Chippa United Football Club (often known as Chilli boys or Chippa) is a South African professional football club based in

Gqeberha Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, S ...

in the Eastern Cape province, having previously being based in Nyanga suburb of the city of

Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second larges ...

. The club's first team currently plays in the

Premier Soccer League Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

Premier Division Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of gov ...

, with the

reserve team In sports, a reserve team is a team composed of players under contract to a club but who do not normally play in matches for the first team. Reserve teams often include back-up players from the first team, young players who need playing time to i ...

playing in the PSL's reserve league. The team plays most of its home games at the

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a soccer and rugby union stadium in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa, It hosted 2010 FIFA World Cup matches and the third place play off. It is the home of Chippa United Football Club and formerly of ...

, while hosting other matches at

East London East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fa ...

Sisa Dukashe Stadium The Sisa Dukashe Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Mdantsane, near East London in the Eastern Cape, South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the ...

History

The club was founded in January 2010 when Chippa Mpengesi purchased the

Vodacom League The ABC Motsepe League, previously known as the Vodacom League between 1998 and 2012, was founded in 1998 as the current Second Division and the overall third tier of South African football. The competition is regulated by SAFA, and until 2012 ...

franchise of

Paarl Paarl (; Afrikaans: ; derived from ''Parel'', meaning "pearl" in Dutch) is a town with 112,045 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is the third-oldest city and European settlement in the Republic of South Africa (after ...

based club,

Mbekweni Cosmos Mbekweni is a township situated between Wellington and Paarl in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2011 it had a population of 30,875 residents in 8,339 households. Paarl, Mbekweni and Wellington form a continuous urban area wit ...

, for R400,000. Cosmos had won promotion from the Castle League at the end of the 2008–09 season, and started campaigning in the Vodacom League in the 2009–10 season. In 2010–11 season, the club began playing under the name, Chippa United. Chippa United's first season was very successful with the club winning the Western Cape Vodacom League before winning the Vodacom League National Coastal Stream to achieve promotion to the

National First Division The National First Division (NFD), officially known as the Motsepe Foundation Championship for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest league of South African club football after the South African Premier Division. Both the NFD and South Afric ...

. Chippa were also crowned the overall

2010–11 Vodacom League 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length ...

National champions after beating Inland Stream winners Sivutsa Stars. The club finished their debut season in the National First Division in 2nd place behind

University of Pretoria The University of Pretoria ( af, Universiteit van Pretoria, nso, Yunibesithi ya Pretoria) is a multi-campus public university, public research university in Pretoria, the administrative and de facto capital of South Africa. The university was ...

and won promotion to the

via the play-offs in June 2012. Chippa used five managers during the course of the

2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

PSL season and finished 15th, eventually getting relegated after failing to win the playoffs. A

feeder team Feeder may refer to: Technology * Feeder (livestock equipment) * Feeder (beekeeping), any of several devices used in apiculture to supplement or replace natural food sources * Feeder (casting), another name for a riser, a reservoir built into a ...

, called Peace Makers, was once owned by Chippa United, and ran teams under the club's umbrella. It ran a team in the

SAFA Second Division The ABC Motsepe League, previously known as the Vodacom League between 1998 and 2012, was founded in 1998 as the current Second Division and the overall third tier of South African football. The competition is regulated by SAFA, and until 2012 ...

and also junior teams in

's junior leagues. The Peace Makers franchise was sold to

Milano United Milano United was a South African football club based in the Grassy Park suburb of the city of Cape Town that played in the National First Division. Milano won promotion to the National First Division in July 2012 after winning the 2011-12 West ...

before the beginning of the 2013–14 season. In

Port Elizabeth Gqeberha (), formerly Port Elizabeth and colloquially often referred to as P.E., is a major seaport and the most populous city in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is the seat of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, S ...

the club runs its youth teams under the Chippa United name, and play in the Port Elizabeth Football Association leagues.

Ownership

Chippa United is wholly owned by Chippa Investment Holdings, which is a Cape Town-based construction, security and cleaning company founded by Siviwe "Chippa" Mpengesi. During 2015, the club was effectively under the administration of Access Facilities and Leisure Management, the operating company of

Stadium

During the club's early seasons in

, it used

Philippi Stadium The Philippi Stadium is located in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa and is used for soccer matches. The Phillipi Stadium precinct was developed as a practice venue and fan park for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The cost is estimated at R90 mil ...

as its home ground. The stadium was used from 2009–10 to 2011–12 and again in 2013–14. Following the 2011–12 the club was promoted from the

to the

. Philippi Stadium was deemed not to be up to standard to host matches in the Premier Division. Due to this, the club hosted its matches at

Athlone Stadium The Athlone Stadium is a stadium in Athlone on the Cape Flats in Cape Town, South Africa. It is used mostly for soccer matches and it is the home ground of Cape Town Spurs. The stadium holds 34,000 people and it was built in 1972. The stadiu ...

and

Cape Town Stadium The Cape Town Stadium ( af, Kaapstad-stadion; xh, Inkundla yezemidlalo yaseKapa) is an association football (soccer) and rugby union stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, that was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. During the planning stage, it wa ...

. However, the ground had previously been used by

Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama, 1st Count of Vidigueira (; ; c. 1460s – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and the first European to reach India by sea. His initial voyage to India by way of Cape of Good Hope (1497–1499) was the first to link ...

during the 2010–11 season. From March 2013, the club was allowed to host matches at Philippi Stadium. Following the 2013–14 season the club was promoted to the Premier Division once more. During the off season, the club announced that it would move to

. The club and

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality ...

announced a three-year deal to use Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The municipality also announced that certain matches would be played at the city's

Wolfson Stadium The Wolfson Stadium is a sports stadium in KwaZakele, Ibhayi just outside Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The stadium is able to hold 10,000 people. and is occasionally used to host rugby union matches by the and Southern Kings and football ...

and

Gelvandale Stadium Gelvandale Stadium is a multi-use stadium located in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The stadium is equipped with an athletics track, football pitch and floodlights. It is currently used mostly as a community sports ground, and by local amateur foo ...

. During the 2014–15 season, the club was forced to host matches at the Wolfson Stadium. According to a report tabled by the Nelson Mandela Bay mayor's office, Chippa United's contract to play in the city is for 18 years, beginning with the 2014–15 season, and thus running to 2031–32. During the 2015–16 season, the club announced plans to host some of its matches at

Buffalo City Stadium Buffalo City Stadium (also known as the BCM Stadium) is a multi-use stadium in East London, South Africa. It is currently used mostly for Rugby Union matches and is the home stadium of Border Bulldogs. The stadium holds 16,000 people. The stad ...

. The club cited the high cost of hosting matches at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and lack of paying spectators as reasons for the decision.

Training ground

On the club's movement to

, it announced that it intended to use

as its training ground, and intended pursuing a long-term lease from the

Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality ( af, Nelson Mandelabaai Metropolitaanse Munisipaliteit; xh, uMasipala wase Nelson Mandela Bay or ''uMasipala waseBhayi'') is one of eight metropolitan municipalities (also called Category A municipalities) in So ...

. As the ground was not yet up to standard, the club announced that it would use

for training, until the necessary upgrades were completed at Wolfson Stadium. During the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons, the club split its training at

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University Nelson Mandela University (formerly known as ''Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU)'' ) and before that - the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE), the Port Elizabeth Technikon and Vista University's Port Elizabeth campus. This South Af ...

's Second Avenue Campus and

's outdoor fields. Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium's outer fields are shared with the rugby team.

Achievements

*NFD Champions: :: 2013–14 *PSL Promotion/Relegation Play-offs: :: 2011–12 *Second Division National Play-offs: ::

2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...

*Second Division Western Cape Stream: ::

*Metropolitan Under-19 Premier Cup ::2012 (As ''Philippi United'') *U-17 Engen Knockout Challenge ::2015 ::2016

Club records

Premier Soccer League

– 15th (relegated) * 2014–15 – 14th * 2015–16 – 6th * 2016–17 – 13th * 2017–18 – 10th * 2018–19 – 12th *2019–20– 11th

National First Division

* 2011–12 – 2nd (promoted via play-off) * 2013–14 – 1st (promoted)

Vodacom League

* 2009–10 – 13th (as Mbekweni Cosmos) *

– 1st (promoted via play-off)

Nedbank Cup

* 2011–12 – NFD qualification round *

– Round of 32 * 2013–14 – NFD qualification round * 2014–15 – Round of 32 * 2015–16 – Round of 32

Telkom Knockout

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...

– Round of 16 *

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...

– Round of 16 *

2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the April ...

– Round of 16

MTN 8

* 2016 – Semi-finals*

PSL Reserve League

* 2014–15 – 6th (Group B) * 2015–16 – 16th

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Club officials

* Chairman: Siviwe Mpengesi *

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...

: * COO: Lukanyo Mzinzi *

General manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all ...

: Wandisile Mbenguzana

Coaching staff

Players

Internationals

Players who have made an appearance for national football team, while playing for Chippa United. Caps and period refer to the number of caps earned, and the period in which they are earned, while at Chippa United.

Former coaches

Manqoba Mngqithi Manqoba Mngqithi (born 25 April 1971 in Umzimkhulu) is a South African football coach who is the "senior coach" of Mamelodi Sundowns. He has managed a number of clubs in the Premier Soccer League.Manqoba Mqithi is considered as one of the best ...

(July 9, 2012 – Aug 20, 2012) *

Julius Dube The gens Julia (''gēns Iūlia'', ) was one of the most prominent patrician families in ancient Rome. Members of the gens attained the highest dignities of the state in the earliest times of the Republic. The first of the family to obtain the ...

(Aug 23, 2012 – Sept 12, 2012) *

Roger Sikhakhane Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ...

(Sept 13, 2012 – Oct 28, 2012) *

Farouk Abrahams Farooq (also transliterated as Farouk, Faruqi, Farook, Faruk, Faroeq, Faruq, or Farouq, Farooqi, Faruque or Farooqui; ar, فاروق, Fārūq) is a common Arabic given and family name. ''Al-Fārūq'' literally means "the one who distinguishes b ...

(Oct 28, 2012 – Jan 29, 2013) *

Wilfred Mugeyi Wilfred Mugeyi (born 4 July 1969) is a Zimbabwean former footballer whose last job was coach at South African Premier Soccer League club AmaZulu FC. During his playing days he was known as "Silver Fox" for the way he stole un-noticed behind opp ...

(Jan 29, 2013 – April 11, 2013) * Mark Harrison (April 12, 2013 – Oct 7, 2013) * Ian Palmer (Oct 8, 2013 – Jan 27, 2014) * Vladislav Herić (Jan 29, 2014 – June 30, 2014) * Kosta Papić (July 1, 2014 – Sept 3, 2014) *

(Sept 4, 2014 – Jan 5, 2015) *

Ernst Middendorp Ernst Middendorp (born 28 October 1958) is a German association football coach who coaches South African Premier Soccer League club Maritzburg United. Education Middendorp was born in Freren. In 1984, he enrolled in the University of Bielefel ...

(Jan 5, 2015 – March 30, 2015) *

(July 2, 2015 – Dec 7, 2015) *

Dan Malesela Dan Malesela is a South African soccer coach, who is currently the head coach of Marumo Gallants. Career In 2012, Malesela was appointed manager of South African second division side United FC. In 2015, he was appointed manager of Chippa U ...

(Dec , 2015 – Sept, 2017) *

Teboho Moloi Teboho Moloi (born 2 July 1968) is a retired South African professional football (soccer), footballer and manager of the South Africa U-17 national team. Club career Moloi spent most of his career playing as a midfielder for Orlando Pirates. ...

(Sept 30, 2017 – Mar 3, 2018) * Vladislav Herić (Mar 3, 2018 – May 27, 2018) *

(May 27, 2018 – Aug 21, 2018) *

Lehlohonolo Seema Lehlohonolo Seema (born 9 June 1980 in Mafeteng) is a retired Lesotho football (soccer) defender and midfielder. He also holds South African citizenship. He is currently the manager of Lamontville Golden Arrows in the South African Premier Divi ...

( – Dec 23, 2020) *

Luc Eymael Luc Eymael (born 20 September 1959) is a Belgian football manager and former player,and married to Patricia Abbruzzese. Playing career Luc began his professional footballing career in 1975 with the Fléron-based Royal Star Fléron Football Clu ...

(Dec 23, 2020 – Dec 24, 2020) *

(Dec 27, 2020 – Apr 4, 2021) *

Gavin Hunt Gavin Hunt (born 11 July 1964) is a South African former football (soccer) player and coach who currently manages Supersport United. He previously managed Premier Soccer League club Kaizer Chiefs. On 28 May 2021 Kaizer Chiefs released him from ...

(Jul 7, 2021 – Jul 2022)

Former technical directors

* Mich d'Avray * Vladislav Herić

References

External links

*
Premier Soccer League
{{Premier Soccer League teamlist Association football clubs established in 2010 SAFA Second Division clubs Premier Soccer League clubs Soccer clubs in Cape Town National First Division clubs 2010 establishments in South Africa