Moneni Pirates FC is an
Eswatini
Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by South Africa on all sides except the northeast, where i ...
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
club based in
Manzini
Manzini (formerly Bremersdorp) is a large city in Eswatini, which is also the city of Eswatini's Manzini Region. The city is the country's second largest urban center behind the capital Mbabane, with a population of 110,000 (2008). It is known ...
. They play in the top division in Swazi football. The team plays in white and black colours.
History
The club was established by Ngungunyane Matsenjwa, with an aim of bringing together youths of Moneni township in the outskirts of Manzini.
Prior to the club being taken over by Matsenjwa, it was known as The Blue Birds Football Club. In 1967, the club's name changed to Moneni Pirates FC, inspired by Soweto giants, Orlando Pirates. A lot of clubs in Eswatini are named after popular clubs in South Africa. This is because Swazi football fans follow clubs in South Africa, and the local clubs look to export talent to the more professional
Premier Soccer League
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) is the administrative body for professional soccer leagues and cups in South Africa. It is based in Johannesburg, and was founded in 1996 following an agreement between the National Soccer League and the remnant ...
.
The club has been relegated from the highest league in then-Swaziland three times in its history – in the 1998–1999, the 2005–06 seasons and the 2014–15 season. It quickly regained promotion in the elite league on all three occasions of relegation, with the latest happening through a 2nd position finish in the National First Division in the 2016/16 season. It finished the first round of the 2016/17 season in a mid-table position of the Premier League, after it finished the round strongly following a slow start in the league.
Following a very, very tough 2023/24 season, Moneni Pirates FC have announced major changes in its leadership structures, with successful businessman Mr. Thulani Xaba taking over as the Club's President. He takes over the reigns from Legal Practitioner, Mr. Osborne Nzima, who had been at the helm of the club for more than 5 years.
Stadium
Currently the team plays at the 5,000 capacity
Mavuso Sports Centre
Mavuso Sports Centre is a multi-use stadium in Manzini, Swaziland, Manzini, Eswatini. It is currently used mostly for football (soccer), football matches.
The stadium has a capacity of 5,000 spectators. Also known as Trade Fair Ground, it is als ...
in Manzini.
Performance in Caf competitions
*
1989 African Cup Winners' Cup: first round
Honours
* Swazi Bank Cup: 2015
* Swazi Telecom Charity Cup: 2009
* Trade Fair Cup: 2001
* Inyatsi Top-8: 1995
*
BP Cup: 1992
* Interboard (Trade Fair) Cup: 1992
*
BP Cup: 1989
Managers
* Christopher Ennin (Aug 2024 - Dec 2024)
* Gcina Dlamini (2019/20)
* Zenzele Dlamini (2016/17)
* Mlamuli Zwane (2015/16 & 2016/17)
* Happy Simfukwe (2014/15)
* Golding Dube (2014/15)
* Van Rooyen Magagula (2013/14)
* Zenzele Dlamini (2005/06, 2012/13 – last 5 games; 2013/14 – first round & 2014–15 – Assistant Coach from January 2015)
* Harries Bulunga (2012/13)
*
Dumisa Mahlalela
Dumisa 'Dodge' Mahlalela was a Swazi professional football manager.
Career
Mahlalela had first been Swaziland's coach for three matches in 1992 and 1993. Since 2001 he coached the Swaziland national football team
The Eswatini national foot ...
(2003, 2006/07 & 2011/12)
* Mlamuli Zwane (2008/09 – 2010/11)
* Sipho Sibandze (2002/03 – 2003/04)
* Christopher Khoza (1999/2000 & 2001/2002)
* David "Botsotso" Manyatsi (2000/01)
*
Jan Simulambo (1998/99)
* Mandla Dlamini (1997/98)
* Nino Mahel (1996/97)
References
External links
SoccerwayWeltfussball
(archive.org)
{{Premier League of Eswatini
Football clubs in Eswatini