Masvingo United F.C.
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| Full name | Masvingo United |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Yuna Yuna, Asipo Haapo, The Busmen |
| Founded | 1997 |
| Ground |
Mucheke Stadium Masvingo, Zimbabwe |
| Capacity | 10,000 |
| Chairman | Kizito Mugadza |
| Manager | Chris Mahofa |
| League |
Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League (ZPSL) |
| 2011 | 13th |
Masvingo United is a Zimbabwean football club based in Masvingo. They used to play in the top division in Zimbabwean football, but were for the third time relegated to Division one at the end of the 2011 season. The club used to be bankrolled by Mr. Tanda Tavaruva & sons, whose mainstay is provision of transport services. He used to own one of the largest fleet of buses in Zimbabwe. Masvingo United was established in the year 1997. The club bought a franchise from Zimex, a then Cold Storage Commission sponsored club in Masvingo & changed the name to Masvingo United. In the 1998/1999, season, whilst playing 1st division soccer in the Southern zone, Masvingo United came out tops and gained promotion to the Premier league. At the end of the 2002 season, the club was relegated for the first time, but rebound to the premier league the following season. They played in the premier league & had their best season in year 2005. The club was relegated for the second time at the end of the year 2008 season, and only got promoted back to the premier league at the beginning of the year 2011 season, to be relegated again for the 3rd time at the end of the year 2011 season.
The years 2009–2010 were spent in the unfashionable ZIFA Eastern region divion1. During this time, Mr. Tanda Tavaruva was not directly sponsoring the club as the economic climate was not permitting. During this period, initially, Mr. Mutema, in partnership with a South African drink making company, Zimanzi sponsored the club.They changed the name of the club to Zimanzi Masvingo FC. At the end of the year 2010 season the club was promoted to the Premier league, and coincidentally that is the year that Zimanzi pulled out of the sponsorship deal. Going into the premiership at the beginning of the 2011 season, Mr. Mutema was sponsoring the club which had reverted to the name Masvingo United FC. That was when financial troubles started to besiege the club again. Mr. Mutema did not have the capacity to sponsor the club on his own. At one point the now new owner of the Masvingo Division 1 club Setheo United, went into a deal to sponsor Masvingo United. Things were going on well during this period. Disagreements between this new sponsor and Mr. Mutema along the way, however, led to the Setheo United sponsor pulling out to form his own club – Setheo United by buying a Division 1 franchise. It was no wonder why the club was relegated again at the end of the 2011 season. Currently, (now around mid November 2012) Masvingo United is fifth on the ZIFA Eastern Region Division 1 log after Triangle United F.C., Hippo Valley, Setheo and Mutare City. Promotion into the Premiership in year 2012 is no longer a possibility.
Masvingo United have, since the 2005 season booked a position amongst the top 4 best supported, and performing clubs in Zimbabwe. They only lost the championship battle to CAPS United on the last day, in the 2005 season and ended the season on position 2. In the 2006 season, Masvingo United completed the season on position 3, trailing Champions Highlanders & runners up, Motor Action. In terms of following, measured by amounts realised in gate-takings at home matches, Masvingo United were fourth in the Zimbabwean top league, after Highlanders, CAPS & Dynamos. [1]
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