ZAM Rodrick Kabwe
30 GK  RSA Jody February
32 GK  RSA Renaldo Leaner
40 DF  RSA Rooi Mahamutsa

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Foreign players who have acquired permanent residency can be registered as locals.

Retired numbers

Club officials/Technical team
  • Honorary Life Chairman: N/A
  • Chief Executive Officer: Ari Efstathiou
  • Chief Commercial Officer: Alexi Efstathiou
  • General Manager of Football: Shooz Moketo
  • Head coach: Andries Ulderink
  • Assistant coach: Calvin Marlin
  • Goalkeeper coach: Calvin Marlin
  • Multichoice Diski Challenge team coach: N/A
  • ABC Motsepe team coach: Dylan Dean
  • Head of scouting: N/A

Notable former players

Managers
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References
  1. Ajax kom nou tuis by Kaapstad-stadion Archived 16 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine Nuus24, geraadpleegd 28 augustus 2011
  2. Soccer in South Africa Archived 17 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Comitis-familie stapt uit Ajax CT". Ajax Showtime. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  4. "Efstathiou: Ertugral Stays, Comitis goes". Kick Off Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2013.
  5. "Ajax Cape Town Club History". ajaxct.com. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  6. "Chiefs to use Rand Stadium this season". KickOff Magazine. 30 June 2010. Archived from the original on 9 August 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  7. "Ajax CT to use Cape Town Stadium as Home Ground". Goal.com. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  8. "Norwegian Giants At Ikamva". Soccerladuma.co.za. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  9. "Squad". ajaxct.co.za. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 June 2016. Retrieved 10 May 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. "Blank Ajax Cape Town vaart tegen stroom in". Trouw. 2 October 1999. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  12. "Bodewes takes the helm at Ajax Cape Town". IOL News. 5 May 2000. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  13. "Ajax, Pirates ponder problems ahead of replay". IOL News. 12 December 2000. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  14. "Just be consistent, McDonald tells Ajax". IOL News. 5 May 2001. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  15. "Ajax system to become 'Igesund way'". IOL News. 13 August 2002. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  16. "Ajax Cape Town appoint Igesund replacement". Mail & Guardian. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  17. "South Africa: Rosslee Set to Continue Youth Policy at Ajax". All Africa. 27 June 2007. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  18. "Ertuğral Confirmed As New Ajax Cape Town Coach". Goal.com. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  19. "Jan Pruijn In Charge Of Ajax Cape Town For Now". Goal.com. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  20. "Introducing the New Coach for Ajax Cape Town". Cape Town Magazine. 17 October 2009. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  21. "Maarten Stekelenburg coach Ajax Cape Town". AD.nl. 21 June 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  22. "Ajax CT wins under interim coaches". Ajax.nl. 18 October 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  23. "Pruijn wants to take over as head coach of Ajax Cape Town". Goal.com. 23 October 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  24. "Ertuğral steps into the Ajax Cape Town hot seat as Versleijen resigns". Goal.com. 25 April 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  25. "Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertuğral: The team is stable". Goal.com. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  26. "Taylor to take over from Ertuğral". Africanfootball.com. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  27. "Roger De Sá unveiled as Ajax Cape Town coach". Goal.com. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  28. Ajax Cape Town Appoints Dutch Coach, ajaxct.co.za, 29 Nov 2018
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