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Tadious Manyepo in MASVINGO

FORMER Dynamos forward Takesure Chinyama has revealed his foreign connections are keen to give his ex-team Masvingo United a helping hand.

Chinyama launched his football career with Masvingo United in the early 2000s in a team that featured such players as Godfrey Dondo and Kurauone Mudhambani.

And the burly striker, who went on to have successful stints with Hwange and Monomotapa before a lengthy spell in Poland, was a guest player for the side at Mucheke yesterday.

The club, which is chasing for a ticket to return to the Premiership in the Eastern Region Division One league, faced-off against their Northern Region counterparts Simba Bhora in the Masvingo Provincial Independence Day trophy.

Simba Bhora won the encounter 1-0 with their top marksman Tinashe Balakasi scoring the decisive goal midway through the first half. They won a floating trophy and a US$1 000 cash prize.

But it is the sliding of Masvingo United into virtual oblivion which is troubling the one-time league winner with FC Platinum.

“I have already hung up my boots but I was invited to play in this match as a guest player to which I did given this is the team that first gave me the chance to first play in the top-flight,” said Chinyama.

“But I am very much concerned with the plight of this team. They have limited resources and I am calling upon all former Masvingo United players to help out the team in any form. We need the team back in the Premiership. Masvingo people deserve top-flight football.

“I am talking to some of my connections from outside the country who have expressed their willingness to help out the team.

“It is something I have always been thinking about. We need to save Masvingo United now. This is a team which raised several players who went on to illuminate the scene and some who would help the national team.”

Masvingo United were relegated from the top tier over a decade ago.

Their highest point in the league was when they almost clinched the league title in 2005.

They needed to win their last match of the season against Dynamos at home while hoping CAPS United lost theirs against Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium.

With Makepekepe losing their match 3-0 against Rhinos, Masvingo United would only lose 1-2 to DeMbare to surrender the title to Makepekepe.

The team is angling for promotion back into the Premiership league this season.

They are fourth on the log with 23 points, seven behind leaders Mutare City Rovers and they have a game in hand against Surrey whom they host tomorrow.