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Jonathan Ndlovu

Sports Reporter
A PLUMTREE based team — Mainline FC — has joined the Zifa Bulawayo Province Division Two league that kicks off on the weekend of 15 and 16 April.

Two slots were left vacant in the Zifa Bulawayo Province after 2016 champions and runners up Chiwororo and Zim Leopards respectively gained promotion into the division one league, the Zifa Southern Region.

“Mainline FC took over one of the vacant slots while the second one was taken over by Ntabazinduna who relinquished their franchise in the Zifa Southern Region. We are excited to have a team from Plumtree joining us for the 2017 season.

“Plumtree has not had a team playing in a professional league in a long time and we hope Mainline FC will assist our league spread the game in that part of the country,” said Zifa Bulawayo Province acting chairman Francis Ntuta.

The club has registered Dingimuzi Stadium in Plumtree as their preferred home ground but in the event that Bulawayo based teams find the venue too far then Mainline FC will settle for Figtree Stadium.

“Figtree Stadium is still subject to inspection by our grounds committee to determine if it is fit to host matches but the Mainline FC executive has pledged to assist Bulawayo teams that find Dingimuzi Stadium too far with extra fuel to travel to Plumtree.

“In the event Figtree Stadium is given the green light to host games then visiting teams will have to play there because the venue falls within the stipulated 40 kilometre radius,” said Ntuta.

Mainline FC coach Charlton Gumede, a holder of a Zifa Level Four Certificate, said the team will register 20 players for the first half of the season and then beef up the squad when the window transfer period opens midway into the season.

“We held trials around Plumtree Town and surrounding rural areas and have assembled a squad of 20 players. We are looking at beefing up the squad in July with an extra 10 players,” said Gumede.

The club is sponsored by Plumtree businessman Mkhulunyelwa Nkomo and South Africa-based Jonathan Ndlovu.

Ndlovu also sponsors the annual Jonah Football Tournament that was won by Kombani at Nyabane in Bulilima in the 2016 edition.