By Denis West
Forget the empty terraces in the top flight league, the proliferating numbers are giving football stakeholders reasons to be optimistic. The journey has been entertaining with spicy fixtures, yet the vault is not done.
We still have appetizing matches to watch with tough battles at the top and the bottom. Fans should relish KCCA’s visit to Vipers at St Mary’s Stadium, Villa visit to Wankulukuku to face Express yet KCCA is also making the short trip to the same venue for their title defence.
Herein we examine the matches that have acted as pointers to the returning fan base.
Bul vs Jinja SSS (Kakindu Stadium)
Last Saturday, the bustling Jinja town witnessed one of the most attended derbies ever as Bul held Kirinya-Jinja SS to a 1-1 draw. The match proper had little impact on the standings but the battle for pride pulled fans from near to fill Kakindu Stadium to the brim. Officially, Kakindu accommodates about 15000 fans but the numbers packed in there over the weekend could have exceeded the seating capacity. Football fans in Jinja had to be at Kakindu or be nowhere and the delirious atmosphere created lent significance to the hotly contested derby.
You can only expected it to be bigger next season. To some ardent followers, this could be the most watched game this season estimated at 20000 fans though it is not the official figures.
Vipers vs Villa (St Mary’s Stadium)
It was intense when Vipers hosted SC Villa for the first time at St Mary’s Stadium in Kitende late last year that it nearly culminated into disaster. Fans filled the 15000-seater stadium and many were locked outside! Villa fans were penalized for breaking down a stadium barrier as they exhibited their anger of losing 1-0.
The numbers, mainly supported by the over 3000 Kitende Students in the upper wing should have gone way above the mandate 15000 since many fans even had to stand while others climbed and watched from the fences. Guess what, Buganda Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga and other dignitaries were also present to witness the fierce clash.
Villa vs Vipers (Masaka Recreation Grounds)
The seeds had been sown in the first meeting that had Villa lose five points. The element of revenge coupled with mind games set the ball rolling for the encounter at Masaka Recreation Grounds. Villa had not lost here in 17 matches and fans had firm belief that the pattern would continue.
Some travelling fans slept over in Masaka and on match day, the town was painted blue in anticipation for the big match. The build up was a filled up stadium by largely blue donning Villa fans. Painfully, final joy belonged to the red of Vipers with Dan Sserunkuma scoring to ensure Villa’s home virginity was erased. To the strategic league managers and stakeholders, the real victory belonged in the filled to the rafters spectacle not the actual results. About 15000 fans are estimated to have watched the match.
KCCA vs Villa (StarTimes Stadium)
Officially StarTimes Stadium accommodates 10000 but KCCA’s 3-1 win over Villa was watched by over 13000 squeezed fans. Many were locked outside while others climbed trees and nearby building to catch a glimpse.
It is not surprising that majority were Villa diehards who vacated Lugogo immediately after the match leaving a modicum of KCCA fans in jubilations.
Onduparaka vs Express (Green Light Stadium)
The caterpillars are the trendsetters at filling the stadia and that is why many don’t want them relegated.
Green Light is ever packed to the beam when they host league games but on the day the Red Eagles visited, the makeshift fences threaten to come down. Need I add?
The stadium was filled with their green and white attires after the draw in a game each side was cautious not to lose.
Express vs Mbarara City (Wankulukuku)
It was a relegation battle each side wanted to win. Mbarara City boss Mwine Mpaka politicized it by putting in place hefty bonus reward to players for a win and facilitated many fans’ buses from Mbarara to Wankulukuku.
In the end, Express won and their fans, in multitudes, celebrated wildly as if they had secured safety. They haven’t, and expect the big numbers to stay till their fate (survival or relegation) is sealed.
Onduparaka vs Villa (Green light Stadium)
The swelling numbers at Green Light Stadium in Arua witnessed their worst nightmare – the painful 1-0 first home loss to Villa. This in anyway didn’t stop the fans from coming and expect more. Compared to past sold out games, this is one to remember.
