For months, Graham Purdy kept a low profile.
The silence was understandable. The Durbanville FC Technical Director was locked in on a mission and determined not to be distracted from the task at hand. So committed was Purdy to the cause that he even relinquished his role at Ikapa Sporting to focus all his attention on Durbanville’s ambitions.
Fast forward a few months and that commitment has paid off handsomely.
Durbanville have secured promotion to Safa Cape Town’s Third Division after a successful playoff campaign at the Greens in Manenberg over the weekend when they brushed aside Only the Brave by 3-0 – bringing to fruition a carefully constructed three-year plan aimed at restoring the club’s standing.
Reflecting on the achievement, Purdy could not hide his pride in what has been accomplished throughout the club.
“We are happy and proud of the achievements at the club over the past three years,” said Purdy to No Bones with Jones. “In 2023, the club was relegated from the LFA Premier League and we immediately put a plan in place to win promotion back to the Premier League, win that league and then gain promotion to the MRL (Men’s Regional League). We achieved that in three years.”
The success was not limited to the senior team.
Purdy also revealed that a parallel strategy was implemented to strengthen the club’s youth structures, with Durbanville’s junior teams also achieving their objectives by securing promotion to Prem 1 within their LFA.
Adding further gloss to an already memorable campaign, the club’s Under-16A and Under-18B teams completed impressive league-and-cup doubles.
“It has been a brilliant year for the club,” Purdy continued. “To achieve this kind of success, you need a strong committee, and I thank them for all their support.”
The experienced administrator was also quick to acknowledge the contributions made throughout the club emphasizing it was indeed a collective effort.
“A massive thank you to all the players and coaches for their efforts,” he pointed out. “A special thank you to our Head of Youth, Kurt Rose, who will take over as Technical Director in 2027, for all the work he has done with our youth structures.
“And to Divian Adams, our Head Coach, who led the first team to the league title and success in the playoffs. I’m incredibly proud of everything the club achieved this season,” Purdy concluded.
Having risen from relegation heartbreak in 2023 to promotion glory three years later, Durbanville’s resurgence stands as a testament to long-term planning, stability and a collective commitment to rebuilding the club from the ground up.
