What more can be said about club owners such as Hanover Park FC’s Rieduwaan Anthony (pictured far left) and Goolam Allie (pictured second from left) of Santos FC?
This duo has gone the proverbial full circle and there is very little that they haven’t seen or done in the beautiful game – and mind you, still very much passionate and still going strong after nearly five decades if not more.
This was evident, yet again, when they braved the cold and wet weather conditions at Downberg Road on Friday evening, where their respective teams were in action, Havonver Park FC won 1-0.
Which is why, whether you like them or not, nothing can be taken away from their commitment, dedication and contribution to football in Cape Town, the province and broader South Africa.
Allie and Anthony have shown over the years that they aren’t perfect, but then again, who is? They do things their own way, which at times is viewed as unpopular and clashes with the status quo – but they do as they see fit.
After all, football is run like a business and it’s theirs, so they have the last say. Needless to say, both had their fair share of encounters and run-ins, good or bad, with various individuals and entities. I can testify to this as heads were butted in the past, but the ability to be mature and let bygones be bygones always allowed sanity and brotherly love to prevail.
And as much as they have “rocked the boat” in defiance of their beliefs or decisions, they have also contributed positively and immensely to the lives of many footballers – pro and amateur. Some might argue that their paradoxical behaviour at times is why some have reservations and reserve comment. But on can never doubt their love for football.
Allie, who’ll be 72 years old in April, started his career as a nine-year-old for Wolves at Cape District. “Mr Allie” as he is commonly referred to, is also a former member of the PSL Board of Governors. Allie still remains the only local club owner in the Mother City to have the PSL league trophy – a feat achieved more than two decades ago. Many tried subsequently but couldn’t equal the People’s Team’s historic achievement and it probably will not for some time.
Whilst Anthony, on the other hand, who turns 64 this year, started his career with Blackheath FC in the late 70’s. Just as Santos was the darling of football in Mother City and SA at one stage, so, too was “Uncle Waan” as Anthony is referred to, with his beloved Premier United, who went on to achieve massive success during the late eighties and early nineties. The most notable was their promotion feat in 1989 to the MTN First Division as it was called back then which also made them a household name in the football circles.
And despite Premier playing in the lower tiers of football, they surely ruffled feathers all around the province and country, earning the respect and admiration of many for the way they played the game as well as their achievements.
Driven by passion and the hunger for success, Allie and Anthony keep coming back as the love for football runs too deep – sometimes to their detriment as well. It’s also no secret that both these individuals have mellowed down over time for obvious reasons. It’s very easy to criticise and condemn, but look at the bigger picture and the glass half full….
Allie and Anthony have both pumped in millions into their respective clubs over the years and also suffered heavy financial losses in their quests to get them back on their respective perches, but that has proved a real challenge – which is also probably why they keep on season after season hoping to return to the glory days.
So, as easy as it is to criticise and throw mud…. Pause for second and just imagine if Anthony and Allie did not have the support of their loved ones and decided decades back to pack up and turn their backs on the beautiful? These types of individuals are the true “Real McCoys” that should be in charge of football and not palookas with that doesn’t have the faintest idea or inclination of football and what it means to the people of Cape Town.
Let’s appreciate and value this duo in the present and for who they are – sometimes, when you look for the good in someone, it more often than not leads to positivity that encapsulates the true essence of “Ubuntu.”
