Long-suffering Chiefs fans keep on singing in the rain

There is nothing quite as spectacular as a Johannesburg thunderstorm. And as lightning crashed from the sky, and the heavens opened on Saturday evening, the lights went out at FNB Stadium, giving the atmosphere an even more apocalyptic feel.

Chiefs fans that had run to take shelter in the covered areas of the ground broke into song, while a couple of brave, shirtless souls didn’t even bother looking for protection from the elements, soaking in the rain, while Amakhosi’s DStv Premiership game against Moroka Swallows was temporarily halted.

There was humour too, with the joke that G-d himself was so upset with the way Chiefs were playing he had decided enough was enough, commanding a light show from above. The spirit of the Amakhosi fans was commendable given how little their side have done to give them cheer, in nine trophy-less years and counting.

It certainly made a refreshing change from pelting your head coach with missiles.

The smattering of Swallows fans – ‘Don’t follow me, follow the Birds,’ read one familiar home-made sign – also deserve credit for backing their team, as this is club probably in more of a mess than any other in the DStv Premiership.

After all, it takes a special kind of chaos to sack a host of players in your squad, and effectively your head coach too, after being docked six points failing to honour two fixtures at the end of 2023.

Swallows were the better side after the rain delay, and should probably have gone home with the three points, though Chiefs’ defensive performance was commendable with only ten men on the pitch.

Strikers on strike

Watching Chiefs these days is a miserable experience, however – their creative juices appear to have gone on strike, much like Swallows’ players did in December.

Cavin Johnson has been left looking increasingly bewildered, as Chiefs have gone three games in a row without a single goal to their name – against Swallows, struggling Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC and Royal AM.

Amakhosi can redeem themselves to some degree on Saturday, as they take on Orlando Pirates in the Soweto derby. If Chiefs can take down the Buccaneers, there will still be no trophy in that dusty cabinet, but there will be bragging rights.

Right now, Chiefs fans need to cling on to any crumb of comfort they can get.