Santos F.C. (South Africa)

Santos Football Club or simply Santos, also officially known under their sponsored title as Engen Santos, is a South African football club based in the Lansdowne suburb of the city of Cape Town that plays in the SAFA Second Division.

Santos FC
Full nameEngen Santos Football Club
Nickname(s)The People's Team
Founded1982 (1982)
GroundAthlone Stadium, Athlone, Cape Town
Capacity34,000[1]
ChairmanGoolam Allie
CoachFarouk Abrahams
LeagueABC Motsepe League
2018–198th
WebsiteClub website
old logo (−2003)
old logo (2003–2011)

History

The club was established in Heideveld on the Cape Flats in 1982 and was originally known as Lightbodys Santos FC, after its sponsor. During apartheid it was renowned for the insistence on non-racial inclusivity – hence the nickname The People's Team.

They played in the Federation Professional League (FPL), the only truly non-racial football body in the country from 1982 to 1990. They won the championship in 1983/4/6/7/8/90 before joining the National Soccer League.

The NSL became the PSL in 1996, with Santos earning promotion to the new league for the 1997–98 season. Santos tasted their first success in the new format of the league in 2001–02 when they surprisingly won the title under the mentorship of Gordon Igesund. This side featured players like Edries Burton, Andre Arendse, Musa Otieno and the club's all-time top goalscorer Jean-Marc Ithier. With the title win Santos became the first – and to date the only – team that was not a founder-member of the PSL to win the league.

They were also crowned Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 2001 and BP Top 8 winners in 2002.

Santos were relegated from the PSL at the end of the 2011–12 season for the first time in the club's history. After finishing 15th in the league they entered the 2011–12 PSL Playoff Tournament where they were pitted against Chippa United and Thanda Royal Zulu. Heading into their final playoff game Santos needed a win over Chippa United to maintain their PSL status but they were defeated 4–3 and subsequently relegated, with Chippa United taking their place in the PSL.[2]

Santos were relegated from the National First Division at the end of the 2016–17 season. The club now plays in the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League.

Notable former coaches

Honours
  • PSL Champions: 2001/02
  • ABSA Cup Winners: 2003
  • FPL League Champions: 1983, 84, 86, 87, 88, 90
  • FPL Cup Winners: 1985, 88, 90
  • Challenge Cup Winners: 1988
  • Bob Save Super Bowl Winners: 2001
  • BP Top 8 Winners: 2002

International

Club records
  • Most starts: Edries Burton 409
  • Most goals: Jean-Marc Ithier 70
  • Most capped player: Musa Otieno
  • Most starts in a season: Cassiem Mohamed 44 (1993)
  • Most goals in a season: Duncan Crowie 19 (1991)
  • Record victory: 6–0 v Intercity Aces (6/3/99, Bob Save Super Bowl); vs Beau West City (26/2/05, Absa Cup); vs Cemforce FC (12/3/05, Absa Cup); vs Island FC (11/3/06, Absa Cup)
  • Record defeat: 1–7 v Mamelodi Sundowns (19/8/98, PSL)

Premier Soccer League record

Club officials/Technical team
  • Chairman: Goolam Allie
  • Coach: Tony De Nobrega
  • Assistant Coach: Kamaal Sait
  • Marketing & Media Officer: Illhaam Dramat
  • Goalkeeper coach: Nigel Dixon

First team squad

As of April 6, 2015. 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  GAM Pa Dembo Touray
2 MF  RSA Broderick Burds
3 DF  RSA Martin Moonsamy
4 DF  RSA Fagan Muller
5 DF  RSA Handsome Sibanda
6 MF  RSA Tshepo Mabua
7 FW  RSA Gregory Roelf
8 MF  RSA Tyren Arendse (Captain)
10 MF  RSA Suhayl Allie
11 FW  RSA Shaun Sopio
12 DF  RSA Mhlengi Sigwebela
13 MF  NGA Solomon Okpako
14 MF  RSA Ryan Brooks
15 FW  RSA Fagrie Lakay
16 DF  KEN Brian Onyango
No. Pos. Nation Player
17 FW  RSA Edwin Sitayitayi
18 DF  RSA Pierre Kok
21 DF  RSA Sachin Dawood
22 MF  RSA Zaakier Williams
24 MF  RSA Sizwe Nyambi
25 DF  RSA Cheslyn Jampies
27 DF  RSA Dean Kowalski
28 MF  RSA Xolani Mabaso
30 GK  RSA Keenon Blignaut
32 FW  RSA Carl Lark
34 MF  RSA Faizel Johnson
38 DF  RSA Sthembele Ngcamu
39 FW  RSA Iqraam Rayners
41 GK  RSA Chad Pottier

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer
  • Shirt sponsor: Goolam Sports
  • Kit manufacturer: Winner

Notes
  1. Fourth oldest club cup, organized by the Indian Association and played between Indian clubs and other invited ones.
gollark: Builders are impractical for that.
gollark: I think it was more because of Incident 406-A.
gollark: And those wouldn't allow teleporting, silly.
gollark: Because ale is bees.
gollark: This would also provide an excuse for having a very overengineered power grid.

References
  1. "The Stadium". Ajax Cape Town. Archived from the original on 18 April 2018. Ajax Cape Town’s primary home-ground is the beautiful Cape Town Stadium where most of the Urban Warriors’ home matches are played. The 55 000 capacity stadium was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup where it had a 64 100 seating capacity. Formerly known as Greenpoint Stadium, Cape Town Stadium has been the home of the Urban Warriors since the 2010/11 PSL season and will continue to serve as Ajax Cape Town’s primary home-ground for at least the next three PSL seasons. ... Athlone Stadium serves as Ajax Cape Town’s secondary home-ground for PSL matches. Home to Santos FC and Milano for National First Division matches, Athlone Stadium has been in existence since 1972. Athlone Stadium holds a capacity of 34 000 seats, which by international standards isn’t among the world’s biggest, however, the intimate setting and rich football history makes it a memorable venue.
  2. "Chippa promoted, Santos relegated". MTNFootball.com. 30 June 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  3. Somnath Sengupta (1 August 2011). "The Glorious History of IFA Shield". Retrieved 10 July 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.