mbulelo smpofu
Yesteryear Greats with Lovemore Banda
I am Hilary Ndlovu, the son of former Highlanders player, coach, vice-chairman and chairman, Silas Ndlovu.
What I remember about Highlanders as a young boy is that the team used to come home at Number 190 Barbourfields to camp.
So many great players played under my father.
I remember Highlanders winning trophies, the Chibuku Trophy, and others following.
I was a mascot of Highlanders with defender Boet Van Ays’ son. At half-time we would get into the field and play.
I have to admit I have no recollection of watching my father playing but all I remember is when he was the Highlanders’ coach and manager.
There was this euphoria about the team, it had won the Chibuku Trophy in 1973 and Bulawayo was still abuzz with excitement. It was like a giant had just been awakened and everyone was believing that this was the next big thing in football.
I did not understand much about the landscape of the sport because of my age having been born on 2 May 1967.
But what I remember was that the team won the Chibuku Trophy defeating Mangula now Mhangura 3-0 in the capital, Harare (then Salisbury).
So many people came home to celebrate and my dad and family became instant celebrities. For days and weeks, different sets of people came home to celebrate with my dad and family. I got this impression of a football institution that represented much more than that.
It was great marching onto Barbourfields, Luveve, Ross Camp and White City with thousands of whistling and ululating fans with stuntman Dakamela doing his somersaults much to the amazement of the packed stadia.
For me and Van Ays son, it was ecstatic, a moment to savour leading great players like Boet, Cavin Duberley, Tymon Mabaleka, Isaac Mafaro, Itai Chieza, Chutika Tembo, Lawrence Phiri, Tommy Masuku, Willy Luphahla, Bruce Grobbelaar, Billy Sibanda, Josiah Nxumalo, Peter Bepe, Peter Zimuto and Ananias Dube.
The football was enthralling, no-nonsense defending, enterprising midfield play, some superb wing stuff where Tommy Masuku and Cavin Duberley made light work of opposition defenders and set up Tymon Mabaleka and Josiah Nxumalo to score.
Itai and Isaac too were hot property and then in 1975 came Majuta Mpofu, a marvel to watch by any standards and among the greatest in the game.
Stadia will be full to the brim and a vociferous crowd applauding every touch by any of the 11 players on the field. Deafening noise would spring up in the second-half when a player rose from the bench to warm up and if it was a crowd favourite like Duberley and Masuku, you would even sense terror being scripted in the opposition defence.
As if changing into drive mode gears on the highway, the pace once a fresh pair of legs was thrown into the team, would be faster and with the cheering thousands the Destruction Machine of Tymon Mabaleka, Josiah Nxumalo and Duberley would do wonders.
At times I would get up and get close to Bruce Grobbelaar as he was among players like Nehemiah Dube who would be at school and not be available for the 2pm or 4pm practice sessions. Usually dad took them through their paces at our home in Barbourfields.
Bruce would do diving drills on our home lawn and I would enjoy every bit of the stuff and be proud and behave as if we owned Highlanders as a family.
There were times when the team camped at home which meant we had to cram into one of the family rooms to give them space in the sitting room and spare bedroom.
I remember how proud I would be to be close to 16 Highlanders players and coaches at home in camp.
Being invited to bath and later dress up in my Sunday best clothes to play mascot remains a moment of pride and pleasure for me.
Highlanders has been so much of our family, it still means a lot.
I still go to stadia and watch Our Family pride and the club has transformed into a giant from those baby steps of the mid-1970s.
It now owns properties, has created legends, some of whom have played abroad, and is counted among the best and most successful.
Going to Barbourfields still feels the same but I miss the Madinda Ndlovu, Masuku and Duberley effect.
My favourite players were Cavin Duberley, Bruce Grobbelaar, Tymon Mabaleka and Jujuju.
The difference is now these boys do not play for the fans, they play to the gallery. Instead of playing for their teammates and coach they play watching spectators.
I love Highlanders, it is part of my family and am proud of my dad Silas Ndlovu, he will always be part of the team’s history and legacy.
