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Paul Mundandi Sports Reporter—

FELIX Mbidzo has waited for half-a-century to see another football club, from outside Harare and Bulawayo, emulate the fairy-tale success story his immortal St Paul’s Musami team wrote when they were crowned league champions in 1966.Mbidzo was a key member of that triumphant team, nicknamed the Davis Babes, and his sons — Farai and John — would later make a big impact in the game taking their talents to South Africa and Germany.

His other son, Davies, made a huge impression at former local champions Black Aces.

Farai was one of CAPS United’s most influential players when the Green Machine ended 17 years of waiting by winning their first league title since Independence, and second title in the club’s history, in a landmark season for Makepekepe. Now, exactly 20 years after his son’s finest hour locally, and exactly half-a-century after his St Paul’s Musami beat Bulawayo Rovers 5-4 on aggregate to become domestic league champions, Mbidzo has lived to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Davis Babes’ landmark triumph way back in 1966.

Now 78-years-old, he still lives in Murewa, not far from stadium where St Paul’s team, then under the late Father Anthony Davis, plotted their success story.

The stadium might have been run-down over the years but the memories are still fresh.

“I was born and bred in Murewa, my life revolves in this rural set-up,” he told The Herald this week. “I have children who played soccer in South Africa and Germany. I was a deadly striker.

“We were the best team in Zimbabwe 50 years ago and we never passed through academies and we used to win matches by an average of three goals and we were very strong players.

“I believe teams that are outside Harare and Bulawayo can do better as they have untapped talent in their areas which they can use but it’s a pity that coaches nowadays believe in buying and also recycling players something which never happened during our era.

“We have raw talent in the rural areas and if only sponsors could look at the rural set-ups and channel their funds here it will be a good thing for Zimbabwe football.

“We might be having academies in the capital but it’s not everyone who can afford to go there.” After years of waiting for another side, from outside Harare and Bulawayo, win the league title for decades, Mbidzo has a chance to see that happen this year, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of St Paul’s triumph back in 1966, should the football gods smile on FC Platinum in the final two matches of the season.

The Zvishavane miners, who came close to winning the league title in 2011, their first season in the Premiership, only to self-destruct at home when victory appeared certain after they lost 0-1 to Dynamos in Week 29 of the fixtures, trail CAPS United by two points with two matches still to be played in the campaign.

The Green Machine host plucky Ngezi Platinum at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday while FC Platinum have a Week 29 date against Highlanders at Mandava and, should CAPS United fail to win, Norman Mapeza and his men could take over the leadership of the race with a victory over Bosso.

But, should FC Platinum either draw or lose to Highlanders, Makepekepe can be crowned champions on Sunday in the event they beat Ngezi Platinum. Makepekepe are unbeaten in their National Sports Stadium fortress for more than a year in a league match.

But, there is always a first time, and on the 50th occasion of the Davis Babes success story, Mbidzo — who believes there is a lot of talent in the country’s rural areas — could finally see another team emulate their 1966 triumph.

Father Davis, who was the heart and soul of that St Paul’s Musami side, died in Harare in 2003 and the following year Makepekepe were crowned champions of domestic football, losing only one game in their campaign and unbeaten on the road, as they powered to a comprehensive victory. One of FC Platinum’s biggest fans, Never Mavhima, a respected elder in the Zvishavane community, believes this will be their year.

“We are the elders here and our message is loud and clear. It has been five years of failure and this season the championship is ours. Our players need to work hard and have the self-belief like the one that Manyuchi (Charles) has,” he said.

“We are going to win the championship. CAPS will fall to Ngezi by two goals and we will beat Highlanders 3-1 .Chapungu will finish the job by beating CAPS United and we will put the cherry on the cake by a victory over Tsholotsho in Bulawayo. “We are going to fill Mandava Stadium as we want to give our players, the technical team and the executive maximum support for the good work they have done. We have also closed the stadium to the people who wanted to watch our training sessions.

“Our coach and players must not be disturbed and their focus must be on getting a positive result this weekend. It has been years of near-misses and we can’t just continue like this. We need the glory.

“We are happy with the executive led by Mawere (George) and after so much effort investing in football we feel they must be rewarded and this year the league trophy must find its way to Zvishavane.” And, the Zvishavane side have an ally in their battle. Ngezi Platinum coach Tonderai Ndiraya believes his men will stop the Green Machine.

“They might not have lost home but Ngezi can be first team to collect maximum points at the National Sports Stadium and they must remember that they will be playing the Chibuku Super Cup champions,” said Ndiraya.

“As Ngezi Platinum, we fully understand the stature of CAPS United, their history and the hard work they have put in this season to be at the summit of the log

“We are prepared physically and mentally. We are coming from a huge victory. The break was good for us as our players had time to celebrate and settle down and we are now focused.

“My players know what is at stake for them and they are motivated by the Chibuku Cup victory. Our aim is to finish in the top eight and we want to achieve that goal.”

When Ndiraya arrived in Ngezi his main task was to save the team from relegation but he won silverware with the Chibuku Super Cup triumph bringing a smile on Zimplats chief executive Alex Mhembere.

“I am excited not that Ngezi won the Cup but I am very happy for the two teams, they played very good football in the Chibuku final,” he said.

“We enjoyed football.”