Moroka Swallows F.C.
Moroka Swallows Football Club (often known as simply Swallows or The Birds) is a South African professional football club based in Soweto in the city of Johannesburg in the Gauteng province. Founded in 1947, Swallows are one of the original two Soweto clubs, together with Orlando Pirates, thus contest what is known as the Original Soweto Derby. Until relegation in the 2014–15 season, the club had played every season of the Premier Soccer League. They won the 2019–20 National First Division and competed in the 2020–21 South African Premier Division, they finished 6th in what was their  first season back in top-flight football league system and qualified for 2021 MTN 8 Cup competition. They play their home matches at Dobsonville Stadium. History. The club was founded in the 1940s by a trio of soccer lovers, Ishmael Lesolang, Strike Makgatha, and Johnny Kubheka. They originally named the side "Congregated Rovers" after the firm in which most of the players and officials worked, later changing it to "Moroka Rovers". But then, on 10 October 1947, the trio decided to change the name again to "Moroka Swallows", basing themselves in the township formally known as Masakeng. The name has  lasted for the best part of 55 years, a period which has seen consistent success both on the field and off it. The name 'moroka' means 'rain maker' in Setswana and the township was probably named after Chief Moroka of Barolong boo-Seleka who became the president of the African National Congress in 1940s. It is hardly surprising therefore that the club was renamed the 'rain bird'. The 1950s and 1960s were a successful time for the club, culminating in their greatest ever achievement, winning the South African League title in 1965. Off the field, the club was becoming a  business and in 1971 they became the first ever football team to register as a public company. That same year they were also the first to receive an official sponsorship when Teljoy began their association with the club. The decade between 1982 and 1992 was a successful one for the team, culminating in four pieces of silverware. In 2007, the club celebrated its 60th anniversary. Two years later Swallows won the Nedbank Cup, the club's first piece of silverware for five years. The club narrowly avoided relegation in the 2013–14 season, finishing thirteenth. The 2014–15 season saw them relegated  for the first time in their history, finishing 15th, and failing to retain their position after being defeated in the promotion-relegation playoffs. Following their first relegation from the top level, the club finished bottom of the log in the National First Division, and were relegated again to the SAFA Second Division. Prior to the start of the 2018–19 season, Swallows purchased the franchise of National First Division team Maccabi for R8 million, and competed in the 2019–20 National First Division. At the end 2019–20 National First Division season, the club gained promotion to the Premier Soccer League following a  3–0 win against third-placed Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila F.C., and will compete in the 2020–21 South African Premier Division. Source: First team squad. "Updated 8 October 2020"