Stellenbosch F.C.

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Stellenbosch F.C.
Full nameStellenbosch Football Club
Nickname(s)Stellies; The Maroons
Founded3 August 2016; 7 years ago (3 August 2016)
GroundDanie Craven Stadium, Stellenbosch[1]
Capacity16,000[2]
CoachSteve Barker
LeagueDStv Premiership
2022–236th
WebsiteClub website

Stellenbosch Football Club is a professional football club based in Stellenbosch, South Africa. Founded in 2016 following the relocation of Vasco da Gama FC to Stellenbosch, the club is the first Premier Soccer League team from the Cape Winelands region and was promoted to the DStv Premiership in 2019. The first team plays its home matches at the Danie Craven Stadium.

Domestically, the club has won the National First Division in 2019, earning promotion to the top-flight for the first time in the process, and the 2023 Carling Knockout Cup, which saw the team become the inaugural champions of the revamped competition.

History[edit]

Stellenbosch Football Club was formed in August 2016 when the Premier Soccer League Executive Committee approved the application from National First Division side, Vasco Da Gama for a name change following the club's relocation from Parow to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS) in Stellenbosch.[3]

Sammy Troughton was appointed as head coach and Stellies' first National First Division match was played on 28 August 2016 when the team suffered a 3–1 loss to Mthatha Bucks, with Stanley Muishond scoring the club's first-ever goal during the encounter. The club ended its maiden season in third position on the log standings, clinching the final promotion/relegation playoff spot by one point, but ultimately missed out on promotion during the subsequent mini-league.[4]

Following an unsuccessful attempt to gain promotion, the club parted ways Troughton and replaced him with Steve Barker, who had previously been appointed as an assistant coach mid-way through the season.[5][6] The team subsequently recorded a split record of 10 wins, 10 draws, and 10 losses to finish eighth in the league, thereby failing to qualify for the playoffs. This ultimately led to a change in ownership in August 2018 when the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport purchased the club to usher in a new era.[7]

Angelo Kerspuy of Stellenbosch F.C. lifts the 2018–19 National First Division trophy.

The following season, Barker's side secured promotion to the DStv Premiership, the top-flight of South African football, as champions of the National First Division after recording a 0–0 draw against Maccabi FC on the final day of the campaign.[8][9] Stellenbosch commenced their maiden Premiership campaign with a goalless draw against Chippa United, before going on to end the season in 10th position during a year that was interrupted and affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.[10][11]

The following season, the club began playing home matches at the Danie Craven Stadium, a traditionally rugby-centric stadium, where it has played the majority of its fixtures since, alternating on occasion with Athlone Stadium in Cape Town.[12] Stellenbosch then finished 14th in the 2020–21 domestic standings, a club-record 4th in the 2021–22 season, thereby qualifying for the first time to compete in the MTN 8 tournament, and 6th in 2022–23 campaign. In December 2023, the club won its first cup competition after being crowned inaugural Carling Knockout champions following a penalty shootout win over TS Galaxy at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.[13]

Name & badge[edit]

The Chief Operating Officer at the club, Rob Benadie stated "The name 'Stellenbosch FC' shows our intention of creating a club that symbolises the Cape Winelands community. We are on a pathway of building something special‚ and we want to take this community with us."[14] The crest of the club features a bunch of grapes, as Stellenbosch is based within the Cape Winelands District Municipality.[15]

Current squad[edit]

As of 26 January, 2024[16]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
7 MF South Africa RSA Deano van Rooyen
8 MF South Africa RSA Sihle Nduli
9 FW South Africa RSA Iqraam Rayners
11 FW The Gambia GAM Salifu Colley
12 FW South Africa RSA Thulani Mini
14 FW Ivory Coast CIV Anicet Oura
17 GK South Africa RSA Sage Stephens
18 MF New Zealand NZL Andre de Jong
19 FW South Africa RSA Mervin Boji
21 DF South Africa RSA Fawaaz Basadien
22 MF South Africa RSA Qobolwakhe Sibande
23 MF South Africa RSA Jayden Adams
24 DF South Africa RSA Thabo Moloisane
26 DF South Africa RSA Athenkosi Mcaba
No. Pos. Nation Player
27 DF South Africa RSA Kyle Jurgens
28 MF South Africa RSA Genino Palace
29 MF South Africa RSA Antonio van Wyk
30 GK South Africa RSA Oscarine Masuluke
32 GK South Africa RSA Dejean Ah Shene
33 DF South Africa RSA Liam de Kock
34 FW South Africa RSA Devin Titus
35 GK South Africa RSA Lee Langeveldt
38 DF Ghana GHA Prince Amponsah
40 DF South Africa RSA Shaakir Ahmed
45 DF Ivory Coast CIV Ismaël Olivier Touré
55 DF South Africa RSA Vuyolwethu Andrieas
56 DF South Africa RSA Tylon Smith

Out on loan[edit]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
– FW South Africa RSA Roy-Keane Avontuur (at NB La Masia until 30 June 2024)[17]

Honours[edit]

Stellenbosch FC celebrate winning the 2023 Carling Knockout trophy.

First team[edit]

Reserves (U-23)[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Home Venues: Stellenbosch Football Club". Stellenbosch Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 July 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Stellenbosch FC to play home games at historic Danie Craven Stadium". iol.co.za. 24 October 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  3. ^ Hendricks, By: Allan; Sport (29 July 2019). "The new football champions of Stellenbosch". New Frame. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  4. ^ Strydom, Marc (16 May 2017). "Stellenbosch FC to get ball rolling in PSL promotion/relegation playoffs". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  5. ^ Laduma, Soccer. "Stellenbosch FC Have Parted Ways With Sammy Troughton". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  6. ^ "Barker adds momentum to Stellenbosch FC's cause". ForwardZone. December 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  7. ^ "SAS buys local football club SFC". netwerk24. 20 August 2018. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Stellenbosch promoted to PSL". www.goal.com. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  9. ^ a b Ditlhobolo, Austin (5 May 2019). "Stellenbosch FC secure promotion to PSL after clinching NFD title". Goal. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Chippa left frustrated against rookies". African Football. 3 August 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  11. ^ "Stellenbosch FC confirms award recipients for the 2019-20 season". Soccer Laduma. 6 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  12. ^ Mafata, Masego (21 November 2020). "Stellenbosch Football Club makes history at Danie Craven Stadium". MatieMedia. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2021.
  13. ^ Modiba, Katlego (16 December 2023). "Stellenbosch make history to claim Carling Knockout". The Citizen. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Vasco renamed Stellenbosch FC". Supersport. 3 August 2016. Archived from the original on 12 August 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  15. ^ a b Modiba, Katlego (16 December 2023). "Stellenbosch make history to claim Carling Knockout". The Citizen. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Stellenbosch FC – Squad". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Roy-Keane Avontuur joins NB La Masia on loan". Stellenbosch Football Club. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  18. ^ "Stellenbosch crowned Diski Challenge champions". SuperSport. 14 May 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Stellies thump Leicester to win Next Generation Cup". Super Sport. 31 July 2022. Archived from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
  20. ^ "U19 report: Stellenbosch 1-1 Wolves (4-5 pens)". Wolverhampton Wanderers. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.

External links[edit]

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