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George Mawere Special Correspondent

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.

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.

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.

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.

Founded in 2014, FC Platinum Holdings, has transformed the club into one of,  if not the only completely self-sustaining club in the country. Over the years we have again successfully demonstrated that, as FC Platinum, we do not exist and thrive in isolation, but in total engagement with the communities that support us.

To this end, we also boast a thriving Corporate Social Responsibility programme, which supports various community initiatives in the Midlands Province.

The narrative of our success as FC Platinum, and our reason for celebration (Silver Jubilee) would be incomplete without acknowledging the contributions and sacrifices made by our valued stakeholders.

I wish, therefore, to take this opportunity to heartily express unreserved gratitude to:

Our patron, His Excellency President ED Mnangagwa for his vision and guidance

Our sponsors FC Platinum Holdings

Our business partners Mimosa Mining company

Head Coach and his technical team and players

Club Chairman Evans Mtombeni and entire executive

Our former Club executives who were led by the former president Nathan Shoko

Zvishavane and Midlands communities

Club Supporters (Mombe and Nguruve)

Media partners, in particular YAFM and all those who chose to believe we can do it.

However, special tribute also goes to all our past players and coaches among them the prolific Norman Mapeza, whose contributions helped to propel the club to success.

Looking ahead, allow me to take this opportunity to say that as we celebrate the last 25 years, and look to the future with unyielding optimism, the time has also come for the curtain to come down on my term of office.

I joined FC Platinum as vice-president, before taking over from my predecessor in 2013 as club president and, in the bygone years, we have had our fair share of success and challenges, we won together and lost together as a team.

However, during the course of my tenure, I found that it’s not so much how you start, but how you finish, which counts.

And, it is precisely for this very reason, that I would also like to take this opportunity to announce that I am stepping down as club president, with immediate effect and, as I finish my race, the honour now falls on my successors to answer to the call of duty.

My experience as club president cannot be adequately captured by the number of trophies we have won, in as much as it is defined by the great memories we have created over the years.

Trophies will gather dust and no doubt there will be bigger trophies in the future, but the memories we created will last forever in our hearts and those of our fans.

We now look to the future as we continue establishing ourselves as a leading football brand. Like all things that have an insight into the future, we need a renewed thinking as we enter into our golden years.

The final test of a leader, according to Walter Lippmann, is ensuring “that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on”, and I must say in the same vein I am happy to reveal the club’s new structure which I believe will enhance professionalism and usher in a new era that will take the club to even greater heights.

The new structure will see a more distinct separation of roles and responsibilities for the club’s business unit and football side.

The following changes will be effected in 2020.

The club chairman, Evans Mtombeni, has been elevated to second vice president with Mnyasha Gumbie as the first vice president.

The new club chairman will be Smartfin Techu.

The secretary-general, B Virimai, will maintain his position.

The current treasurer joins the panel of advisors as committee member as we usher in a new treasurer, Garikayi Mugova, who comes through from FC Platinum Holdings to ensure the sponsor’s interests are safeguarded.

I will be stepping down as the president and chairman of FC Platinum and FC Platinum Holdings.

The Patron and Board of guarantors have made the following appointments:-

Fabian Mashingaidze will be president of the football club.

Mathew Sibanda will be chairman of FC Platinum Holdings.

We may not have agreed in some things, however, I am thankful you have allowed me to become a part of your lives.

Gratitude, respect and pride, these words sum up how I feel about the experiences we have shared as the Pure Platinum family.

On a parting note, I call upon on you all to continue to extend your unparalleled support to the club and its new leadership.

George Mawere, who guided FC Platinum to three league titles as club president, announced he was stepping down from his post at Mandava yesterday during the club’s Silver Jubilee celebrations