A 70-year-old former boy ball of Mufulira in Zambia’s Copperbelt province has explained why Mufulira Wanderers were the best club in the 1960s and the most successful in Zambia’s football history.
Modest Kunda shared with Bolanews that he was 16 years old when he started watching football at the iconic Shinde stadium.
As a ballboy for the club, he said he enjoyed watching Abena Milambo thrash many teams at Shinde from the pitch side.
“I watched many teams get beaten in this stadium,” he said.” Mufulira Wanderers was a very big club not only in Zambia but Africa.”
KUNDA’S GREATEST MEMORY AT SHINDE STADIUM
Kunda recalled Manchester United struggling to beat Wanderers in a friendly match at Shinde in 1968, which was played at night. Although the club clarified that the team that traveled to Mufulira was not actually Manchester United but a team from Manchester, he referred to it as one of the best games he had ever watched at Shinde.
“Man U scored three goals in the first half, but Maite equalized in the second half. Samuel Zoom Ndhlovu scored the last goal through a penalty, and we drew 3-3 right here on this pitch.”
According to him, the secret to Wanderers’ success in the 1960s was their highly effective recruitment system.
“Back in the day, Maite used to have more than one team.” There was a reserve team that had players who could step in whenever called upon. “That was the only secret that made this club big and difficult to beat especially here at Shinde stadium.
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Kunda, who is always given season tickets to watch Wanderers at Shinde, lamented the fact that what was once Zambia’s best club is now struggling for promotion to the top flight.
Wanderers is Zambia’s most successful club, with a record 49 trophies. They produced some of the country’s greatest footballers such as the likes of Samuel Ndhlovu, and Kalushya Bwalya among others.
MUFULIRA WANDERERS TODAY
They are currently playing in Division One following their relegation in the 2019/2020 season and have struggled to gain promotion.
Wanderers also spent nine years in Division One between 2006 and 2015 and failed to win any trophy since 1997.
This season, on the other hand, appears to be going well for them. They are vying for promotion to the Super League and are currently ranked second on the log with 40 points, one point behind Trident FC, who are first with 41 points.
Mufulira Wanderers will also compete in the 2023 ABSA Cup, hoping to finally end their trophy drought.
