From Rags To Riches: Rollers In 60 Years
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday August 9, 2021 16:12
Originally formed as Mighty Tigers in 1961 by the Public Works Department (PWD) in the pre-independence era, Popa has since established itself as one of the richest football clubs in the country. Recalling the yesteryear, the club's veteran administrator, Justice Baleseng said they had to depend on fund raising activities to keep the club running. "My first job at Rollers was being an MC at events. It was tough back then, we had to come up with some activities to raise the funds.
We used to hold these (music) concerts to raise money to run the club. We used to hold these concerts just by the Tsholetsa house and they were very successful. Due to diligent work as an MC, the Rollers supporters liked me and I was voted into the committee. When I was in the committee, we used to ask for money from supporters who came to our training sessions. This is the money we used for players' transport fares amongst others," Baleseng said. He has also served the club as manager and chairperson.
Baleseng said Popa quickly established itself as nation powerhouse for their work both on and off the pitch. The club's fortunes have since turned around, more especially since 2013 after investor, Jagdish Shah joined team. In his first season, the club announced that it made P6 million in returns. On the pitch, Rollers are the most successful club in the country with 16 league championship. "You could not beat us at anything. I remember we used to travel to Ga-Rankuwa in South Africa, on the eve of match days because we heard there is a powerful guy (a traditional doctor), ene ele sephiri sa rona (it was our secret). We had another one in Thamaga called, Galephirime. We used to travel as far as Malawai too, and we went there by road," Baleseng recalled on the team's initial association with the superstition believe on the use of Muti.
The weekend's celebration is the start of the many according to the club president, Shah. The club will have events across the country and have launched a new diamond themed emblem for their diamond jubilee celebrations. The club will by this December launch a book on the 60 years history. "We would have liked to have these celebrations in a stadium so that everyone is involved but due to COVID-19 we cannot.
So we will soon be in Francistown and other parts of the country. I am pleased to announce that by December we will compile our history in literature form, we will be launching a book on Rollers' 60 years," Shah said.