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Nhlanhla Dube

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS have declared that they will not rest until their desire to fill up Barbourfields Stadium is achieved.

Bosso recently embarked on the hashtag #FillupBF after noticing an improved attendance at their home games this season following a disappointing 2017 season during which numbers plummeted to shocking levels, resulting in the club failing to pay staff and players their salaries and winning bonuses.

The club has taken a deliberate move to ensure such a scenario never occurs this year and their efforts have been helped by the beautiful brand of football being exhibited by coach Madinda “Khathazile” Ndlovu and his youthful players, as they seek to return Bosso to their yesteryear glory days when they would effortlessly fill up Barbourfields.

As part of efforts to fill up Barbourfields Stadium’s seating capacity of 35 000, the club has introduced competitive curtain raiser games in the form of their Division One side Bosso 90.

“We continue with our call to fill up Barbourfields Stadium and so far numbers have really been encouraging. It shows that fans have heeded our clarion call and have bought into the project. So our operation to fill up our home games continues and we want to turn Emagumeni into what a friend of mine from Harare, who is a coach, described as a snake park. The guy said to me when Barbourfields is full and you walk into it, it’s like you are walking in a snake park; it’s scary and this is what we are aiming at,” said Highlanders’ chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube.

He said they will also introduce a number of pre-match activities to lure and motivate the fans, not only to come in numbers, but to come early too.

“Outside other programmes that we are lining up together with our sponsors, we have also decided to have our Bosso 90 team curtain raise most of our home matches. These won’t be mere curtain raisers, but competitive games. They will actually be proper matches and our fans will be able to see their future first team players, so we continue urging our fans to come in numbers and cheer the boys on. We know Barbourfields Stadium can take up to 28 000 and we won’t rest until we get there,” said Dube.

Coach Ndlovu also weighed in, saying he was personally touched last week when he saw the terraces full against Chicken Inn.

“I said to myself all that (money) is not coming to these boys, but going to our opponents and since this week we are playing Shabanie Mine, some might decide not to come on the basis that Shabanie Mine is just another team, but we are saying to them come and we will give you the entertainment you want,” said Ndlovu.

A total of 10 477 fans paid to watch the epic derby last Sunday, which was a home game for Chicken Inn and the GameCocks said it was a record attendance for them.

The match lived up to its billing, with both sets of players giving it their all in a carnival filled afternoon that resulted in three beautiful goals and one, which Ndlovu said was a “gift” to their opponents.

Fixtures

Tomorrow: Harare City v Black Rhinos (Rufaro) ZPC Kariba v Chicken Inn (Nyamhunga Stadium, Bulawayo City v Triangle United (Barbourfields), Yadah v Nichrut (NSS), Ngezi Platinum v Mutare City Rovers (Baobab), Bulawayo Chiefs v FC Platinum (Luveve)

Sunday: Caps United v Dynamos (NSS), Highlanders v Shabanie Mine (Barbourfields), Chapungu v Herentals (Ascot).