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Allan Foti
FOR six decades, Townshend and Butcher Sports Shop has been supporting sports development in Bulawayo. For six decades, they have sponsored and helped organise the Bulawayo Amateur Football Association(Bafa) League’s marquee tournament.

But after all this time, the patriarch of the family that owns Townshend and Butcher Sports Shop has remained firmly and humbly grounded in the belief that the tournament is his way of connecting with the community.

Peter Leondios was born in 1945 in Cyprus to Greek parents who moved their small family to Zimbabwe in 1957. Mr Leondios moved and settled in the Matabeleland region in 1967 when he started a business in Kezi.

He bankrolls the Townshend and Butcher Trophy, but insists that the reason behind this has always been about doing something with the community rather than for the community.

“When I started doing this, it was more out of the passion I had for both the community and football. I grew up playing football like most Greek kids; arrived in Matabeleland and lived in a community that I fell in love with,” said Mr Leondios.

The Townshend and Butcher managing director insists that sponsoring the tournament is not about him or his family but about the teams and the players that give their all to participate and try and win the trophy. He gave credit to the Bafa executive especially vice-chairman, Mr Charles Chunda who was the tournament director for working hard to make the tournament a success.

“It takes a team to get a tournament like this off the ground and manage it all the way to the final. Fortunately, the Bafa league has such a team and they worked hard to make sure it was a success. I want to give special mention to the vice-chairman, Charles Chunda whom I worked with all the way for his unceasing energy,” Mr Leondios said.

“This was one of the happiest I’ve ever been with the tournament more so the passion I saw from all the players, teams and supporters. They’re the reason why we keep sponsoring the tournament.”

He revealed that even the previous owner of the company who founded it in 1957, Wally Townshend and sponsored the tournament for 29 years, loved his soccer and community.

“I bought this company from the former councillor in 1986. He had been sponsoring the tournament for 29 years. As we were discussing, he said it was his wish that I continue serving the Bulawayo community through the tournament. He said he was proud of its impact.”

“I didn’t hesitate to buy into the idea and I sponsored the event the very first year up to this day. It’s something that I do without even thinking about it as it has become part and parcel of this company,” said Mr Leondios.

He said his company was keen to provide another platform for those who love the game of football to participate in a less competitive environment. This, he said, helps residents stay healthy and fit, takes away participants from social evils while at the same time affording others a chance to develop their talents for recognition by more competitive leagues.

“We help take the youths away from social evils; they get to spend their time gainfully engaged. Others can shape their talents and move on. We’re always happy to see such happen and we get the feeling of contentment that we’ve helped with the well-being of the society,” said the Cyprus-born businessman.

A die-hard Liverpool fan, Mr Leondios said reaching 60 years was a milestone for the tournament. He said he would honour with medals some people who have made significant strides in Bafa and soccer in Bulawayo this year.

He said a committee had already been put in place to identify those deemed to have made a significant contribution to Bafa.

Over the years, top tier football clubs have used both the Bafa league and the Townshend and Butcher Trophy as a hunting ground for talented players.

Clubs like Highlanders trolled this division and discovered players like Lawrence “Lofty” Phiri, Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu, Barry Daka and later on, Shabanie Mine introduced the midfield duo of Max Ruza and Francis Chandida to the world after discovering them in the Bafa league.

Historic clubs that have played in this league and this tournamanmet include Revolution, Golden Hotspurs, Corrugated and Matabeleland High City.

Highlanders won the tournament a number of times before joining the competitive ranks in 1969, leaving an amateur side — Matabeleland High City to keep their berth in Bafa in the event.

Things did not go well in the Rhodesia National Football League.

Other notable teams that played in the Bafa league and for the Townshend and Butcher Trophy include Mashonaland Defenders, United Africa, Northern Rhodesia, Mutambara, Manicaland, and Rhodesia Railways. These teams took part in the inaugural tournament in 1957 and subsequent times before the onset of organised professional football.

The likes of Gibson Makhanda, Chester Makhanda, ABC Rusike, Jerry Vera, Ndundu, Dutchie Dutchman, Chester Raiza, John Walker, Gibson Homela, Kainoti Luphahla, Edward Dzowa, and Edward Dlamini are some of the big names from the Townshend and Butcher Trophy early days.

Mr Leondios owns several other businesses in town which include Mr Chips, Royal Sunflower, Fotron and Beitbridge Casino. He has previously employed several soccer players.