Kaizer chiefs was established 7 January 1970. It was far from plain sailing during the new club’s formative years. Many within the football fraternity viewed them as upstarts and did not want them to succeed.
Fortunately though, most of the players bought into Motaung’s vision of setting up a club that would be run professionally, and trusted his integrity.
With the support of various business partners to supplement Motaung’s personal capital investment, Kaizer Chiefs soon became a force to be reckoned with, winning their first league title in 1974. Motaung contributed 13 league goals to the triumph, despite missing most of the season while playing for Denver Dynamos in the NASL.
In addition to the 1974 league title, Kaizer Chiefs won numerous trophies in the early 1970s, including the BP Top Eight (1973, 1974, 1976), Champion of Champions (1972, 1974, 1976) and the Life Challenge Cup (1971, 1972).
- First black side to win over white side
One of the highlights of the seventies was Chiefs becoming the first black side to beat a white one. It happened in the Chevrolet Champions of Champions at the Rand Stadium. Hellenic had won the first leg 4-0. The excellent, but controversial Joe Frickleton, had once boasted that a black team would never be as good as a white one.
Kaizer Chiefs, however, proved Frickleton wrong when they beat ‘white side’ Hellenic (from Cape Town) 2-1 in the second leg. It was an historic moment as it was the first time that an African side had beaten a white team in South Africa.
- Success
Chiefs remain the most decorated club in the country despite having won their last major trophy in 2015.
The Glamour Boys have won the most major trophies – 55 – including a record 13 league cups (Telkom Knockout), a record 15 South African FA Cups (Nedbank Cup), and a record 13 Top 8 (MTN8) titles, 13 national league titles (PSL) and Caf African Cup Winners’ Cup.
- Average stadium attendance
According to Transfermarkt, the average attendance at Amakhosi’s home matches was 22,015 during the 2019/20 season, before fans were barred from stadiums due to Covid-19.
The FNB Stadium is usually full to capacity during the Soweto Derby match featuring Chiefs and their main rivals, Pirates.
- Fanbase
Chiefs have long been known as the most popular football club in the country and this is evident when looking at their following on the biggest social media platforms in the world.
With over 3,5 million likes on Facebook, 2,2 million, followers on Twitter, and 690,000 followers on Instagram, Amakhosi boast of a fanbase that’s over six million followers on social media.
