| Orlando Pirates | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Orlando Pirates Football Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | Buccaneers, Bucs, Sea Robbers, Happy People, Amabhakabhaka, Ezimnyama Ngenkani (The black ones) |
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| Founded | 1937, as Orlando Boys Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ground | Ellis Park, Doornfontein, Johannesburg (Capacity 59,611 (expansion to 70,000 in progress expected completion for 2010 World Cup)) |
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| Chairman | Irvin Khoza | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager |  Owen Da Gama |
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| League | ABSA Premier League | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006-07 | ABSA Premier League, 5th | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Orlando Pirates are a South African football (soccer) club, founded in 1937 in the Orlando section of Soweto, Johannesburg.
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History
The club also plays at the Johannesburg Stadium. Orlando Pirates is South Africa’s oldest football club formed in 1937 in Orlando East, Soweto and their performances over the years have served as an inspiration for young soccer players to strive to play the Beautiful Game at the highest level in the black and white colours of the ‘Buccaneers’. Over the years, Orlando Pirates – also known as ‘The Happy People’ – have accumulated a record of success having won the National Professional Soccer League title in 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1976, the National Soccer League title in 1994, and the Premier Soccer League title twice, in 2001 and 2003. Their second-placed finish in the last two domestic league campaigns has generated much excitement among the club’s vast fan-base. Many other cup triumphs in domestic soccer have also been recorded, including Vodacom Challenge title victories in the inaugural 1999 tournament and in 2005. But the African continent and other areas of the soccer world took notice of Orlando Pirates Football Club when they won the African Champions Cup (now known as the Champions League) in 1995 and the African Super Cup a year later. Pirates were and still are the only Southern Hemisphere club to have won the African Champions League. This achievement resulted in the club being honoured by the first State President of the new democratic South Africa, Nelson Mandela – another first for a South African sporting team. In 2005, Orlando Pirates achieved Superbrand status. Superbrands is an international company that identifies and rewards the leading brands around the world; Pirates are the only South African sports team next to the Springboks and Proteas to be given this status. Club chairman, Dr Irvin Khoza, who also served on the World Cup Bid Committee, must be credited with the club’s rise to fame over the past few years as the Orlando Pirates supporters – who are nicknamed ‘The Ghost’ – have had much to cheer about. Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung and his Jomo Cosmos counterpart Jomo Sono were popular players of the highest calibre for the Buccaneers before starting their own clubs. Their playing history is deeply entrenched in the black and white colours of Orlando Pirates. The team recently announced its acquisition of a 51% share in the Ellis Park Stadium in Johanesburg's city center.
Early years
The founders of Orlando Pirates included offspring of migrant workers who moved from rural areas to work in the gold mines of Gauteng. Boys in Orlando came together at every available opportunity in open spaces and in informal groupings to play soccer. That original club was called the Orlando Boys Club. In 1940, Buthuel Mokgosinyane, the first president, bought the first team kit with his own funds. Orlando Boys participated in Johannesburg Bantu Association's Wednesday League where they won the title and gained promotion to higher divisions of the association. Andrew Bassie, a key member of the team, suggested the new name 'Orlando Pirates'. The team composed the camp's war cry 'Ezimnyama Ngenkani'.
The Soweto derby
The Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is one of the most fiercely contested matches in world soccer, perhaps only upstaged in competitiveness by the Old Firm derby (Rangers and Celtic) in Glasgow. And in contrast to most of the other games played in the Premier Soccer League in SA, matches between the two arch rivals attract a full house almost without fail.
Results (2003-2007)
- PSL: Chiefs 1 Pirates 0
- PSL: Pirates 1 Chiefs 0
- PSL: Pirates 2 Chiefs 1
- PSL: Chiefs 1 Pirates 1
- PSL: Chiefs 2 Pirates 0
- PSL: Pirates 0 Chiefs 1
- PSL: Chiefs 1 Pirates 1
- PSL: Pirates 1 Chiefs 1
Overall record
| GP | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
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| Chiefs | 32 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 31 | 26 |
| Pirates | 32 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 31 |
Notable players
"Golden Days"
- Jomo Sono
- Dan Twala
- Kaizer Motaung
- Bashin Mahlangu
- Marks Maponyane
- Ephraim Mashaba
1990s
- Osvaldo Nartallo
- Mark Fish
- Jerry Skhosana
- John Moeti
- William Okpara
- Brendan Silent
- Andries Sebola
- Sibusiso Zuma
- Helman Mkhalele
- Thabo Mngomeni
- Phumlani Mkhize
- Gavin Lane
- Basil Steenkamp
- China Masondo
- Phiri Tsotetsi
- Dan Malesela
2000s
- Mbulelo Mabizela
- Benedict Vilakazi
- Dennis Lota
- Steve Lekoelea
- Joseph Makhanya
- Lesley Manyathela
- Jimmy Tau
- Gift Leremi
Major honours (since 1971)
- African Super Cup titles: 1
1996 - African Champions Cup titles: 1
1995 - PSL League titles: 2
2000/01, 2002/03 - NSL League titles: 1
1994 - NPSL League titles: 4
1971, 1973, 1975, 1976 - Bob Save Super Bowl titles: 2
1988, 1996 - Mainstay Cup titles: 1
1980 - Life Challenge titles: 1
1973, 1974, 1975 - Top Eight Cup titles: 7
1972, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1993, 1996, 2000 - Castle Challenge titles: 1
1992 - Sales House Cup titles: 4
1972, 1975, 1977, 1983 - Benson and Hedges titles: 2
1973, 1974 - Charity Cup titles: 5
1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 - Vodacom Challenge titles: 2
1999, 2005 - Reserve League titles: 1
2007
Club records
- Most appearances - Williams Okpara 375
- Most goals - Albert Mahlangu, Basil Steenkamp 51
- Most capped Player - Thabo Mngomeni 36 (South Africa)
- Most appearances in a season - William Okpara 51 (1995)
- Most goals in a season - Denis Lota 23 (1999/00)
- Record win - 9-1 v Olympics (Bob Save Super Bowl 7/3/99)
- Record loss - 1-6 v Sundowns (BP Top 8 Cup 3/2/90)
Premier Soccer League record
- 2006/2007 - 5th
- 2005/2006 - 2nd
- 2004/2005 - 2nd
- 2003/2004 - 5th
- 2002/2003 - 1st
- 2001/2002 - 3rd
- 2000/2001 - 1st
- 1999/2000 - 2nd
- 1998/1999 - 3rd
- 1997/1998 - 3rd
- 1996/1997 - 3rd
2006/2007 season
Season record
- Castle Premiership - 5th
- ABSA Cup - last 16
- Telkom Knockout - quarterfinals
- SAA Supa 8 - quarterfinals
- Vodacom Challenge - 3rd
- Telkom Charity Cup - semifinals
PSL top scorers
1. Rudzani Ramudzuli 5
1. Mulondo Sikhwivhilu 5
3. Manuel Bucuane 4
3. Bennett Chenene 4
5. Excellent Walaza 3
5. Benedict Vilakazi 3
5. Lucky Lekgwathi 3
8. Isaac Chansa 2
8. Innocent Mdledle 2
8. Paulos Masehe 2
8. Fikru Tefera 2
Club awards
Player of the Year Award: Innocent Mdledle
Players' Player of the Year Award: Lucas Thwala
Supporters' Player of the Year Award: Lehlohonolo Seema
Chairman's Award: Joseph Makhanya
Golden Boot Award: Benedict Vilakazi
Most Improved Player Award: Lucky Lekgwathi
Prospect of the Year Award: Bennett Chenene
Goal of the Year Award: Excellent Walaza
Save of the Year Award: Francis Chansa
Club officials/Technical team
- Chairman and MD: Irvin Khoza
- CEO: Floyd Mbele
- Team manager: Ephraim Mashaba
- Coach: Owen Da Gama
- Assistant coach: TBA
- Goalkeeper coach:
Pierre Mbarga - Head of youth development:
Augusto Palacios
2007/2008 First team squad
As of November 06 2007
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2007/2008 Transfers
In:
Ralph Matema - Highlanders, Zimbabwe
Joseph Kamwendo - MTL Wanderers, Malawi
Destin Makita - Delta Téléstar, Gabon
Stanton Fredericks (loan return) - Supersport United
Mlungisi Gumbi - Golden Arrows
Teko Modise - Supersport United
Luntu Mazana - Maritzburg United
Tebogo Mashaba - Black Leopards
Irvin Mhlambi - Thanda Royal Zulu
Lindokuhle Mkhwanazi - promoted to first team
Tsietsi Mkhwanazi - promoted to first team
Tlou Segolela - promoted to first team
Thula Khuzwayo - promoted to first team
Bheki Mlambo - promoted to first team
[[Gilbert Mushangazhike] - Jiangsu Shuntian, China
Out:
Benedict Vilakazi - AaB Aalborg, Denmark
Onyekachi Okonkwo - FC Zurich, Switzerland
Isaac Chansa - Helsingborgs IF, Sweden 
Lelo Mbele - CS Sfaxien, Tunisia
Avril Phali - Jomo Cosmos
David Makgale - Black Leopards
Mulondo Sikhwivhulu - Black Leopards
Collins Chabalala - Black Leopards
Fikru Tefera - Supersport United
Jabu Mahlangu
Stanton Fredericks
Official sponsor
External links
- Orlando Pirates Official Website
- Premier Soccer League
- PSL Club Info
- South African Football Association
- Confederation of African Football
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01 Meyiwa • 02 Rashete • 03 Leshabane • 04 Jele • 05 T. Mkhwanazi • 06 Gumbi • 07 Kamwendo • 08 Walaza • 09 Tico-Tico • 11 Modise • 12 Makita • 14 Lekgwathi • 15 Mlambo • 16 Merahe • 17 Seema • 18 Masehe • 19 Mdledle • 20 Matema • 21 Manamela • 23 Mokoena • 24 Makhanya • 25 Ramudzuli • 26 Segolela • 28 Mazana • 30 Khuzwayo • 31 Mabe • 32 Thwala • 33 Chabalala • 34 Modabi • 35 L. Mkhwanazi • 38 Cashibe • 39 Mashaba • 42 Chenene • 43 McNab • 44 Chansa • 46 Coyle • 47 Moloi • — Mhlambi • — Fredericks • — Laka • Manager: Da Gama |
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ABSA Premier League 2007–08
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Ajax Cape Town | AmaZulu | Bidvest Wits | Black Leopards | Bloemfontein Celtic |
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