EVERY Indian settlement from the north coast to the south coast, will boast of its great football teams that brought fame to their barracks. Young Springboks of Mount Edgecombe, Gledhow Football Club, Albersville of Port Shepstone, Crimson League of Clairwood and Coronation Football Club, the list goes on. In Tongaat there were also several clubs, but none so successful and enduring as the Maidstone Football Club (FC).

The mighty Maidstone FC was formed in 1940 by the "boys" in the sugar settlement adjoining the Maidstone Sugar Mill on the banks of the Tongaat River. The team started off as an unofficial coming together of lads, who were sports crazy, but committed enough to meet almost every week to play soccer against different barracks teams in the North Coast area.

Their arch rivals were the other great barracks team from Tongaat, called Sunrise FC. The rivalry was no different from that between Liverpool and Manchester United. The entire town turned out to watch the epic battles between these two barracks teams. It was very much a matter of life and death. The drama was not restricted to the field only, but off the field as well.

Many a soccer pundit of yore will attest to the passion displayed by players and supporters alike.

The club was formed by youth in the barracks, including AP Naidoo, Ameer Ally, MM Pillay, KK Morris, Jackie Govender, Dick Anandan, Cecil Abboo and Hardew Singh.

AP Naidoo served as the first chairman of the club with NR Naidoo as the first manager and Ameer Ally, the first captain.

Due to the absence of organised football in Tongaat, Maidstone was forced to affiliate in Stanger to what was then called the Lower Tugela Football Association in 1949.

In those formative years, Maidstone dominated the football scene in Stanger. The faithful fans travelled every week by bus, truck or train to watch their stars in action. The fans were never disappointed but many Stanger soccer fans were won over as well.

When the soccer association was launched in Tongaat, Maidstone played here for the first time in 1954. Incidentally, the Tongaat Football Association celebrates 75 years this year. However, they later played in the Verulam football Association (1958 to 1959) before returning to the Tongaat FA for good.

During these early years they won many honours in the league and knock-out cups in the different areas they campaigned in.

Some of the stars of the team back then were Cousy Govender, D Ayah, Ganson Naidoo, Robert Nair and L Gupta. The team saw its best fortunes in 1953 when they captured the Bodasing Cup, Ramportals Cup and the JR Saunders Cup. To cap it all, Maidstone reached the finals of the prestigious Daniels Gold Cup, a major provincial competition.

They faced Daffodils in the finals and went down 2-1. This match always generates the greatest nostalgia of all time. The legion of supporters were able to travel to all matches due to the Tongaat Sugar Company and Ameer Ally for laying on the transport.

In 1965, the club celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Brake Village Temple hall with Ken Dennyschen as the guest - he captained Durban City in the NFL. The club continued to grow post the silver jubilee celebrations. The likes of Nad Perumalsamy, Babylon Govender, Sammy Naidoo and Robert Pillay (an acclaimed SAFA referee) among others helped fly the flag high.

The soccer scene was very competitive in Tongaat during this time. Under the stewardship of MV Cousin Naidoo, the club continued to unearth raw talent in the likes of Jaybalan Kisten, Danpal Govender, Davis Moodley, "Chow-Chow" Govender, Pele Venkatachellam and China Subrayen, among others.

Many league titles and cups were captured in the '70s and '80s.

In 1990, the club celebrated its golden anniversary with the late soccer stalwart, George Ramulu, as its guest of honour. The period thereafter saw another peak in the club's fortunes. Maidstone campaigned in the newly-united soccer board, which paved the way for truly non-racial football in our country.

In 1992, Maidstone won the inaugural league title in the recently amalgamated associations of Verulam and Tongaat called the Coastal North Football Association. From 1996 onwards, the team rode the crest of the wave. Maidstone was accepted in the Southern Natal Division 1 League and not long after promoted to the Super League.

Some of the best football was seen in Tongaat during this time, post the Tongaat Crusaders era.

Players who shone included Trinity Daniel, Gerson Arroe, Dumisani Magaia, Hastings Banda, Mario January, Abel Hlongwe, Logie Naidoo, Vinod Naidoo and Barney Somiah.

Maidstone won the last major honours for the club when they captured the Castle Challenge Cup in 1999 and won the biggest prize money ever of R22 000. The same year Maidstone was declared the last winner of the once most coveted amateur competition in the province, The Clover Cup. They captured the cup in Umlazi beating Nqabeni Sundowns at the King Zwelithini Stadium.

The following year, the club won the Castle Challenge Cup again to entrench their name in the annals of football in the province.

Johnny Nair, Ishaun Singh, Yacoob Ganie and the late Akkie Ismail were instrumental in these honours achieved by the club. Donish Group were the main sponsors of the club providing most of the resources.

In 2011, Maidstone won the George Ramulu Cup to fulfil our wish of honouring a hero of the football fraternity in South Africa and a close friend of our club. It was the making of another hero waiting in the wings of making his mark in the PSL, which is the current coach of Richards Bay United, Ronnie Gabriel. He was the coach of the successful team that won the cup.

The club continues to participate in local football in Tongaat, both in the Futsal and outdoor league.

It provides for kids from under 12 onwards. The team now is a far cry from the Indian team it started off as. The Maidstone of today is a non-racial outfit catering for all players from Tongaat, especially those who live in the informal settlements.

The secret of the longevity of the club is the unity of its management and their passion for the club. Thus we stand on the threshold of another milestone celebration of 85 glorious years.

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