Garankuwa United F.C.

Garankuwa United

Full name

Garankuwa United Football Club

Nickname(s)

Kopano Ke Matla (Togetherness is strength)

Founded

Revived in July 2004

Ground

Pilditch Stadium,
West Pretoria, Pretoria,
Gauteng, South Africa

Capacity

20,000

Owner

Dingi Rahlagane

Chairman

Abram Rathlabane

Manager

Joseph Mekoe

League

SAFA Second Division

2014–15

National First Division, 15th (relegated)

Home colours

Away colours

Garankuwa United, sometimes also spelled Ga-Rankuwa United, is a semi-professional association football club based in the Garankuwa suburb of Pretoria, in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The club was founded (or revived) in July 2004, to play their first season in the SAFA Regional League. In June 2005, the owners Dingi Rahlagane and Harold "Kaizer" Motaung, decided to acquire the Castle League franchise of the club Buffaloes, based in the North-West province of Vodacom League, which provided the team an automatic promotion to this level for 2005–06.^[1]^[2]

The team's debut season in Vodacom League was very successful, as they managed both to win the North-West province, and get promoted after the provincial play-offs, to play the next two seasons in the National First Division. By June 2007, they were however relegated back again to the North-West province of Vodacom League. They managed again to win the province, both in 2010 and 2011, but today still play in Vodacom League, as they were not yet able to also win the promotional tickets at the provincial play-offs.

Prehistoric team: Ga-Rankuwa United (1960–92)

The current Garankuwa United team, is said to have been founded in June 2005, as a phoenix team of the previous club Ga-Rankuwa United (1960–92). When the prehistoric team got founded in the early 1960s, it initially had the name ABC FC. Later it changed to Wallabies FC, before the club settled with their final name Ga-Rankuwa United. The team did not compete at the high level in South Africa, but only in various domestic regional leagues, like i.e. the Bopsol league organised by the Bophuthatswana government.^[3]

Club records and best achievements

Achieved an 11th place of the National First Division in 2006–07.
Reached the 1/8-Finals (round 16) of the 2007 ABSA Cup, where they narrowly were defeated 1–2 by Dynamos.
Won the North West province of Vodacom League in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

Historical League results

2005–06 (VL) – 1st (in North-West, and promoted)
2006–07 (NFD) – 11th
2007–08 (NFD) – 8th (in Inland stream => Relegated)
2008–09 (VL) – 4th (in North-West)
2009–10 (VL) – 1st (in North-West)
2010–11 (VL) – 1st (in North-West)

Team squad in 2010–11

The players listed below, were spotted at the pitch, when the team met Sivutsa Stars 8 June 2011, at the provincial playoffs.^[4]

Oriel Mtsenga (goalkeeper)
Tshepang Mabatla
Conrad Madola
Johannes Kgoale (captain)
Pule Matlokotsi
Lebogang Mathopa

Stadium

When the team played at the National First Division in 2006–08, the preferred home venue was Odi Stadium.^[1] This venue had a capacity of 60,000 seats, and had a perfect location just 5 km North of the club house in Garankuwa, being situated in the neighbour township Mabopane. After being relegated to Vodacom League, the team however moved their home venue to these smaller and less expensive stadiums: Medunsa Stadium in 2008–09, Garankuwa Stadium in 2009–10, and Pilditch Stadium in 2010–11.

External links

References

1 2 Independent OnLine (2006-07-07). "Ga-Rankuwa United set their sights high".
↑ Rodwell Ziba (2007). "Ga-Rankuwa United FC -Facebook website".
↑ Pretoria News (2006-08-04). "Ga-Rankuwa United: all you need to know.".
↑ Backpagepix.co.za (2011-06-08). "View Event Gallery: Football – 2011 Vodacom League Play-Offs – Garankuwa United vs Sivutsa Stars".

National First Division 2014–15

African Warriors Baroka Black Leopards Cape Town All Stars FC Cape Town Garankuwa United Golden Arrows Highlands Park Jomo Cosmos Maluti FET College Milano United Santos Cape Town Royal Eagles Thanda Royal Zulu Vasco da Gama Witbank Spurs

Seasons in South African soccer

Premiership teams (2015–16)	Ajax Cape Town Bidvest Wits Bloemfontein Celtic Chippa United Free State Stars Golden Arrows Jomo Cosmos Kaizer Chiefs Mamelodi Sundowns Maritzburg United Black Aces Orlando Pirates Platinum Stars Polokwane City Supersport United Tuks FC

First Division teams (2015–16)	African Warriors AmaZulu Black Leopards Baroka FC Cape Town All Stars FC Cape Town Highlands Park Milano United Moroka Swallows Royal Eagles Santos Thanda Royal Zulu Vasco da Gama Witbank Spurs

National Premier Soccer League (South Africa)	1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984

National Soccer League (South Africa)	1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

Premier Soccer League	1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

National First Division	1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

SAFA Second Division	1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16

Nedbank Cup	1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2008-09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16

Telkom Knockout	1982* 1983* 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

MTN 8	1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 2000 2001 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Carling Black Label Cup	2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Telkom Charity Cup	1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Vodacom Challenge	1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011

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