# 2009–10 South African Premiership

The 2009–10 South African Premiership season, known as the ABSA Premiership for sponsorship purposes, and also commonly referred to as the PSL after the governing body, was the fourteenth since its establishment in 1996.
Supersport United were the defending champions, having won their second premier league title in the 2008–09 season. The campaign began in August 2009, and ended in March 2010. A total of 16 teams competed in the league. SuperSport United were crowned champions for the third successive time two matches before the end despite losing to Bidvest Wits (1–2) in the last match.

## Clubs

* Ajax Cape Town
* AmaZulu
* Bidvest Wits
* Bloemfontein Celtic
* Free State Stars
* Golden Arrows
* Jomo Cosmos
* Kaizer Chiefs
* Mamelodi Sundowns
* Maritzburg United
* Moroka Swallows
* Mpumalanga Black Aces
* Orlando Pirates
* Platinum Stars
* Santos
* Supersport United

## Promotion and relegation
### Pre-Season

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Final | Final | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Carara Kicks | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| 2 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| 2 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| | | | | | 15 | Thanda Royal Zulu | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | Thanda Royal Zulu | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 | Thanda Royal Zulu | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | F.C. Cape Town | 0 | 1 | 1 | | | | | |
* Champions of the Inland Stream Jomo Cosmos took on Champions of the Coastal Stream Carara Kicks in a two leg playoff for promotion to the Premiership.
* The first leg of the play-off saw the match end in a goalless draw at the Charles Mopeli Stadium on 7 May 2009.
* The second leg of the play-off saw Jomo Cosmos win Carara Kicks 2 – 1 at Vaal Technikon on 10 May 2009 to see Jomo Cosmos promoted to the Premiership.
* Thanda Royal Zulu who finished 15th on the Premiership table will go into a mini play-off tournament with Carara Kicks (who lost their play-off match with Jomo Cosmos), Mpumalanga Black Aces (who finished second in the Inland Stream) and F.C. Cape Town (who finished second in the Coastal Stream).
* Carara Kicks will face Mpumalanga Black Aces and Thanda Royal Zulu will face F.C. Cape Town
Teams promoted from 2008 to 2009 National First Division
* Champions (Inland Stream) Jomo Cosmos
* Play-offs: Mpumalanga Black Aces
Teams relegated to 2009–10 National First Division
* Last in Premiership: Bay United
* Play-offs: Thanda Royal Zulu

### Post-Season

Teams promoted from 2009 to 2010 National First Division
* Champions Vasco Da Gama
* Play-offs: None Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. retained their Premiership status by winning the play-offs
Teams relegated to 2010–11 National First Division
* Last in Premiership: Jomo Cosmos
* Play-offs: None Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. retained their Premiership status by winning the play-offs

## League table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Supersport United (C) | 30 | 16 | 9 | 5 | 51 | 25 | +26 | 57 | 2011 CAF Champions League |
| 2 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 30 | 16 | 8 | 6 | 43 | 24 | +19 | 56 | |
| 3 | Kaizer Chiefs | 30 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 39 | 25 | +14 | 51 | |
| 4 | Santos | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 34 | 20 | +14 | 47 | |
| 5 | Orlando Pirates | 30 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 44 | |
| 6 | Bloemfontein Celtic | 30 | 9 | 15 | 6 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 42 | |
| 7 | Ajax Cape Town | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 29 | −2 | 42 | |
| 8 | Moroka Swallows | 30 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 30 | 36 | −6 | 42 | |
| 9 | AmaZulu | 30 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 30 | 35 | −5 | 39 | |
| 10 | Bidvest Wits | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 35 | 2011 CAF Confederation Cup |
| 11 | Maritzburg United | 30 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 28 | 39 | −11 | 35 | |
| 12 | Golden Arrows | 30 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 25 | 33 | −8 | 32 | |
| 13 | Free State Stars | 30 | 5 | 16 | 9 | 29 | 30 | −1 | 31 | |
| 14 | Platinum Stars | 30 | 9 | 4 | 17 | 26 | 34 | −8 | 31 | |
| 15 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 30 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 20 | 38 | −18 | 26 | Play-off to stay in the Premiership |
| 16 | Jomo Cosmos (R) | 30 | 4 | 12 | 14 | 21 | 40 | −19 | 24 | Relegated to National First Division |

## Fixtures and results

| Home \ Away | AJX | AMZ | BVW | BLC | FSS | GOL | JC | KZC | MLS | MAR | MOR | MBA | ORL | PLA | SAN | SUP |
| Ajax Cape Town | | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 |
| AmaZulu | 0–1 | | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 |
| Bidvest Wits | 0–2 | 1–2 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–3 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 |
| Bloemfontein Celtic | 4–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | | 2–2 | 2–2 | 3–3 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 |
| Free State Stars | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 |
| Golden Arrows | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 0–1 | | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 |
| Jomo Cosmos | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–3 |
| Kaizer Chiefs | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | | 1–0 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 |
| Maritzburg United | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–5 | | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 |
| Moroka Swallows | 2–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| Mpumalanga Black Aces | 1–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–5 |
| Orlando Pirates | 3–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–0 | | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 |
| Platinum Stars | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | 1–0 | 0–1 |
| Santos | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | | 1–2 |
| SuperSport United | 0–1 | 4–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–2 | 4–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | |

## Top goalscorers

As of March 28, 2010

### 17 goals

* Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns)

### 13 goals

* Prince Olomu (Bloemfontein Celtic)

### 11 goals

* Calvin Kadi (Bidvest Wits)

### 10 goals

* Daine Klate (SuperSport United)
* Ayanda Dlamini (AmaZulu)

### 8 goals

* Richard Henyekane (Golden Arrows)
* Erwin Isaacs (Santos )
* Phikolethu Spelman (Santos)

### 7 goals

* Clifford Mulenga (Mpumalanga Black Aces)
* Mark Haskins (Bidvest Wits )
* Anthony Laffor (SuperSport United)

### 6 goals

* Morgan Gould (SuperSport United)
* Siyabonga Nomvethe (Moroka Swallows )
* Glen Salmon (SuperSport United)
* Toni Nhleko (Kaizer Chiefs)
* Dipsy Selolwane (Ajax Cape Town )
* Siphiwe Tshabalala (SuperSport United)

## Premiership managers

| Manager | Club |
| Foppe de Haan | Ajax Cape Town |
| Neil Tovey | AmaZulu |
| Roger De Sa | Bidvest Wits |
| Owen Da Gama | Bloemfontein Celtic |
| Gordon Igesund | Free State Stars |
| Manqoba Mngqithi | Golden Arrows |
| Jomo Sono | Jomo Cosmos |
| Vladimir Vermezović | Kaizer Chiefs |
| Hristo Stoichkov | Mamelodi Sundowns |
| Ernst Middendorp | Maritzburg United |
| Rainer Zobel | Moroka Swallows |
| Akis Agiomamitis | Mpumalanga Black Aces F.C. |
| Ruud Krol | Orlando Pirates |
| Boebie Solomons | Santos |
| Steve Komphela | Platinum Stars |
| Gavin Hunt | Supersport United |

## Kits 2009–2010

| Team | Supplier | Shirt sponsor |
| Ajax CT | Adidas | MTN |
| AmaZulu | Reebok | SPAR |
| Bidvest Wits | Hummel | Bidvest |
| Bloemfontein Celtic | Reebok | Vodacom |
| Engen Santos | Canterbury | Engen |
| Free State Stars | Umbro | Bonitas |
| Golden Arrows | Millé | MTN |
| Jomo Cosmos | Puma | Vacant |
| Kaizer Chiefs | Nike | Vodacom |
| Mamelodi Sundowns | Nike | Ubuntu Botho |
| Maritzburg United | Joma | Vacant |
| Moroka Swallows | Mitre | VW |
| Mpumalanga Black Aces | Umbro | Lakama |
| Orlando Pirates | Adidas | Vodacom |
| Platinum Stars | Diadora | Dunns |
| Supersport United | Under Armour | DStv |

## Attendances

| # | Football club | Average attendance |
| 1 | Kaizer Chiefs | 21,733 |
| 2 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 18,920 |
| 3 | Bloemfontein Celtic | 17,067 |
| 4 | Orlando Pirates | 12,333 |
| 5 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 7,467 |
| 6 | SuperSport United | 6,000 |
| 7 | Maritzburg United | 5,767 |
| 8 | AmaZulu FC | 5,733 |
| 9 | Platinum Stars | 5,700 |
| 10 | Ajax Cape Town | 5,567 |
| 11 | Lamontville Golden Arrows | 5,192 |
| 12 | Moroka Swallows | 4,267 |
| 13 | Santos Football Club | 4,173 |
| 14 | Free State Stars | 3,783 |
| 15 | Bidvest Wits | 3,713 |
| 16 | Jomo Cosmos | 2,173 |