Notwane’s relegation an economic setback

Botswana’s most expensive football match on Wednesday cruelly condemned Notwane Football Club to the dusty pitches of the First Division South League (FDSL) for next season. It was a stunning quadruple of goals from Sadiki Takunda plus two more goals from Kediemetse Radikolo and Mogakolodi Balatotse that ensured their club FC Satmos survive the wrath of the premier league axe with a 6-4 victory over the Toronto Boys. 

A brace from Notwane’s Louis Sekwainyane coupled with the other two goals from Emmanuel Masisi and Sethembile Mbuqe did little to save their club from the ignominy of biting the dust they will trade on against a line-up of stubborn clubs in the FDSL. The disgraced Notwane will not only have to contend with the likes of Letlapeng, Mogoditshane Fighters, Killer Giants and UF Santos on the pitch for their path back to the premier league, they will also have to dig deep from their pockets to cope with the usually pricey league that relatively has little earnings for the clubs. 

Yet it has been a long time coming for Notwane – for many a local football enthusiast, Notwane’s fate comes as no surprise as they have over the last five seasons made a habit of dicing with the dangerous drop zone of the premier league competition. Throughout the years, they have barely survived, yet the team management seemed to do little about averting a repetition of what had significantly become an annual predicament for the club. Perhaps because on several occasions before, they have been lucky to survive the drop even when they had actually been relegated through their poor performance on the field of play.

One case in point is when they finished 14th in the 2011/12 premier league season and were supposed to relegate with GNT and FC Satmos who had finished at positions 15 and 16 respectively. Police XI and newly-promoted Security Systems were then deregistered from the Botswana Football Association (BFA) for failure to pay their annual P300 subscription fees, and two teams had to be brought in as their replacement. Notwane were then deemed to be the best relegated team and were returned to the premier league along with BR Highlanders who had finished second in the promotion play offs. In 1993, Notwane also survived when they had actually relegated, because of their court application that eventually forced a rematch against Township Rollers to see them survive. It has thus been a part of their DNA to flirt with the relegation axe in the hope of some dramatic eleventh hour survival.

Not this time – and sadly, their relegation to the FDSL comes at a time the parent Notwane Club has been busy preparing to celebrate 50 years of the sports institution’s existence. The Golden Jubilee celebrations are set for later this year and it remains to be seen how the relegation will dampen the high spirits at the club. Besides, their relegation is destined to set them backwards economically. With the spin offs from the broadcast rights fees and other payments for the premier league now going to be a thing of the past, Notwane are sure to suffer financially once in the demanding lower division league. Given the superior numbers that clubs attract to stadiums in the premier league, Notwane have been making huge sums in gate takings revenue – well over P320 000 for this past season after mandatory deductions for stadia usage, the BFA and BPL fees.

Like all the premier league clubs, Notwane also had their operation costs cushioned by the beMOBILE-sponsored grant of P400 000, and this was done exclusive of prize money. In addition, their stay in the premier league could potentially add to their coffers from participation in the lucrative Mascom Top 8 where team expenses are paid for by the sponsor. These are funds the team will struggle to get while in the second tier league. They will also have to work towards paying the damages of the urgent court application they filed with the High Court and lost on Wednesday morning. They had sought to have the play-off match postponed but were ordered to play after their failed bid.

Perhaps even the BFA could add to their miseries by using the association’s Play Rules and Regulations’ Section 12.3 which stipulates that any BFA affiliate referring a football dispute to the courts of law shall be liable to a fine of P10 000 and a docking of points with another possible suspension from the BFA for not more than 12 months. Notwane could thus find themselves beginning the lower league on a deficit of points and could thus struggle to return to the elite league. Perhaps even a victory against Satmos on Wednesday was not going to be enough as they could lose a minimum of three points. Section 12.3 was used against BDF XI last season and lost the chance to win the league against eventual champions Township Rollers after six points were docked from them in addition to a P10 000 fine.