Excited fans during Absa Premiership match between Chippa United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Sisa Dukashe Stadium on January 04, 2019 in East London, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images)
Chippa United confirm plans to move to Buffalo City for 2020/21 season
Chippa United, who were founded in 2010 when Mpengesi bought out the Vodacom League franchise of Paarl based club, Mbekweni Cosmos, want to make their move to the Buffalo City permanent.
Excited fans during Absa Premiership match between Chippa United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Sisa Dukashe Stadium on January 04, 2019 in East London, South Africa. (Photo by Michael Sheehan/Gallo Images)
Chippa United have unveiled plans to move the club to East London for the 2020/21 domestic football season.
The club said the love was motivated by uncertainty surrounding the availability of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
Chippa United confirm plans to move to Buffalo City
The NMB Stadium has been home to the Chilliboys ever since Chippa Mpengesi moved the club to Port Elizabeth from Nyanga in 2014.
Chippa United were reportedly not consulted before their home ground was made a quarantine site by the Eastern Cape provincial government.
The club say that decision effected their ability to prepare for the PSL season restart.
“Chippa United would like to clarify reports pertaining to the team relocating to East London (Buffalo City Metro). It’s common knowledge that the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium has been a quarantine site since May 2020. In which the club was never consulted on the issue,” read a statement from the club on Wednesday.
“It made our preparation for Bio-Bubble very difficult due to the lack of training facilities, which could be seen in our first encounter against Cape Town City FC. Also putting the club in a very peculiar position in terms meeting and complying with the League’s deadlines.”
Chippa United, who were founded in 2010 when Mpengesi bought out the Vodacom League franchise of Paarl based club, Mbekweni Cosmos, want to make their move to the Buffalo City permanent.
The club have named the 30,000 capacity Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane, near East London aa their alternative home venue.
“So the club had to submit ABSA Stadium in East London as their main home venue and Sisa Dukashe Stadium as an alternative venue for the start of the 2020/21,” the statement carries on.
“The club is also currently engaging with all relevant stakeholders to make the move permanent.”
The move will bring top-flight football back to the border region for the first time in over a decade, not counting Chippa’s own previous occasional visits to East London.
Chippa United are currently 12th on the PSL standings six points clear of bottom club Polokwane City and five points from confirming participation in the 2020/21 top-flight season.
The Chilliboys face Stellenbosch FC at Tuks Stadium on Friday night in their next PSL engagement then in midweek they will play their part in the title race with a meeting with Kaizer Chiefs scheduled for 2 September at Orlando Stadium.
Chippa will be eager to avoid being pulled into a last day relegation scramble like the one they survived in the 2018/19 season.
