Black Leopards F.C.

Black Leopards FC is a South African professional football club based in Thohoyandou, Vhembe Region, Limpopo, that plays in the National First Division.

Black Leopards
Full nameBlack Leopards Football Club
Nickname(s)Lidoda Duvha (The day will come)
Founded1983 (1983) (as Sibasa Black Leopards)
GroundThohoyandou Stadium
Capacity20,000[1]
OwnerThidiela Family
ChairmanTshifhiwa "Chief" Thidiela
ManagerAlejandro Dorado
LeagueNational First Division
2022–23National First Division, 16th of 16 (relegated, purchased the status of All Stars[2])
WebsiteClub website

History

The club was founded in 1983 by business people in the Vhembe Region. In 1998 the club was taken over by the Thidiela family.[3] After just two seasons of campaigning in the National First Division, Black Leopards FC was promoted to the ABSA Premier Soccer League.

In 2008 they were relegated back to the National First Division after playing for seven seasons in the Absa Premiership but the club made its return to the top tier division three years later.

Honours
  • First Division Inland Stream: 1
2000-01
  • National First Division promotion/relegation playoffs: 2
2010–11
2017–18

Club records
  • Most starts: South Africa Christopher Netshidzivhe 163
  • Most goals: South Africa Mulondo Sikhwivhilu 44
  • Most capped player: Malawi Robert Ng'ambi
  • Most starts in a season: South Africa Nkosiyabo Xakane 36 (2011–12)
  • Most goals in a season: South Africa David Zulu 16 (2013–14)
  • Record victory: 7–1 vs Bush Bucks (13/4/02), (PSL)
  • Record defeat: 0–5 vs Kaizer Chiefs (9/9/03), (PSL)

Premier Soccer League record

Club officials/Technical team


Notable former coaches
  • South Africa Milo Bjelica (1999)
  • Zambia Jacob Sakala
  • Zambia Jan Simulambo (2000)
  • South Africa Gavin Hunt (July 2001 – 2 June)
  • Mozambique Arnaldo Salvado (2002)
  • Austria Walter Rautmann (2003)
  • South Africa Ephraim Mashaba (Feb 2004 – 5 March)
  • France Jean-Yves Kerjean (2005)
  • South Africa Boebie Solomons (April 2006 – 8 March)
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo Bibey Mutombo (July 2006 – 6 Oct)
  • South Africa Mlungisi Ngubane (Nov 2006 – 7 Jan)
  • Germany Hans-Dieter Schmidt (Jan 2007 – 7 June)
  • South Africa Joel Masutha (interim) (March 2008)
  • Nigeria Augustine Eguavoen (March 2008)
  • Zimbabwe Sheppard Murape (March 2008 – 8 June)
  • South Africa Joel Masutha (June 2008 – 9 June)
  • Romania Mario Marinica (June 2009 – 10 June)
  • Serbia Vladislav Heric (2009–10)
  • Zimbabwe Sunday Chidzambwa (Oct 2010 – 11 Oct)
  • Serbia Vladislav Heric (Oct 2011 – 12 May)
  • Zimbabwe Sunday Chidzambwa (May 2012 – 12 Oct)
  • South Africa Ian Palmer (Oct 2012 – 12 Dec)
  • South Africa Abel Makhubela (interim) (Jan 2013–)
  • Serbia Kostadin Papic ( August 2013 – May 2014)
  • South Africa Zeca Marques (June 2014–20xx)
  • Belgium Jean-Francois Losciuto (−2017)
  • Belgium Ivan Minnaert (2017)
  • South Africa Cavin Johnson (2019–2020)

References
  1. "Thohoyandou Stadium". Limpopo Tourism. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  2. "Black Leopards buy Motsepe Foundation Championship status!". The South African. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  3. "Black Leopards FC | Lidoda Duvha". www.blackleopardsfc.com. Archived from the original on 1 November 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
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