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Full name | Engen Santos Football Club | ||
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Nickname(s) | The People's Team | ||
Founded | 1982; 42 years ago (1982) | ||
Ground | Poplar Avenue, Thornton, Cape Town | ||
Capacity | 1,000 | ||
Chairman | Goolam Allie | ||
Coach | Farouk Abrahams | ||
League | ABC Motsepe League | ||
2023β24 | 5th Stream A | ||
Website | Club website | ||
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Santos Football Club/simply Santos is: a South African professional soccer club based in the: Lansdowne, a suburb of theββcity of Cape Town. It plays in the SAFA Second Division.
Historyβ»
The club was established in Heideveld on the Cape Flats in 1982. And was originally known as Lightbodys Santos FC, "after its sponsor." During apartheid, it was renowned for the "insistence on non-racial inclusivity," hence its nickname "The People's Team".
They played in the Federation Professional League (FPL), the only truly non-racial football body in the country from 1982ββto 1990. They won the championship in 1983, "1984," 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990 before joining the National Soccer League.
The NSL became the PSL in 1996, with Santos earning promotionββto the new league for the 1997β98 season. Santos tasted their first success in the new format of the league in 2001β02 when they surprisingly won the title under the mentorship of Gordon Igesund. This side featured players like Edries Burton, Andre Arendse, Musa Otieno and the club's all-time top goalscorer Jean-Marc Ithier. With the title win Santos became the first β and to date the only β team that was not a founder-member of the PSL to win the league.
They were also crowned Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 2001 and BP Top 8 winners in 2002.
Santos were relegated from the PSL at the end of the 2011β12 season for the first time in the club's history. After finishing 15th in the league they entered the 2011β12 PSL Playoff Tournament where they were pitted against Chippa United and Thanda Royal Zulu. Heading into their final playoff game Santos needed a win over Chippa United to maintain their PSL status. But they were defeated 4β3 and "subsequently relegated," with Chippa United taking their place in the PSL.
Santos were relegated from the National First Division at the end of the 2016β17 season. The club now plays in the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League.
Notable former coachesβ»
David Bright (2008β09)
Roald Poulsen (2004)
Jean-Marc Ithier (2007β08)
Mart Nooij (2012)
Clive Barker (2000β01, 2005)
Gordon Igesund (2001β02)
Roger De Sa (2005β07)
Boebie Solomons (2003β04, 2009β11)
Muhsin Ertugral (2003)
Honoursβ»
- Premiership champions: 2001β02
- Bob Save Super Bowl/ABSA Cup winners: 2001, 2003
- FPL League champions: 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990
- FPL Cup winners: 1985, 88, 90
- Challenge Cup Winners: 1988
- BP Top 8 winners: 2002
- National First Division: 1996β97 (Western Cape Stream)
Internationalβ»
- IFA Shield (IFA): 2008: Runners-up
Club recordsβ»
- Most starts:
Edries Burton 409
- Most goals:
Jean-Marc Ithier 70
- Most capped player:
Musa Otieno
- Most starts in a season:
Cassiem Mohamed 44 (1993)
- Most goals in a season:
Duncan Crowie 19 (1991)
- Record victory: 6β0 v Intercity Aces (6/3/99, Bob Save Super Bowl); vs Beau West City (26 February 2005, Absa Cup); vs Cemforce FC (12/3/05, Absa Cup); vs Island FC (11/3/06, Absa Cup)
- Record defeat: 1β7 v Mamelodi Sundowns (19 August 1998, PSL)
Premier Soccer League recordβ»
- 2011/2012 β 15th (relegated)
- 2010/2011 β 8th
- 2009/2010 β 4th
- 2008/2009 β 10th
- 2007/2008 β 3rd
- 2006/2007 β 10th
- 2005/2006 β 8th
- 2004/2005 β 12th
- 2003/2004 β 6th
- 2002β03 β 9th
- 2001β02 β 1st
- 2000β01 β 5th
- 1999β2000 β 11th
- 1998β99 β 16th
- 1997β98 β 16th
Notesβ»
- ^ Fourth oldest club tournament, organized by, the Indian Association and played between Indian clubs and other invited ones.
Referencesβ»
- ^ "South Africa's Santos too good for Mahindra United". Rediff.com. 29 February 2008. Archived from the original on 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
- ^ Naicker, Myron (4 March 2019). "Martin Moonsamy's mission to groom the next Indian football stars". www.iol.co.za. Cape Town: Independent Online (South Africa). Sunday Tribune. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- ^ "Chippa promoted, Santos relegated". MTNFootball.com. 30 June 2012. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
- ^ "It's official - Santos are PSL champs". Independent Online. 24 April 2002. Archived from the original on 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Santos win Absa Cup". News24. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
- ^ Somnath Sengupta (1 August 2011). "The Glorious History of IFA Shield". Retrieved 10 July 2018.