Sphamandla Gumede has made Dondol Stars proud by securing a move to DStv Premiership giants Orlando Pirates.
The young goalkeeper was excellent for his ABC Motsepe League side last season, including in the Nedbank Cup, and attracted the interest of a number of top clubs.
Despite being eager to keep hold of his talented shotstopper, Stars chairman Lordwick Makhura insists he’s delighted to see Gumede make the step up to top-flight football.
Makhura said in the Citizen: “We’re very proud of Sphamandla Gumede, last season he was supposed to join the Richards Bay DDC team but I had to fight his parents.
“They wanted his clearance and I refused until they brought him back to us because we kept on saying he’s too good to be hidden in the DDC league. We wanted him to play in the ABC Motsepe league because he would be challenged more and that’s when teams will come for his signature.
#OrlandoPirates have pulled a rug under Richards Bay’s feet by hijacking their deal to sign higly-rated ⚽goalkeeper Sphamandla Gumede from ABC Motsepe League club Dondol Stars.
— The Citizen News (@TheCitizen_News) July 4, 2023
Full story➡️ https://t.co/bX6uBmP0Qu#TheCitizenSport#Soccer⚽
“We are vindicated for that because Orlando Pirates is one of the biggest teams in the country and giving him a contract says a lot. We’re proud because it is a direct move from ABC Motsepe league to Pirates and it’s good for the boy and our brand as a club.”
Initial reports suggested that Gumede would join SuperSport United.
Makhura added: “The thing the about SuperSport United (link), remember some journalists fabricate stories. Remember Sphamandla is from the academy of SuperSport but the only confirmation I got was from Orlando Pirates because they contacted us for his clearance and confirmed that they have given him a contract but with other teams I don’t know, it might have been hearsay.”
A number of players have already left Stars to play in the DStv Premiership next season, with Thabang Mnyembane joining Sekhukhune United, while Francious Baloyi signed for Polokwane City, as Tebogo Makungo went to the Motsepe Championship side University of Pretoria.
