Highlanders could move to Mandava Stadium

By The Standard and Newsday | Jul. 2, 2014

HIGHLANDERS could move to Mandava Stadium for the last rounds of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) as renovations to home ground Barbourfields Stadium for the Region V Under 20 Youth Games begin.

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Renovations have already started at Luveve Stadium. Barbourfields will be used for the opening and closing ceremony as well as finals for girls and boys’ football in the games to be hosted games in Bulawayo in December.

Highlanders chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede confirmed the developments to Southern Eye Sport yesterday. “We travelled to Zvishavane last week and we agreed that we were committed to working together with FC Platinum. We made a provisional request that in the event that Barbourfields becomes inaccessible due to the ongoing refurbishments, they consider us so that we use Mandava as our home ground,” he said.

Hartsfield Rugby Ground is another option, but is too small for the thousands of Highlanders fans, who average 7 000 per home game.

Highlanders still have to host Dynamos in the reverse fixture this season, which will be their biggest home game of the second stanza.

“We can also use Hartsfield and we have written to the PSL. When they inspect the ground they will indicate if it’s suitable to host PSL matches or not,” he said. The PSL has in the past condemned the rugby venue.

Gumede also spoke about their former striker Njabulo “Tshiki” Ncube who is reported to be eyeing a move back to the Bulawayo giants from FC Platinum.

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“When I went to Zvishavane I travelled with Tapela (Andrew, Highlanders secretary) and we made it very clear to FC Platinum that we wanted to handle the matter the right way by approaching the club first before we talk to the player,” he said. “We understand that Njabulo is in Bulawayo. We have told those who interact with him that he should present himself to his bosses (FC Platinum).”