Jomo Cosmos F.C. Explained

Clubname:Jomo Cosmos
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Fullname:Jomo Cosmos Football Club
Nickname:Ezenkosi (Royals)
Ground:Profert Olën Park
Capacity:22,000
Chairman:Jomo Sono
Coach:Jomo Sono
League:National First Division
Season:2021–22
Position:15th (relegated)
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Jomo Cosmos are a South African professional association football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the ABC Motsepe League. The club is owned and coached by South African football legend Jomo Sono.

In the 2021–22 National First Division season the club was relegated to the Third Division stream of professional football in South Africa.

History

The club was founded on 29 January 1983, upon the remnants of the previously well-known and successful club Highlands Park, which Sono opted to buy when he ended his playing career in the United States. The club was named Dion Cosmos in its initial 1983 season, with the first part of the name representing the previous sponsor of Highlands Park and the second part being the fingerprint of Jomo Sono, who decided to name his newly bought club after his former NASL club, the New York Cosmos. Since 1984, the name of the club has been Jomo Cosmos.[1]

Sono's policy for development has always been to recognise and build upon raw talent. Sono's team accentuated and developed a strong youth policy and through the years has gained a reputation for discovering and developing some of the finest talent to have played in the league, for the South Africa national team and abroad. Under Sono's ownership, the club went on to achieve several successes: winning the South African Premier Division title in 1987,[2] the Bob Save Super Bowl in 1990,[3] [4] the Coca-Cola Cup in 2002 and 2005,[5] and the SAA Supa 8 in 2003.[6]

In 2008, Jomo Cosmos were relegated from top-flight football for the first time since 1993.[7] After one season in the National First Division, they returned to the PSL for the 2009–10 season, having won the Inland Stream and the promotion play-off against Carara Kicks.[8] They were immediately relegated again, leading several to question Sono's future as the club's manager.[9] Sono stayed, and led the club to the 2010–11 National First Division title and promotion.[10] They were yet again relegated in their first season back, finishing in last place.[11] They would stay in the second tier for three seasons, before winning promotion through the 2014-15 PSL play-off tournament.[12] Cosmos were relegated again in their first season back, after losing 3–1 to Maritzburg United on the final day, ending the season in last place.[13]

Honours

2002, 2003, 2005

1990

1987

1994

Club records

Historical League results

Club officials/Technical team

First team squad

2019-20 season[14]

Shirt sponsor and kit manufacturer

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: South Africa 1983 NPSL. 5 December 2010. RSSF. 22 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220922070029/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf83.html. live.
  2. Web site: South Africa 1987 . RSSSF . 17 August 2020 . 21 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220721124317/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf87.html . live .
  3. Web site: South Africa 1990 . RSSSF . 17 August 2020 . 21 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220721124323/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf90.html . live .
  4. Web site: Mzansi's greatest teams . Kickoff . 16 September 2013 . 17 August 2020 . 22 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200722075848/https://www.kickoff.com/news/articles/south-africa-news/categories/news/kaizer-chiefs/the-best-teams-ever-in-south-africa/545953 . live .
  5. Web site: "I remember that day like it was yesterday," – Jomo Sono's Nostalgia . 19 May 2020.
  6. Web site: South Africa 2003/04 . RSSSF . 17 August 2020 . 21 July 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220721124311/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesz/zaf04.html . live .
  7. Web site: Cosmos condemned to relegation . News24 . 17 August 2020 . 21 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621161159/https://www.news24.com/Sport/Cosmos-condemned-to-relegation-20080909 . live .
  8. Web site: Jomo Cosmos Back in the Premier Soccer League . Goal . 17 August 2020.
  9. Web site: The game's over, Jomo . Mail & Guardian . 12 March 2010 . 17 August 2020 . 28 November 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211128080022/https://mg.co.za/article/2010-03-12-the-games-over-jomo/ . live .
  10. Web site: Bay United beaten in penalty shootout . PressReader . 17 August 2020 . 21 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621161122/https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/daily-dispatch/20110523/282067683524891 . live .
  11. Web site: Jomo Cosmos relegated . News24 . 17 August 2020 . 21 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621161246/https://www.news24.com/Sport/jomo-cosmos-relegated-20120516 . live .
  12. Web site: Jomo Cosmos promoted to the PSL . News24 . 17 August 2020 . 21 June 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621161244/https://www.news24.com/Sport/Jomo-Cosmos-promoted-to-the-PSL-20150603 . live .
  13. Web site: Absa Premiership wrap: Maritzburg survive, Cosmos relegated, AmaTuks for play-offs . Goal . 17 August 2020 . 29 July 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160729062536/http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4667/sa-psl/2016/05/21/23781962/absa-premiership-wrap-maritzburg-survive-cosmos-relegated? . live .
  14. Web site: Team Info 2019-2020 . Jomo Cosmos . 17 August 2020 . 11 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200811092206/https://www.jomocosmos.co.za/team-info-2019-2020/ . live .