Johannesburg - Polokwane City chiarperson Johnny Mogaladi was the happiest man in Polokwane on Sunday after his Motsepe Foundation Championship team gained automatic promotion to the Premiership.
At the start of Sunday's final round of matches, Polokwane were third on the NFD standings behind log-leaders Cape Town Spurs and second-placed Casric Stars.
As it turned out Polokwane City hammered Pretoria Callies 4-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, while Spurs and Casric Stars were held to draws in their matches.
The three points allowed Polokwane to finish level with Spurs on 57 points. However, Polokwane had a superior goal difference and the PSL declared Mogaladi's team the NFD champions and with it, they gained promotion.
Mogaladi has appealed to the people of Limpopo to support his club. In the past, clubs from Limpopo did not always survive in the top flight because of a lack of support.
“We need them (the people of Limpopo). We need their support. We need their encouragement because we need to build this team together," said Mogaladi.
"Rise and Shine belongs to everyone in Limpopo.
"We need help because I can’t do it alone. The teams in Durban are supported by their municipality. We don’t get that, but our stadiums are rented to other people (teams) who don’t belong to this province.”
Polokwane previously won the NFD in the 2012-13 season and in subsequent years were relegated. Now that they have returned to the Premiership, Mogaladi wants the club to retain its top-flight status for a long time.
“What I can promise the people of Limpopo is that I don’t want to be a yo-yo team,” he said.
@MihlaliBaleka