It’s official!
Hope FC ended weeks of speculation when they joined the Crossroads LFA after officially receiving their registration cards.
This news was confirmed by the vice-chairman of the LFA and the chairman of the Cape Town stream, Mosien Rauff, who has expressed his delight about their latest edition.
This news confirms that the newly promoted First Division outfit has cut ties and links with Sea Point Swifts and the Metropolitan LFA after just one season.
Hope also pulled out on their expected merger with All Stars, which was earmarked for Malta Park, and opted to go in another direction.
They will now form part of the Cape town Stream at the Crossroads LFA, which has shown immense growth and development over the previous years with M Rauff as president of the Stream, Gassant Abbas Vice President of the stream and Mr Komani President of Crossroads LFA.
Since they left Hanover Park, quality structures have been set up and formalized. Affluent academies, such as Spirit International Football Academy (SIFA) from Constantia, are now fully compliant members.
“The idea is to have around 12 clubs – and we play on a home and away basis,” Rauff further added. “We have three streams at the LFA, a Cape Town stream, Crossroads and Milnerton stream that are loaded with quality sides.
“Our divisions in the Cape Town Stream consist of five junior divisions, ranging from u.8 to u16, then we’ve skipped the u18’s deliberately and set up a league for the u20’s, plus the senior division – and this makes us in good standing with the custodians of football.
“We try to set a good example at our LFA and the proof is in the pudding. The LFA now boasts a professional side as well with Hope on board, as well as a (ABC) Motsepe League Second Division side (Inter City FC). More prominent clubs have signalled their intent to join, but let me not say too much,” Rauff concluded.
Now, Hope’s business decisions since announcing their arrival might leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many, but then again, who are you and I to dictate as to how entities should run their respective businesses.
These are clearly different times we are living in and football is a business – and a ruthless one!
Furthermore, nobody can deny that Hope FC will add immense value to the Crossroad Cape Town Stream part of the Crossroads LFA as they are an ambitious club driven by success.
Hope’s junior structures, under the new Head of Youth, Roscoe Pietersen, are already in full swing and their future at the new home is looking even more prosperous!
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