Kaizer Chiefs turns 37!!

As the first week of the New Year comes to an end there has for the past three decades been a good reason for, Kaizer Chiefs fans and players alike to look forward to the culmination of the first week of the year.

The reason for this and the fact that the club and its fans have a second celebration on the back of the New Year's festivities a few days earlier is simple.

The final day of the first week of January or to be precise the 7th January marks the day that Kaizer Chiefs was founded back in 1970, by current club chairman Kaizer Motaung along with the assistance of a number of friends and associates.

Kaizer Motaung founded the club upon his return from the United States of America where he had been playing in the old North American League for the Atlanta Chiefs, whose motif with a few additions eventually became the logo which has adorned the Kaizer Chiefs jersey ever since.

In their short history, Kaizer Chiefs have entered South African Football Folklore as perhaps the most successful team in the country having won more trophies and accolades in its thirty seven year existence, then most teams currently campaigning in the South African professional leagues.

Chiefs finest moment in recent years amongst the many titles and trophies they have amassed over time, has to be when the club was nominated as the 2001 Confederation of African Football Club of the Year.

It was an honour bestowed upon them after Chiefs had won three trophies in the space of three months towards the end of 2001, included in that wonderful run of cup triumphs from September to December 2001 was the club's triumph in the African Cup Winners Cup otherwise known as the Nelson Mandela Cup.

In July 2006 Chiefs scored another coup for South African Football when they managed to defeat English Premier League Giants Manchester United in the Vodacom Challenge, thanks to an inspirational meeting the team had with former South African President Nelson Mandela the day before the final.

Down the years, the club has earned the nickname The Amakhosi which is a translation of the word Chiefs from English to a number of the vernacular African languages.

The team has also been Chiefs off the field in South African football, leading the way with a number of new innovations, and are still the only team in South Africa to have their own monthly magazine.

The club was also the first to broaden its licensing and merchandising programme, and has made available in the market place products such as blankets, towels and shoes to name a few available to their legions of fans to happily display their support for the club.

As Chiefs enter their 37th year in existence, they do so with the knowledge that by the time the club nears its thirty ninth birthday, it will begin playing matches in its very own stadium, to be built in the Mogale Municipality west of the Johannesburg CBD.

Construction of The Amakhosi Stadium which is due to begin soon will see Chiefs become the first soccer team to, both own and operate their own Stadium which is earmarked for completion in December 2008.

While the future looks bright for Chiefs and as those currently in the employment of the club hope to build on Chiefs glittering past, this was filled with many happy walks to the podium to collect the cup at the end of another triumphant Cup or league campaign. They will know that the best wealth the club possess is its millions of fans not just in South Africa but in recent years the club has had a growing legion of supporters across the globe, and it is the fans who will make sure that the club sees many more happy birthdays.

To Kaizer Chiefs from all players and staff to all the fans in South Africa and around the world happy birthday.