For now it’s probably just all rumours….
But there seems to be a desire and appetite for Avendale Athletico, Barmsley Spurs FC and Chelsea Bridgetown to merge and operate as one club in the Athlone area in the near future!
It was even jokingly stated that a possible merger-name could be something like ‘ABC United’, which sounds more like a going-back-to-school initiative rather than a football club.
But the seriousness of the matter is largely due to the demise of these respective clubs who were once the pride of Athlone and the broader Cape Town – especially a club like Avendale who has had a rich history (albeit during the apartheid years) with its famous clubhouse and facilities at Field Crescent where it has co-existed with the gentleman’s game, cricket for decades.
Our website understands no contact, official or unofficial, has been made thus far amongst the three clubs.
No Bones with Jones has also reached out to the hierarchy of these three clubs, who have been rather cagey in their reply on combining forces.
Barmsley’s Chairman Eugene Consul made his feelings very clear when stated to No Bones with Jones: “I have no comment.”
It is also unlikely that this move will materialize any time soon as it will definitely be a process that needs to be ratified by the powers that be – but first, the three clubs will also have to be collectively on board and mature about the possibility and to sit around the table to ascertain how best they can make this a reality for the future.
Needless to say, it is much needed as clubs in the greater Athlone area are very fragmented and perhaps with a possible merger, a united force can be born as they all three also belong to the Cape Town Tygerberg LFA and also have a common colour scheme in yellow – the only drawback could be the trio’s inability to look past their differences and the big picture!
But it must be emphasized that amerger would, without doubt, benefit all parties – as they draw their players from the same area – and also use the same facility (the Hickory Road Astro) for matches and it all depends on their willingness to make it happen!
