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Robson Sharuko Senior Sports Editor
IT has been the most spectacular takeover mission in domestic football history — an audacious power grab that has shaken the game’s establishment.

It ended a wait that had stretched for over half-a-century and secured the first championship three peat outside the Big Two clubs.

Where Father Davies and his St Paul’s had, for 51 years, stood alone, after their Miracle of Musami of ‘66, those Murewa Magicians now had good company.

Where Rio Tinto tried, and failed, including coming close to glory in ‘83 only to lose the battle to Dynamos by goal difference, the new boys in the hood had succeeded.

When they finally marched to the Promised Land in 2017, they were also flying the flags of all clubs outside the country’s Big Two cities, ending a monopoly unrivaled in world football history.

It’s a beautiful story that has been dominating domestic football — one of ambition and redemption and of professionalism and perfectionism.

It has seen them cast a spell over the domestic Premiership, in the past three years, and push the game’s Big Three football clubs — Dynamos, Highlanders and CAPS United — into the shadows.

For the first time, in the history of the top-flight league, after Independence, four years are set to pass without one of the Big Three clubs — winning the league championship.

So, how FC Platinum do it?

How did they succeed where Mhangura failed, how did they find light where Hwange found darkness, how did they find strength where Masvingo United collapsed in a daze of weakness?

Well, the man who was their boardroom leader, who masterminded the battle to become kings of domestic football, has been tracing their journey to the top of the domestic game. George Mawere was the FC Platinum president during the three years they secured the three peat by winning the league championship in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

He left his post at the beginning of this year, just a few months after they had relentlessly chased CAPS United, to win the title on the final day of the season by beating the Green Machine at the National Sports Stadium.

Renowned football administrator and medical doctor, Fabian Mashingaidze, took over as club president while Smartfin Techu is the club chairman.

The changes came on the occasion FC Platinum were celebrating their Silver Jubilee.

Mawere has now put his journey, and by extension his club’s adventure to the top, into a 54-page book, based on the trip they have travelled, as reported through the lens of the media.

Using newspaper cuttings, mainly compiled from The Herald reports where the story of their journey — the good, the bad and the trying times — Mawere has managed to capture the memories of their trailblazing adventure.

He said the objective is to ensure he documents the journey, which the club has travelled, from being a social club into one that now represents the country in the CAF Champions League.

Critics have been critical of domestic football’s frustrating tendency of not keeping its records which means that, more often than not, the history of the game is distorted.

Mawere left his post in February this year after having led the club since 2013.

The cover of the book is the farewell message he wrote to the club, their partners, their fans and their fellow competitors.

It was featured in this newspaper on February 29, this year.

“It seems like only yesterday when FC Platinum was established, as a social team, in 1995, with a communal function to entertain, as well as provide, a pastime for Mimosa employees,’’ he said in his emotional farewell message.

“Back then, only a few would have anticipated the Club as the football powerhouse it is today.

“Our journey has been one full of potential and from inception, our dream of self-sustainability has become a reality through FC Platinum Holdings.

“In telling the club’s story, I gave much thought to the need to be introspective by looking down the road that we have travelled since our inception, with a view to making a realistic assessment of our achievements as well as our shortcomings.

“Our transition from a social club into a professional club began in the lower division leagues before our promotion into the premier league 2011 under the guidance of coach Jairos Tapera.

“Since then, guided by our vision to be a leading football brand in Africa, we have spared no effort in our quest to translate our vision into reality.

“Incredible, as our critics would have liked us to believe, through passion, hard work, discipline and sheer determination, phenomenal strides have been made towards realising this vision as demonstrated by our tremendous accomplishments over the years.’’

The club’s breakthrough success, in the league championship in 2017, when they became only the first side, from outside Harare and Bulawayo, to be crowned champions, in the post-independence era, was given special prominence.

“In 2017, we rewrote the annals of Zimbabwean domestic football history by becoming the first club from outside Harare or Bulawayo to win the Premier League in over 50 years,’’ he said.

“While this was indeed a great achievement, we did not stop there, but went further to prove that consistency is the true mark of champions that leads to excellence by winning three successive league titles.

“This notable feat saw the club representing the country in the Champions League and qualifying for the group stages for two successive years.

“While our journey in the Champions League has not been satisfactory, we have learnt that every defeat brings important lessons and I’m confident that these tough lessons will provide the motivation for future success in our continued endeavour to make our mark on the continental club stage.

“I must say that our achievements both on and off the field of play have been made possible by our ability to successfully professionalise the club through the establishment of a holding company.’’