Gunners reel from 'dismissal' after-effects
Kabelo Boranabi | Saturday October 16, 2021 06:00
Gunners, together with Notwane, Mahalapye Railway Highlanders, Gilport Lions and Mogoditshane Fighters were expelled from the elite league in August. The quintet was adjudged to have failed to meet the requirements needed to attain a full club license. The five clubs were, however, reinstated after an appeal in early September.
This was at the time the government had just lifted a ban on competitive sports activities. Several Premiership clubs returned to their training grounds to get ready for the new season. But the Peleng giants did not take to the training field. The team just kick-started their preseason training this Monday with only a week ahead of the expected Premiership start on October 22, 2021. 'As you may know, our club was to deal with the issues of club licensing and while we were still to address the matter, we received communication that the league will start.
At that moment, we did not know our stand, if our appeal would be successful or not and whether we will be part of the Premiership. And that disturbed our plans to start the pre-season training but as soon as the dust settled we called our players, some of who had gone back to their home villages. You should know that our club's main source of income is the gate takings, so at a period where we did not have income, we decided to allow players to go home rather than keep them here,' Gunners' public relations officer, Oarabile Kgosiesele said.
He added the team returns to action against an unpleasant backdrop. Kgosiesele said the club has a pile of debts while he refused to shed light on the club's privatisation strides. 'Our club is run by a society. It is an environment that is bound to cause divisions within the club leadership and thus bring along debts that may be too heavy for the club. I can confirm that as the new committee we have accepted all the club's debts and have directed them to the legal office to assess if the club is bound to pay or not, to check proof if indeed the club owes whoever,' he explained. 'It has been just talk that we are being linked with investors at the start of every football season.
But as of now, I can say let's wait for official communication from the club and desist from rumours. We will update once there is anything,' Kgosiesele said. Gunners, as per the Premiership fixtures' draft, face record league champions, Township Rollers on October 22 at the Lobatse Sports Complex in a 7pm kick-off. The tie will be the opening game for the 2021-2022 Premiership season.