Santos F.C. (South Africa) Explained

Clubname:Santos FC
Fullname:Engen Santos Football Club
Nickname:The People's Team
Ground:Poplar Avenue, Thornton, Cape Town
Capacity:1,000
Chairman:Goolam Allie
Coach:Farouk Abrahams
League:ABC Motsepe League
Season:2023–24
Position:5th Stream A
Website:https://www.santosfc.co.za/
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Santos Football Club or simply Santos is a South African professional soccer club based in the Lansdowne,[1] a suburb of the city of Cape Town. It plays in the SAFA Second Division.[2]

History

The club was established in Heideveld on the Cape Flats in 1982 and was originally known as Lightbodys Santos FC, after its sponsor. During apartheid, it was renowned for the insistence on non-racial inclusivity, hence its nickname "The People's Team".

They played in the Federation Professional League (FPL), the only truly non-racial football body in the country from 1982 to 1990. They won the championship in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1990 before joining the National Soccer League.

The NSL became the PSL in 1996, with Santos earning promotion to the new league for the 1997–98 season. Santos tasted their first success in the new format of the league in 2001–02 when they surprisingly won the title under the mentorship of Gordon Igesund. This side featured players like Edries Burton, Andre Arendse, Musa Otieno and the club's all-time top goalscorer Jean-Marc Ithier. With the title win Santos became the first – and to date the only – team that was not a founder-member of the PSL to win the league.

They were also crowned Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 2001 and BP Top 8 winners in 2002.

Santos were relegated from the PSL at the end of the 2011–12 season for the first time in the club's history. After finishing 15th in the league they entered the 2011–12 PSL Playoff Tournament where they were pitted against Chippa United and Thanda Royal Zulu. Heading into their final playoff game Santos needed a win over Chippa United to maintain their PSL status but they were defeated 4–3 and subsequently relegated, with Chippa United taking their place in the PSL.[3]

Santos were relegated from the National First Division at the end of the 2016–17 season. The club now plays in the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League.

Notable former coaches

Honours

1996–97 (Western Cape Stream)

International

Club records

Premiership record

Notes and References

  1. Web site: South Africa's Santos too good for Mahindra United. Rediff.com. 29 February 2008. 8 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220308181027/https://www.rediff.com/sports/report/ifa/20080229.htm. 8 March 2022.
  2. Web site: Myron. Naicker. Martin Moonsamy's mission to groom the next Indian football stars. www.iol.co.za. Independent Online (South Africa). 4 March 2019. 27 January 2022. Sunday Tribune. Cape Town. https://web.archive.org/web/20201001012146/https://www.iol.co.za/sunday-tribune/sport/martin-moonsamys-mission-to-groom-the-next-indian-football-stars-20056360. 1 October 2020.
  3. News: Chippa promoted, Santos relegated . https://web.archive.org/web/20160312065054/http://mtnfootball.com/africa/south-africa/absa-premiership/news/2012/jun/chippa-promoted-santos-relegated.html . dead . 12 March 2016 . MTNFootball.com . 30 June 2012 . 19 July 2012 .
  4. Web site: It's official - Santos are PSL champs . . 2002-04-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230630125224/https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/sport/its-official-santos-are-psl-champs-509971 . 2023-06-30 . live.
  5. Web site: Santos win Absa Cup . 2024-04-04 . News24 . en-US.
  6. [List of oldest football competitions|Fourth oldest club tournament]
  7. Web site: The Glorious History of IFA Shield. Somnath Sengupta. 1 August 2011. 10 July 2018.