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Free State Stars Football club is a South African professional football club based in Bethlehem, Free State that plays in the National First Division. Formerly known as Makwane Computer Stars, Fairway Stars[2] and Qwa Qwa Stars, their most significant honour is winning the 1994 Coca-Cola Cup and 2018 Nedbank Cup.
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| Full name | Free State Stars Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ea Lla Koto | |||
| Founded | 1977 (as Makwane Computer Stars) | |||
| Ground | Goble Park, Bethlehem | |||
| Capacity | 20,000 | |||
| Chairman | Mike Mokoena | |||
| Coach | Innocent Mayoyo[1] | |||
| League | National First Division | |||
| 2020–21 | 5th | |||
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The club sold their National First Division status to Casric F.C. at the start of the 2022–23 season. Following the sale of Bloemfontein Celtic the previous year, this left the Free State without any representatives in professional football.[3]
History
editFounded in 1977 in a small village of Makwane in an area then known as QwaQwa, the club gained promotion to the National Premier Soccer League in 1986.
The team won the league cup (then known as The Coca-Cola Cup) in 1994 with Bunene Ngaduane leading the scoring charts.
To avoid fixture congestion the club's franchise was sold to the Premier Soccer League in 2002.
The following year, Mike Mokoena revived the club as he bought and renamed the franchise of National First Division side Maholosiane. FS Stars regained their Premiership status in 2005 after winning the Mvela Golden League.
After a disappointing season in the top-flight, with the first team finishing bottom of the table, the club was relegated. The 2006–07 season however proved to be a huge success with Stars dominating the First Division and securing promotion to the Premier League once again.
They also won the inaugural Baymed Cup in December 2006 beating FC AK in the final.
Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer
edit- Shirt sponsor:
- Kit manufacturer: Lotto
Honours
edit- Winners – 1994
- Winners – 2006
- Second Division:
- Champions – 1985
Club records
edit- Most appearances:
Edward Salomane 299 - Most goals:
Bunene Ngaduane 79 - Most capped player:
Kennedy Mweene - Most appearances in a season: Themba Sithole 45 (1992)
- Most goals in a season: Bunene Ngaduane 19 (1993)
- Record win: 8–1 v Ikapa Sporting (29 March 2008, Nedbank Cup)
- Record loss: 1–7 v Arcadia (31 October 1986, NSL), 1–7 v Mamelodi Sundowns (19 April 1998, PSL)
Premier Soccer League record
edit- 2018–19 – 16th (relegated)
- 2017–18 – 6th
- 2016–17 – 14th
- 2015–16 – 12th
- 2014–15 – 9th
- 2013–14 – 14th
- 2012–13 – 7th
- 2011–12 – 6th
- 2010–11 – 9th
- 2009–10 – 13th
- 2008–09 – 4th
- 2007–08 – 5th
- 2005–06 – 16th (relegated)
- 2001–02 – 11th (bought out)
- 2000–01 – 6th
- 1999–2000 – 15th
- 1998–99 – 6th
- 1997–98 – 9th
- 1996–97 – 13th
Club officials
edit- Chairman: Mike Mokoena Deceased 17 June 2020
- General manager: Rantsi Mokoena
- Football manager: Kootso Mokoena
First team squad
editUpdated 16 May 2020
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable former coaches
edit- Milo Bjelica (1992)
- Clive Hachilensa (2005–07)
Kinnah Phiri (1 July 2007 – 8 May 2008)
David Duncan (1 July 2008 – 18 Aug 2008)- Owen Da Gama (19 Aug 2008 – 7 Oct 2008)
- Themba Sithole (14 Oct 2008 – 17 Nov 2008)
- Steve Komphela (18 Nov 2008 – 30 June 2009)
- Themba Sithole (interim) (1 July 2009 – 14 Sept 2009)
Valinhos (15 Sept 2009 – 3 Oct 2009)- Themba Sithole (4 Oct 2009 – 15 Nov 2009)
- Gordon Igesund (16 Nov 2009 – 23 March 2010)
Sunday Chidzambwa (5 May 2010 – 19 Sept 2010)- Steve Komphela (20 Oct 2010 – 1 Dec 2013)
- Themba Sithole (interim) (1 Dec 2013 – 14 March 2014)
- Kinnah Phiri (15 March 2014 – 30 June 2014)
Tom Saintfiet (2 July 2014 – 6 Nov 2014)- Kinnah Phiri (7 Nov 2014 – Aug 2015)
Ernst Middendorp (Sept 2015 – Dec 2015)
Giovanni Solinas (Dec 2015 – 23 May 2016)
Denis Lavagne (22 June 2016 – 22 September 2016)
References
edit- ^ "Mayoyo Lands Job With Title Challengers".
- ^ "South Africa 1990". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ^ Makhaya, Ernest (4 August 2022). "Free State Stars sold for R12 million, set to relocate - report". The South African. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
- ^ "Free State Stars win Nedbank Cup after slender win over Maritzburg". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
- ^ "Ready to take PSL by storm". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 25 July 2023.