The fans� favourites slick Trojan horse
Koketso Kgoboge | Friday February 26, 2016 16:22
In 1971 the Moffat family moved from Virginia in the Free State and settled in Bluetown, Francistown. The Moffat brothers, the late Temba ‘Black Engine’ Moffat, a defender and Boyce, a striker, joined TAFIC.
The Horse had started his football at High Parks United in Virginia as a goalkeeper at 14 years and at 16, he joined TAFIC. Due to his speed and dribbling skills, he was converted to a striker a few games after arrival at the Francistown Club.
He recalls the heydays that spruced his love for the game. “I enjoyed a lot of support at TAFIC for a youngster and I fell very much in love with football. I started growing the desire to play in the capital city. I could attract South African teams like Kaizer Chiefs, and TAFA provided the platform,” he reminisced.
“TAFA had better management then and they were the only team here that played against the Gaborone clubs like Gaborone United, Township Rollers and Maletamotse amongst others.”
In 1972, he joined TAFA and four months later he realised his dream when Rollers signed him alongside his late brother. He quit his driving job at Plate Glass and followed his dream.
Rollers found him a job at Erick’s and Brothers in Gaborone. He played as a No.6 (midfielder) for three years before joining Notwane as a striker in 1975 where he was paid to play football. At the time, the teams competed in tournaments they organised.
In 1978, the BFA (Botswana Football Association) was formed and the First Division League (FDL) began. In the same year, Notwane became the first team to be crowned league champions and went on to represent Botswana in the Confederations Cup against Maseru United of Lesotho and lost on away goals rule.
‘Sphonono -The Horse’ said his best memories in football remains at Notwane. “Football became different at Notwane; the fame, the love, and life was so exciting and simple. I was a star and everyone loved me. I enjoyed myself. I was playing the sport I loved and I was being paid for it,” he said.
In 1979, Boyce returned home to play for TAFIC who were also competing in the First Division League. He helped the team to a top four finish and to a runners-up position in the Coca-Cola Cup that year.
He said TAFIC failed to live up to the promise and he quit the following year. “I was relying on football and they failed to pay me, so I went back to Notwane where I played for two seasons before I quit active football,” he said.
“I came back home and formed a team called Cave XI in 1985 where I was a player-coach before ultimately quitting playing altogether and later joined Calendar Stars as a coach in the Second Division. We finished second but unfortunately the team disbanded and I quit football.”
‘Sphonono - The horse’ represented the national team, Botswana XI, between 1974 to 1982 alongside the late Pro Morwalela, Muller Mothelesi and Sola Mogadi, among others.
After a life of football, in 1985, he stayed for two years without any means of income and when reality sunk in he took a job as a driver at Olio Distributors until 2009 when the company was liquidated. Since then, he has been trying to make ends meet as a backyard welder and fabricator in his family house at Bluetown.
He said football days were sweet, but life after football can be dreadful. “In football when you are a star you are spoon fed so much that you will not have time to think about life after football. The life is easy and flamboyant, but the hardships and the struggles that follow are torturous,” he said.
“Football is a short career and when you hang your boots it doesn’t take time before you are forgotten. The football community of our time has forgotten me. In the past I have liaised with the BFA on many instances for coaching courses, but when coaching clinics come I am forgotten simply because I am a nobody now and I have since given up on them.
“I love the sport and I want to share my knowledge that is why I have resorted to grooming young talent. I am currently coaching young boys at Tati Town Primary School.”
For his name, ‘Sphonono -The Horse’ he said: “I got this name while playing for TAFIC. ‘Sphonono’ means beauty. I was sleek with the ball and people admired my beautiful touches and ‘The Horse’, I was too quick and I outran defenders with ease and so ‘Sponono -The Horse’ comes from the beauty and the speed.”