A new club, Royal AM, which is an amalgamation of Bloemfontein Celtic and the Royal team that played in the GladAfrica Championship last season, will begin life in the top flight of the Premier Soccer League today.
Royal of KwaZulu-Natal, with a training base in Pietermaritzburg and a home ground at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban, will meet Swallows in their opening DStv Premiership encounter in Soweto this afternoon.
John Maduka, who was coach at Celtic, will be in Royal AM's dugout against Swallows today, with his team formed within one week with a number of players he had at Celtic last season. Maduka will also have the Celtic squad and 14 players of Royal in his team, club CEO Sinky Mnisi told the Sunday Times yesterday.
Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Bidvest Wits.. winger Elias Pelembe has joined Royal as a free agent, Mnisi confirmed.
"I think, without undermining anybody, the former players of Celtic are in a good space for the game against Swallows," said Mnisi.
Royal earned their place in the top flight of SA football after its owner, businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, succeeded in buying the status of Bloemfontein Celtic last week. She also managed to sell Royal's first-division status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) owner Lawrence Mulaudzi in the same week.
Mkhize's son, Andile Mpisane, who made cameo appearances in the Royal team that played in the first division last season, will however not be part of Maduka's team today, a source at Royal told the Sunday Times.
"He's (Andile) been busy with the administration activities at the club this week and will definitely not be part of Maduka's team that will face Swallows on Sunday (today)," said the source.
TTM's spokesperson Livhuwani Mazuhe confirmed that some of the Royal players that were with the club in the first division last season have joined them. TTM hosted Cape Town All Stars in their opening league fixture in Thohoyandou yesterday.
But all the eyes will be on how Maduka's team kicks off their life in the top flight today.
"We expect a very difficult game against Swallows, but us as Royal AM we're looking to start well so that we don't put unnecessary pressure on ourselves," Maduka reflected ahead of travelling to Soweto yesterday.
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