Saxon Rovers have endured more than their fair share of adversity this season, narrowly avoiding relegation on the final day of the campaign.
Yet, according to head coach Bradley Valentine (pictured sitting), that struggle laid the foundation for the club’s remarkable fairytale run to the Coke Cup final, where they will face defending champions Hanover Park FC at Athlone Stadium on 17 October.
Having spent much of the season fighting for survival, Saxons have defied the odds to secure a place on the biggest stage of the competition.
“It was a tough campaign. We had to battle and fight, and it really went down to the wire in our last game of the season,” Valentine told No Bones with Jones. “That was against Holy Cross, and we really needed to win that match. We knew if we won, we would be safe and luckily that’s how things panned out. It’s a blessing.
“The players have shown incredible character throughout the season. We’ve come through some very difficult moments and now we have an opportunity to cap it off in a special way. As a coaching staff, we believe we stand a very good chance in this final. The pressure is on the defending champions, while we’re focused on completing what has already been an unbelievable journey.”
At 44, Valentine is already one of the most successful coaches in the club’s history, having guided Saxon Rovers to back-to-back Cape Town Tygerberg LFA titles in 2019 and 2021, as well as promotion to SAFA Cape Town’s Third Division.
His return to his boyhood club was as unexpected as it was decisive.
“Chairman Allan Roman surprisingly called me into a meeting and I had no idea it was about taking over my old position again. I didn’t think twice. I immediately said yes and the rest is history.”
What started as a desperate fight for survival for Valentine, evolved into one of the stories of the local football season, with Saxon Rovers now just one victory away from completing a remarkable turnaround. The club’s Motsepe League coach, Robbie Pretorius has also played a supportive role to the LFA side.
Valentine believes the hardships of the league campaign ultimately fuelled their impressive cup run.
“It gave the players hope and the necessary will to win. As we progressed in the Coke Cup, we just got better and better. To be honest, we played better football in the cup than we did in the LFA, and I think that gives you an idea of just how tough the LFA season was,” Valentine concluded.
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