THE 2018-19 National First Division (NFD) season will kick off tomorrow with Ajax Cape Town and Cape Umoya, formerly known as Platinum Stars, favourites for promotion at the end of the term.
Both are Absa Premiership rejects and along with Maccabi FC and TS Sporting, promoted from the ABC Motsepe League, and TS Galaxy they form the group of newcomers in the league.
Ajax and Roger de Sa’s side have pledged to be back in the elite league within 10 months following the teams’ controversial relegation.
It is never easy to get back to the top flight immediately after getting relegated to the NFD – unless you are Highlands Park or Bidvest Wits.
Former Premiership sides Santos, Moroka Swallows and Jomo Cosmos have all failed to make a comeback.
By the look of things, this season promises to be another humdinger, with a total of five former PSL sides – Cosmos, University of Pretoria, Ajax, Umoya and Stellenbosch FC – in the mix.
Cosmos, who will kick off the season with a new squad, are not that ambitious but rather aim to maintain their status and build their team for the future.
PSL clubs have come calling for close to 10 Ezenkosi players who were the core of the team that made it into the promotional play-offs last season.
Club owner-coach Jomo Sono then released more players following salary concerns that involved unions.
They kick off the season with a home fixture against Ajax at Tembisa’s Makhulong Stadium on Sunday (3pm).
Newbies Maccabi will entertain their fellow former ABC Motsepe League opponents, TS Sporting, at Dobsonvile Stadium tomorrow (3pm).
