 | |||
| Full name | Bay United Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | Watsh’Umlilo (The fire is burning) | ||
| Founded | 2006 | ||
| Dissolved | 2012 | ||
| Ground | Old Peter Mokaba Stadium,Polokwane | ||
| Capacity | 15,000 | ||
| League | National First Division | ||
| 2011–12 | National First Division, 10th | ||
Bay United was a South African professionalfootball (soccer) club based first in the city ofPort Elizabeth and laterPolokwane. It played in thePremiership andNational First Division.
The club came into existence in 2006 when the franchise of struggling National First Division clubMaritzburg United was purchased and relocated toPort Elizabeth. The club also purchased theVodacom League franchise of theNMMU F.C.[1] The club spentone season in thePremiership, and the other years of its existence in theNational First Division (NFD).
Following the 2010–11 NFD season, the club's NFD franchise was moved toPolokwane,Limpopo. It played the 2011–12 season under the name Bay United. In 2012, it becamePolokwane City. TheVodacom League team becameBay Stars.
The club was owned byVolkswagen South Africa during the 2006–07 NFD season.[2] After the 2006–07 season Sipho Pityana purchased the club through his company, Izingwe Holdings and VW became the team's main sponsor.
The club's future was unknown during the 2010 off season as owner Sipho Pityana had said that the club would cease conducting business, while attempting to sell the club.[3]
The main reason given for selling the club were, a lack of funds, stemming from the teams demotion from thePremiership at the end of the2008–09 season. The reduction in income due to playing in theNFD, as well as a fine for releasing players seem to be the main causes for the club's problems. Pityana had said that he would however be willing to sell the club, should a buyer come forward.[4]
The league franchise was eventually sold to Striving Mind Trading 522 CC, aLimpopo based company, headed by Julia Mogaladi. She is the niece of John Mogaladi, chairman of the Limpopo-based football club,Winners Park. They announced that the team would be moved to Limpopo, but it remained in Port Elizabeth for the2010–11 season.[5]
In August 2012, thePremier Soccer League approved of the renaming of the franchise toPolokwane City.
When the club was first formed, it played its matches at the Wolfson Stadium, in KwaZakhele,Port Elizabeth. Following the 2007–08NFD season, and the club's promotion to thePremiership, the stadium was deemed below league standards. The team then moved its home matches to theEPRU Stadium in Port Elizabeth for the2008–09 season. The team shared the stadium withEastern Province rugby team. During the season, the team also hosted some matches atEast London'sBuffalo City Stadium.
The team was relegated at the end of the 2008–09 Premiership season, and then moved its home matches to the smaller Westbourne Oval. During the2009–10 National First Division season, the team experienced scheduling issues, and was forced to also host matches atNMMU's Xerox Stadium, and the EPRU Stadium.
During the2010–11 National First Division season the team began by hosting its matches at the Westbourne Oval, but later shifted to hosting its matches at theGelvandale Stadium.
The youth team played its home matches at theNU2 Stadium.
After moving to Limpopo, the club played atOld Peter Mokaba Stadium,University of Limpopo Stadium andSeshego Stadium inPolokwane.
The team's main sponsor wasVolkswagen South Africa, who had previously owned the club. The team was also sponsored by Aberdare Cables.[6]Puma was the team's technical sponsor.[7]
Vladislav Heric: 2006 – 2008
Pernell McKop1: 2008
Khabo Zondo: 2008 – 2009 Eddie Dyaloyi1: 2009
David Bright: 2009 – 2012
