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Jogoos move to eat into Busoga fanbase
Big dreams. Misagga (L) addresses his fans committee in Jinja. PHOTO/D. EDEMA
What you need to know:
- But Misagga believes Villa can still not only win over fans but also get new Hakim Magumbas to rev the Jogoos engine.
Record league champions SC Villa took their rebuild project to the eastern district of Jinja at the weekend, with the club determined to eat into top-flight sides Bul, Busoga United and Gaddafi fanbase in the sub-region.
Villa has been wrought with a plethora of troubles and left to look a skeleton of their glory days. They have had to fight relegation several seasons and the ongoing isn’t any promising with the Jogoos sitting 11th in the table after only four wins and 16 points from 14 games.
However, after reorganisation in which former treasurer Omar Mandela took over Villa Park and appointed several deputies, the club appears to have placed its administration woes in the ice.
Among those Mandela appointed was Ben Misagga as vice president in-charge of mobilisation and the former Jogoos president – who flirted with Big League side Nyamityobora before bouncing back – appears to have wasted no time on his new assignment.
Digging in
On Sunday, Misagga brought together the Blues fans committee from Busoga sub-region for a meeting at Main Street in Jinja where they charted ways to tap young talents for Villa, recruit more fans and restore the passion in old ones alike.
“I have been in this school as a pupil 40 years back and loved the way football was at its best in the region. I call up on the newly-elected team coordinators to work hand-in-hand and recruit youths talented in football ,” Misagga said.
The 16-time league champions were one of the most supported club in the country but fell on hard times and appears to be struggling to get back the fans who have since either taken on newer clubs or gone quiet.
Villa host their league games at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru, just a stone-throw away from the Source of the Nile in Jinja City. They have been sharing the stadium with other clubs, including Busoga United.
The latter, however, have won the right to host their home games from Kakindu in the heart of the city, a development the relegation-threatened club hopes will reinvigorate the team and its fans.
Along with debutants Gaddafi, the fight for Jinja’s fanbase alone also has Bul, who two seasons ago returned to the Kyabazinga Stadium in Bugembe, a move the club said was meant to boost their fanbase, among others.
But Misagga believes Villa can still not only win over fans but also get new Hakim Magumbas to rev the Jogoos engine.
The Jogoos in Busoga
Racheal Kalulu was elected as chairperson the mobilisation committee. She will be deputised by Majidu Dhikusooka, the Resident District Commissioner for Paliisa. Kalulu pledge to grow the Blues fanbse by 1,000 new members, as well as promote activities of the club in institutions of learning and workplaces
She also appealed to fans to put asise their political differences and focus on recruit more fans.
