Jomo Cosmos F.C.

Jomo Cosmos are a South African association football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the ABC Motsepe league. The club is owned and coached by South African football legend Jomo Sono.

Jomo Cosmos

Full name	Jomo Cosmos Football Club
Nickname(s)	Ezenkosi (Royals)
Founded	29 January 1983; 40 years ago (1983-01-29)
Ground	Profert Olën Park
Capacity	22,000
Chairman	Jomo Sono
Coach	Jomo Sono
League	National First Division
2021–22	15th (relegated)
Home colours Away colours

In the 2021–22 National First Division season the club was relegated to the Third Division stream of professional football in South Africa.

History

The club was founded on 29 January 1983, upon the remnants of the previously well-known and successful club Highlands Park, which Sono opted to buy when he ended his playing career in the United States. The club was named Dion Cosmos in its initial 1983 season, with the first part of the name representing the previous sponsor of Highlands Park and the second part being the fingerprint of Jomo Sono, who decided to name his newly bought club after his former NASL club, the New York Cosmos. Since 1984, the name of the club has been Jomo Cosmos.^[1]

Sono's policy for development has always been to recognise and build upon raw talent. Sono's team accentuated and developed a strong youth policy and through the years has gained a reputation for discovering and developing some of the finest talent to have played in the league, for the South Africa national team and abroad. Under Sono's ownership, the club went on to achieve several successes: winning the South African Premier Division title in 1987,^[2] the Bob Save Super Bowl in 1990,^[3][4] the Coca-Cola Cup in 2002 and 2005,^[5] and the SAA Supa 8 in 2003.^[6]

In 2008, Jomo Cosmos were relegated from top-flight football for the first time since 1993.^[7] After one season in the National First Division, they returned to the PSL for the 2009–10 season, having won the Inland Stream and the promotion play-off against Carara Kicks.^[8] They were immediately relegated again, leading several to question Sono's future as the club's manager.^[9] Sono stayed, and led the club to the 2010–11 National First Division title and promotion.^[10] They were yet again relegated in their first season back, finishing in last place.^[11] They would stay in the second tier for three seasons, before winning promotion through the 2014-15 PSL play-off tournament.^[12] Cosmos were relegated again in their first season back, after losing 3–1 to Maritzburg United on the final day, ending the season in last place.^[13]

Honours

• Telkom Knockout: 3

2002, 2003, 2005

• Nedbank Cup: 1

1990

• NSL: 1

1987

• Second Division: 1

1994

Club records

• Most starts:   Andrew Rabutla 229
• Most goals:   Manuel Bucuane 88
• Most capped player:   Manuel Bucuane
• Most starts in a season: Webster Lichaba (1986),   Helman Mkhalele (1993) both 46
• Most goals in a season:   Philemon Masinga 27 (1991)
• Record victory: 6–0 vs Grand All Stars (31 August 1985), (Mainstay Cup); vs Mabopane United Brothers (30 August 1986), (Mainstay Cup);
  vs Umtata Bush Bucks (28 March 1992), (NSL); vs Denver Sundowns (21 February 1993), (African Cup Winners Cup)
• Record defeat: 0–5 vs Kaizer Chiefs (24 December 2001), (Coca-Cola Cup)

Historical League results

1983 (NPSL) – 9th 1984 (NPSL) – 9th 1985 (NSL) – 4th 1986 (NSL) – 12th 1987 (NSL) – 1st 1988 (NSL) – 2nd 1989 (NSL) – 4th 1990 (NSL) – 5th 1991 (NSL) – 7th 1992 (NSL) – 5th 1993 (NSL) – 18th *Rel 1994 (OKL) – 2nd *Pro 1995 (NSL) – 10th 1996 (League phase) – 7th

1996–97 (PSL) – 7th 1997–98 (PSL) – 7th 1998–99 (PSL) – 10th 1999–00 (PSL) – 7th 2000–01 (PSL) – 4th 2001–02 (PSL) – 4th 2002–03 (PSL) – 8th 2003–04 (PSL) – 13th 2004–05 (PSL) – 13th 2005–06 (PSL) – 9th 2006–07 (PSL) – 7th 2007–08 (PSL) – 16th *Rel 2008–09 (NFD) – 1st *Pro 2009–10 (PSL) – 16th *Rel

2010–11 (NFD) – 1st *Pro 2011–12 (PSL) – 16th *Rel 2012–13 (NFD) – 14th 2013–14 (NFD) – 6th 2014–15 (NFD) – 2nd *Pro 2015–16 (PSL) – 16th *Rel 2016–17 (NFD) – 10th 2017-18 (NFD) – 3rd 2018-19 (NFD) – 13th 2019-20 (NFD) - 13th

Club officials/Technical team

• Owner/Chairman:   Jomo Sono
• Football manager:   Bamuza Sono
• Coach:   Jomo Sono
• Assistant coaches:   Siza Dlamini &   Gerald Mtshali
• Goalkeeping coaches:   Mpangi Merikani &   Avril Phali

First team squad

2019-20 season^[14]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   RSA Buti Khoza 4 MF   RSA Bonginkosi Gumede 5 DF   CIV Ange Lebahi (captain) 6 MF   RSA Kagiso Ndlovu 7 MF   RSA Clint Fredericks 8 FW   NGA Chijioke Omeke 11 MF   RSA Wandile Sicholo 13 MF   RSA Kamohelo Molatlhegi 14 FW   NGA Franklin Ogbonna 15 MF   RSA Moses Mokasi 16 DF   RSA Bafana Tshawe 17 MF   RSA Tumi Ngwepe 19 FW   BEN Quentin Debouto 20 MF   RSA Mduduzi Sibeko 22 MF   RSA Matsilele Sono 23 MF   RSA Mpumelelo Zondi 24 DF   RSA Peter Molete

No. Pos. Nation Player 25 DF   NGA Stanley Umukoro 26 DF   RSA Sifiso Nkosi 27 MF   RSA Phakamani Mngadi 30 FW   NGA Chibuike Ohizu 31 MF   RSA Ongelethu Somtsewu 33 DF   RSA Thabo Makhele 34 MF   RSA Seun Ledwaba 35 GK   RSA Melusi Buthelezi 36 GK   RSA Hilary Nyathi 37 MF   RSA Gerald Ndlovu 38 MF   RSA Onke Moletshe 40 MF   RSA Thomas Kgope 42 DF   RSA Branden Matsila 43 MF   RSA Xhanti Mesana 45 MF   RSA Trevor Thabani Jabulani Cetshwayo 49 MF   RSA Tumelo Matona

Shirt sponsor and kit manufacturer

• Shirt sponsor: N/A
• Kit manufacturer: N/A

References

1. "South Africa 1983 NPSL". RSSF. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
2. "South Africa 1987". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
3. "South Africa 1990". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
4. "Mzansi's greatest teams". Kickoff. 16 September 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
5. ""I remember that day like it was yesterday," – Jomo Sono's Nostalgia". 19 May 2020.
6. "South Africa 2003/04". RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
7. "Cosmos condemned to relegation". News24. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
8. "Jomo Cosmos Back in the Premier Soccer League". Goal. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
9. "The game's over, Jomo". Mail & Guardian. 12 March 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
10. "Bay United beaten in penalty shootout". PressReader. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
11. "Jomo Cosmos relegated". News24. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
12. "Jomo Cosmos promoted to the PSL". News24. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
13. "Absa Premiership wrap: Maritzburg survive, Cosmos relegated, AmaTuks for play-offs". Goal. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
14. "Team Info 2019-2020". Jomo Cosmos. Retrieved 17 August 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Premier Soccer League