• Relegated CAPS FC take-over Shooting Stars franchise • Charity Shield teams increased to four • Eagles promoted to premiership, Lancashire relegated • Eagles fly high as Lancashire stall • Chitembwe new CAPS United coach • PSL play-offs enter critical stage • Madinda Ndlovu unveiled as Highlanders coach • Lancashire lead play-offs mini-league • Chikwaikwai named Soccer Star of the Year • CAPS United survive, Monomotapa claim their prize • Monmomotapa clinch premiership title • Dynamos slash Monomotapa's lead with emphatic win • Monomotapa, Dynamos set up tantalising season finale • Monomotapa get in mood for big party • 2008 Premier Soccer League Fixtures

Posted to the web: 21/01/2009 13:50:45
A PROPOSED merger between premiership outfit Njube Sundowns and Division One club Zimbabwe Saints appeared in doubt this week after ZIFA initiated moves to ban litigious Saints from football.

If the merger fails, the 1988 premiership champions appear doomed after they survived relegation by a whisker at the end of the Division One season last year. They could have found themselves in Division Two had relegated premiership club Lancashire Steel chosen to play in the division, instead of folding. Saints finished 15th in the 20-team league.

Saints went to court to appeal against a decision to boot them out of the CBZ Cup in 2008. Saints were losing to an extra-time goal against Railstars when they staged a walkout on August 11.

The referee called off the match and it was awarded to Railstars. But Saints argued that the referee refused to restart the game after they had finished protesting against Railstars' extra time goal, which according to Saints was scored when they had only six men on the pitch -- the rest being injured, sent off, or PRAYING.

They lost the case against ZIFA, who were represented by lawyer Tawengwa Hara – the Njube Sundowns secretary.

It has also been revealed that Saints owe the T Hara and Partners law firm US$12 000 after they were ordered to meet the costs of the case. Saints have appealed against the original verdict and the case is set down for hearing in the High Court in February.

ZIFA officials say the association will approach the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA seeking to ban Saints from football for bringing the game of football into disrepute.

“FIFA has always been against taking football matters to court and all clubs are aware of that. We have been lenient in the past with Zimbabwe Saints but they have abused the trust we placed on them to resolve football matters through proper channels,” a ZIFA source said.

Saints are no strangers to the courts. They once mounted a marathon legal battle against Highlanders over the use of a player Mackreza Navaya in 2003 and since then, they have been in and out of court almost on a yearly basis.

“We believe that Zimbabwean football laws, which are approved internationally need to be respected and Saints will be the first example,” said the ZIFA official.

ZIFA chief executive officer Henrietta Rushwaya said: "We all know that football matters must not be take to court and I cannot comment on the Zimbabwe Saints for now, perhaps later when we meet in court."

Hara, the Sundowns secretary, refused to discuss the issue of money owed to his law firm but said the merger was definitely out of question.

“We started our preparations as Njube Sundowns for the Charity Shield and the 2009 season. We are not merging with anyone, let them dream on,” he said.

But Elliot Manduna, the chairman of Saints who had an altercation with Hara last month, insisted the talks were on and said they owed no-one any money.

“The talks are still on; who says they are over and who told you we owe Hara any money? That case is still in the courts because we want justice,” he said.

On the impending ban, Manduna said: “Who will ban us, for what? We have done nothing wrong, we are demanding justice and that ZIFA must do things properly.”

2008 Premier Soccer League Play-Offs:

TEAM	P	W	D	L	F	A	PTS
P - Eagles	5	4	1	0	12	5	13
Lancashire Steel	4	2	1	1	12	7	7
Shabanie Mine	4	2	0	2	6	9	6
Mwana Africa	5	0	0	5	4	14	0

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Top Goal Scorers:

23 GOALS: Evans Chikwaikwai (Njube Sundowns)
16 GOALS: Cuthberth Malajila (Highlanders)
15 GOALS: Edward Sadomba (Dynamos)
11 GOALS: Charles Chiutsa (Monomotapa)
9 GOALS: Douglas Zimbago (Highlanders)
8 GOALS: Daniel Zokoto (Monomotapa)
8 GOALS: Phillip Makanje (Lancashire Steel)
8 GOALS: Norman Maroto (Dynamos)
7 GOALS: Makai Kawashu (Monomotapa)
7 GOALS: Tendai Nyamadzawo (Lengthens)

2008 CBZ Premier Soccer League Final Standings:

TEAM		Played	Won	Drew	Lost	G/F	G/A	Points
1	C - Monomotapa	30	18	6	6	41	28	60
2	Dynamos	30	16	10	4	41	25	58
3	Njube Sundowns	30	15	3	12	42	36	48
4	Shooting Stars	30	12	8	10	37	26	44
5	Lengthens	30	11	8	11	37	41	41
6	Gunners	30	10	10	10	42	39	40
7	Highlanders	30	9	15	6	34	25	39
8	Kiglon	30	9	12	9	31	32	39
9	Underhill	30	9	11	10	38	44	38
10	Eastern Lions	30	9	11	10	24	27	38
11	Motor Action	30	11	4	15	32	42	37
12	CAPS United	30	8	12	10	35	32	36
13	P/O - Lancashire	30	10	6	14	37	45	36
14	R - Chapungu	30	9	7	14	31	32	34
15	R - Masvingo United	30	8	9	13	34	49	33
16*	R - CAPS FC	29	5	10	15	29	40	25
* Docked 3 points for using suspended player v Motor Action

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