Cape Town Spurs F.C.

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use South African English Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "Infobox".Template:Template otherScript error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Cape Town Spurs F.C. (formerly known as Ajax Cape Town) is a South African professional football club based in Parow in the city of Cape Town that plays in the National First Division. Dutch Eredivisie club AFC Ajax was their parent club and majority shareholder after a merger of both Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars in January 1999 until selling its shares in September 2020.[1]

History

Cape Town Spurs were formed on 11 January 1970, competing in the Federation Professional League from 1971 until 1984, winning the league seven times, and the National Soccer League from 1985 to 1995, winning the championship in the final season, before the establishment of the South African Premiership in 1996. The club also won league and the Cup in 1995, then known as the Bob Save Super Bowl.

Ajax Cape Town era

In 1999 Ajax Cape Town was formed via the amalgamation of two Cape Town-based teams, Seven Stars and Cape Town Spurs, as AFC Ajax expanded their worldwide talent-feeder network to South Africa, with the club adopting the club crest of the Amsterdam-based club.[2] Ajax Cape Town was originally founded by John Comitis and Rob Moore in 1999. John Comitis, the honouree life chairman of Ajax Cape Town, later sold his shares in the club after 14 years at the helm and is now the chairman of Cape Town City.

Ajax, nicknamed Urban Warriors, played their first official game against Kaizer Chiefs in the Iwisa Charity Spectacular on 17 July 1999. Ajax caused an upset when they beat Chiefs 1–0 with Sam Pam, the Ajax Cape Town captain, scoring the winning goal.

Former South Africa national team coach Gordon Igesund, the country's most successful club coach,[3] who won league titles with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Sundowns, coached the club from 2002 until 2006.

Ajax's highest league finish was runners-up in 2003–04, 2007–08 and 2010–11. Ajax won the Rothmans Cup in 2000, the Nedbank Cup in 2007, the Telkom Knockout in 2008 and the MTN8 in 2015.

In January 2007 Ajax CT managed to beat AFC Ajax 3–1 in a friendly game held in Cape Town. The next friendly, played in Amsterdam, ended in a 3–2 win for AFC Ajax in July 2009.

Over the years several Ajax CT players have made the step to the mother club, among them Steven Pienaar in 2002, Daylon Claasen in 2009, Eyong Enoh in 2008 and Thulani Serero in 2011.

In July 2013, it was announced that the Comitis brothers, longtime partners and shareholders with the Efstathiou brothers, had sold their Cape Town Stars shares, (19.6% of Ajax Cape Town), to the Efstathiou family.[4] Ari Efstathiou was announced as the new chairman, and Muhsin Ertuğral was reinstated as manager of the club, following an interim managerial period after originally being hired as the club's new technical director.[5]

In September 2015, Ajax won the 2015 MTN8 tournament edging Kaizer Chiefs 1–0 in the final.

Ajax CT were relegated to the National First Division after finishing bottom in the 2017–18 season due to having points deducted.

Ajax CT were deducted points for fielding Thendai Ndoro, who, according to the governing Premier Soccer League, was an illegible player. Ajax CT had previously been given the green light by the league and had officially registered the player with them as they were in possession of his player card. The team, therefore would have not been relegated had the points not been deducted and had the league not overturned their original decision that Ndoro was eligible to play.

Ajax CT finished in 4th place, outside of the playoff positions, in the 2018–19 National First Division, and again failed to achieve promotion the following season after losing in the playoffs to Black Leopards. Shortly thereafter, Ajax Amsterdam sold their 51% share in Ajax Cape Town.[1]

In 2020, Ajax CT ended their association with Dutch club AFC Ajax, with Cape Town Stars acquiring full control of the club, and they subsequently renamed it Cape Town Spurs.[6][7][8]

2020 to present

Cape Town Spurs finished 2nd in the 2022–23 National First Division, earning promotion through the playoffs. However, the club followed this up with back-to-back relegations. Following their relegation from the 2024–25 National First Division into the amateur SAFA Second Division, the club attempted to purchase the NFD status of Pretoria Callies for R6 million.[9]

Youth programme

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As of 2011, the then Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme had been implemented in more than 120 schools across the Western Cape as far as the Cape Winelands, reaching more than 8,000 children.[11]

Stadium

Cape Town Spurs play most of their games at the Athlone Stadium.

From 1999, Ajax CT played their home games at Athlone Stadium and Newlands Stadium. The latter is a 51,900 capacity venue, which was first built in 1888, and was also host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup opening match. Essentially being a rugby stadium, it was a home they shared with clubs Santos and Vasco da Gama, as well as rugby teams Stormers and Western Province. Athlone Stadium was home to the Santos and has a capacity of 30,000. The stadium located in Athlone, Cape Town was also host to some of Ajax CT early home matches as well.

Spurs later moved to the Green Point Stadium, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose stadium in the Green Point area of Cape Town. The stadium was eventually demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Cape Town Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Construction of the new stadium was completed in 2009, and the Urban Warriors played their home games at the Cape Town Stadium from the beginning of the 2010–11 season to an improved capacity of 55,000. On 3 August 2011 a contract extension of three years was negotiated with the stadium, which saw Ajax CT play their home games there until 2014.[12][13]

The first match played at the new stadium was a Cape Town derby between Ajax CT and Santos on 23 January 2010 as part of the official inauguration of the stadium.

Spurs train at their home base located in Parow. (Script error: No such module "Coordinates".). It serves as the training grounds for the senior squad, as well as for the Ajax Cape Town Youth Development Academy. It has hosted a number of foreign clubs among them German Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart during their midseason camp in 2014 as well as Viking FK from Norway.[14]

Honours

League

Cup competitions

Pre-season

1. Trophies won as Ajax Cape Town F.C. from 11 January 1999 to 28 September 2020.

Performance in CAF competitions

Continental appearances

2005 – Group stage (Top 8)
2009 – First Round
2008 – First Round of 16

Continental results

Season Competition Round Country Club Score CCP (1)
2005 Champions League Preliminary Round Template:Flagu Mhlambanyatsi Rovers 1–0, 1–1 2.0
First Round Template:Flagu ASFA Yennenga 1–0, 0–1
Second Round Template:Flagu Fello Star 2–0, 0–2
Final Group Round Template:Flagu Enyimba 1–1, 2–0
Template:Flagu Raja Casablanca 1–1, 0–3
Template:Flagu Al Ahly 2–0, 0–0
2008 Confederation Cup First Round Template:Flagu Anse Réunion 1–0, 4–1 1.0
First Round of 16 Template:Flagu Mount Cameroon 5–1, 0–5
2009 Champions League First Round Template:Flagu Monomotapa United 3–2, 1–2 0.3
(1) CCP = CAF Co-efficiency points. Total number of points for CAF Coefficient: 17.0

Club records

League record

National Soccer League

Premiership

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National First Division

Premiership

National First Division

Players

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<templatestyles src="Template:Football squad player/styles.css" /> Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Template:Fba/core Zama Dlamini
2 DF Template:Fba/core Nazeer Allie
3 DF Template:Fba/core Cohen Stander
5 MF Template:Fba/core Morne Nel
6 MF Template:Fba/core Jarrod Moroole
10 MF Template:Fba/core Keagan Buchanan
11 MF Template:Fba/core Colin Ryan
13 FW Template:Fba/core Leo Thethani
14 MF Template:Fba/core Michael Morton
16 GK Template:Fba/core Lincoln Vyver
17 FW Template:Fba/core Asanele Velebayi
18 DF Template:Fba/core Logan Brown
19 FW Template:Fba/core Riyaaz Nell
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 FW Template:Fba/core Therlo Moosa
28 DF Template:Fba/core Obakhe Tshaya
29 FW Template:Fba/core Ashley Cupido
30 DF Template:Fba/core Mogamad De Goede
31 DF Template:Fba/core Khaya Mfecane
32 GK Template:Fba/core Aden Dreyer
33 FW Template:Fba/core Chumani Butsaka
34 MF Template:Fba/core Liam Bern
37 FW Template:Fba/core Luke Baartman
42 DF Template:Fba/core Tshepo Gumede
43 GK Template:Fba/core Neil Boshoff
44 DF Template:Fba/core Denwin Farmer
50 MF Template:Fba/core Katlego Maphathe

On loan

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No. Pos. Nation Player

Retired numbers

Notable former players

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Managers

References

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External links

Template:Ajax Cape Town FC Template:Premier Soccer League Template:Cape Town

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