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Ricky Zililo in BULAWAYO
WHEN Highlanders last won the domestic championship in 2006, the team was synonymous with colourful road shows comprising hundreds of travelling fans for their away games. Bosso never felt like visitors playing away from their Barbourfields fortress, as the vociferous fans played their 12th-man role effectively.

However, as the team began to slowly fade, so did the road shows.
Fast forward 12 years later, coach Madinda Ndlovu’s “ECD” project is slowly bringing back the fun.
And the fans are responding by descending on Barbourfields in their thousands, irrespective of the identity of their opponents.
Following their impressive seven-match run, the Bosso fans are beginning to believe and have decided to revive the colourful road shows.

Madinda wants similar support for Bosso’s trip to log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars on Saturday at Baobab in Ngezi.
“I’m very much sure if that 12th man can afford to be with us (at Baobab), we won’t feel that we’re playing away,” Madinda said.
Bosso fans have responded to the coach’s plea and are busy organising to travel for the potentially explosive Ngezi game.

The Bosso fans want to turn Baobab into a sea of black-and-white, with the party starting way before kick-off on the Bulawayo-Harare highway leading to Mhondoro.

Lloyd Siyanda Sibanda, spokesperson of a Highlanders’ supporters group known as Team Away, said they had already organised six Mercedes Benz Sprinters, each with a carrying capacity of 22 passengers, to ferry Bosso fans to Ngezi.

Sibanda, whose group travelled for the Week 2 encounter against Herentals in Harare where Bosso won 2-0 and the Week 4 clash with Dynamos where they emerged 1-0 victors, said they had also organised three Toyota Quantums and the number of vehicles could increase depending on the number of fans wanting to be part of the road show.

“We love Highlanders and we’re certainly travelling for the game. We encourage safe travelling whenever we embark on these road shows.

“The drivers of the vehicles we will use to Ngezi do not drink alcohol and those wishing to travel with us can leave their cars parked at the Highlanders club house, which is safe.

“We are only charging $15 for a return trip to Ngezi. Those interested can get hold of me on WhatsApp or call 0777 719 190 or get hold of Lindani on Hadebe on 0719 782 997 to book their seats,” he said.

Another group of Bosso fans, led by Pride “Bricks” Ndlovu, have also organised transport to Ngezi.
“We’re calling on Highlanders’ fans that want to travel to get hold of me on 0775 993 266. We’ll leave on Saturday morning and return after the game,” said Ndlovu.

Highlanders chairman, Kenneth Mhlophe, praised the supporters’ initiative.
“The supporters have been the drive behind the team and as a club we are grateful for the maturity they have shown in all matches we’ve played.

‘’We haven’t witnessed any rowdy behaviour, which shows that our supporters have matured.
‘’As we travel to Ngezi, it is our plea that we travel with many followers to give the boys the support they need. We also ask our supporters to behave like they have been doing and protect the Highlanders’ brand,” Mhlophe said.