Free State Stars F.C.
Full nameFree State Stars Football Club
Nickname(s)Ea Lla Koto
Founded1977 (1977) (as Makwane Computer Stars)
GroundGoble Park, Bethlehem
Capacity20,000
ChairmanMike Mokoena
CoachInnocent Mayoyo[1]
LeagueNational First Division
2020–215th
Former club crest
Former club crest

Free State Stars Football club is a South African professional football club based in Bethlehem, Free State that plays in the National First Division. Formerly known as Makwane Computer Stars, Fairway Stars[2] and Qwa Qwa Stars, their most significant honour is winning the 1994 Coca-Cola Cup and 2018 Nedbank Cup.

The club sold their National First Division status to Casric F.C. at the start of the 2022–23 season. Following the sale of Bloemfontein Celtic the previous year, this left the Free State without any representatives in professional football.[3]

History

Founded in 1977 in a small village of Makwane in an area then known as QwaQwa, the club gained promotion to the National Premier Soccer League in 1986.

The team won the league cup (then known as The Coca-Cola Cup) in 1994 with Bunene Ngaduane leading the scoring charts.

To avoid fixture congestion the club's franchise was sold to the Premier Soccer League in 2002.

The following year, Mike Mokoena revived the club as he bought and renamed the franchise of National First Division side Maholosiane. FS Stars regained their Premiership status in 2005 after winning the Mvela Golden League.

After a disappointing season in the top-flight, with the first team finishing bottom of the table, the club was relegated. The 2006–07 season however proved to be a huge success with Stars dominating the First Division and securing promotion to the Premier League once again.

They also won the inaugural Baymed Cup in December 2006 beating FC AK in the final.

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

  • Shirt sponsor:
  • Kit manufacturer: Lotto

Honours

Winners – 2018[4]
Winners – 1994
Winners – 2006
Champions – 2004–05, 2006–07[5]
  • Second Division:
Champions – 1985

Club records

Premier Soccer League record

Club officials

  • Chairman: South Africa Mike Mokoena Deceased 17 June 2020
  • General manager: South Africa Rantsi Mokoena
  • Football manager: South Africa Kootso Mokoena

First team squad

Updated 16 May 2020

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 Cameroon CMR Boniface Zoa
2 DF South Africa RSA Sithembiso Ngobe
3 DF South Africa RSA Themba Mantshiyane
4 DF South Africa RSA Katlego Mkhabela
5 MF South Africa RSA Paulos Masehe (captain)
6 DF South Africa RSA Sibusiso Sikhosana
7 FW South Africa RSA Sello Japhta
8 MF South Africa RSA Wandile Ndunakazi
9 FW South Africa RSA Lindokuhle Zondi
11 FW South Africa RSA Booysen Sambok
12 FW South Africa RSA Monnapule Saleng
13 FW Ghana GHA Daniel Gozar
15 MF South Africa RSA Relebogile Mokhuoane
17 MF South Africa RSA Lunga Zikade
18 MF South Africa RSA Tulani Ntshangase
20 DF South Africa RSA Mondli Mbanjwa
21 DF South Africa RSA Lehakoe Naile
No. Pos. Nation Player
22 DF South Africa RSA Sihle Gum
23 FW South Africa RSA Thabang Ximba
24 DF South Africa RSA Langelihle Ndlovu
26 FW South Africa RSA Asanda Dyani
27 FW South Africa RSA Sherwin Smith
28 MF South Africa RSA Buyani Sali
29 FW Nigeria NGA Lukman Adefemi
30 DF Zambia ZAM Gift Sakuwaha
31 GK South Africa RSA Johannes Mofokeng
33 FW South Africa RSA Mpho Khabane
41 GK South Africa RSA Samkelo Mbambo
45 FW South Africa RSA Ayanda Nkosi
FW South Africa RSA Sekela Sithole
MF South Africa RSA Siyabonga Dubula
GK South Africa RSA Xolani Ngcobo

Notable former coaches

References

  1. "Mayoyo Lands Job With Title Challengers".
  2. "South Africa 1990". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
  3. Makhaya, Ernest (4 August 2022). "Free State Stars sold for R12 million, set to relocate - report". The South African. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  4. "Free State Stars win Nedbank Cup after slender win over Maritzburg". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  5. "Ready to take PSL by storm". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
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