Dube thanks Alex and urges for continued support of United
ALEXANDRA - In a rare display of sportsmenship, Alex United chairman Nkani Dube has congratulated his rivals Highlands Park for clinching the promotional play-offs to partake in the elite National First Division league in the coming season.
In a rare display of sportsmanship, Alex United chairman Nkani Dube has congratulated his rivals, Highlands Park, for clinching the promotional play-offs, allowing them into the elite National First Division league in the coming season.
Immediately after learning of the news of their promotion, Dube sent Highlands a congratulatory e-mail and wished them good luck in their new endeavour. “Congratulations and well done,” he wrote. He then forwarded the e-mail to everyone in his address book, both inside and outside Alex United and added: “Be advised that Highlands Park FC has made our province and stream proud by winning the promotional playoffs.
“They won the playoffs after winning two of their games, drawing the last one in 90 minutes, but beaten on penalties. They are now promoted to the National First Division. On behalf of Alexandra United FC, I wish to take this opportunity to wish Highlands Park FC all the best of luck in the National First Division.”
Highlands were United’s arch-rivals in the Safa Second Division promotional league who pipped them for the playoffs after leading the race for most of the season.
The Hope City Giants, as United are affectionately known in Alex, will now campaign in the newly-formed ABC Motsepe League in their continued attempt at being promoted to National First Division.
“In football, you should not harbour any ill-feelings at all. You must learn to accept defeat and move on, and try to fix your weaknesses and up your game if you want to ultimately succeed,” Dube said during an interview with Alex News.
The interview was conducted when Highlands were just about finished playing their second game in the playoffs. Dube kept on interrupting this interview to get an update on the score in Durban, and when news finally filtered through that they had also won their second game, he breathed a sigh of relief.
“I am happy for them, and I keep my fingers crossed that they go all the way and get promoted. There is nothing to be bitter about, as they are now [in the playoffs] representing all of us in the stream that we were playing in as rivals, there is no longer any need to continue the rivalry,” Dube said.
