Sports Correspondent
MATABELELAND South Minister of State For Provincial Affairs has congratulated Blanket Mine FC after top-flight football officially returned to his province.
Nguluvhe said everyone in the province must support the team which will represent the region and in particular Matabeleland South as a province.
“Congratulations to Blanket Mine FC, congratulations to people of Matabeleland South, we must all rally behind this team which has gained promotion. It is our team as Matabeleland South,” he said.
Blanket Mine FC clinched the promotion with a game to spare after drawing 1 all at Kwekwe United who were also in the running for promotion.
The gold miners did not lose a game throughout the season and fared well in the inaugural Munhumutapa Cup where it claimed the scalps of some premiership teams on it way.
Nguluvhe said soccer will increase movement in the province and movement is a figure of economics.
“Teams and their supporters will travel to our province and that movement has an economic bearing. Soccer can influence tourism,” he said.
He encouraged other teams not to give up saying more teams must go into top flight soccer.
Blanket Mine FC brings premiership football to Matabeleland South after almost 11 years after the exit of Border strikers who left in their debutant year.
This also the first time premiership will go to Gwanda town which watched three different season when Beitbridge hosted the top flight soccer.
Beitbridge had Underhill FC, Tripple B and Border Strikers in that order.
This historic achievement by the team guided by coach Luke Jukulile-Petros, was sensational in that traditionally only teams from around the Midlands appear favoured by promotion.