THE ABC Motsepe League National play-offs, which kicked off on Monday, are not only a platform for youngsters who have high ambitions of making it to the professional ranks.
They also give some former Absa Premiership stars an opportunity to try and resurrect their careers.
Former Kaizer Chiefs and Zambia’s goal-poacher Collins Mbesuma was one of the forgotten players who is now in the third tier of local soccer.
On Thursday, Mbesuma helped his side Maccabi FC gain promotion to the National First Division (NFD) when he scored in the semi-finals against The Dolphins in their 3-1 victory.
Maccabi will now campaign in the NFD next season, together with TS Sporting.
Former Mpumalanga Black Aces star, Madoda Motha, is also Mbesuma’s teammate at Maccabi and they’re coached by former Chiefs defender Mokete Tsotetsi.
Vuyisile Wana, who once plyed his trade at Bloemfontein Celtic, and the troublesome Luyolo Nomandela who recently had a short stint at Cape Town City FC, were also in the play-offs with high hopes of getting promoted to the NFD.
Unfortunately, their team Tornado FC from the Eastern Cape didn’t do enough to get a spot in the NFD.
But not all the former Premier Soccer League players were in the play-offs to find their mojo.
Nine teams were representing their respective provinces to get a spot in the NFD next season. In the end, Maccabi and TS Sporting were the two teams to have reached the final and won automatic promotion to NFD.
Coach Mokete said: “We are going there to compete.”