Richards Bay’s homecoming delayed again

Richards Bay’s planned homecoming next week has been delayed again with the uMhlathuze Sports Complex once more ruled unfit for a return of the club to play in their hometown.

Richards Bay have spent the past three seasons playing all their home games in Durban as the municipality failed to make the necessary upgrades to allow top-flight football to be played in the town.

But recent work on the stadium had seen the stadium earmarked for use by the club, only for hopes to be dashed before their first game of the season against Marumo Gallants, which they had to switch at the last moment to Umlazi after it failed an inspection by the PSL.

But Richards Bay were finally scheduled to return this Tuesday, when they host Chippa United, only for cold water to again be poured on their plans for a homecoming.

Coach Ronnie Gabriel said supporters at the uMhlathuze Sports Complex would be like a 12th man.

“We've got passionate supporters back home and they really will be behind the team, and they'll give us that needed impetus going into the next fixture and giving us a greater chance of picking up the three points at last,” he said earlier in the week before the decision to move next week’s match to KwaMashu.

While Richards Bay have hosted all previous home games since promotion in Durban, this will be the first time they play a home game at the Princess Magogo Stadium.

They have previously only used Umlazi except once, hosting a cup game against Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Richards Bay sit bottom of the table after a poor start to the new season, having surprised in the last campaign by finishing in eighth place.

They have lost four games in a row since the kick-off of the new campaign.

They are not the only club with ground issues – newcomers Orbit College have had to move their first home games from Olympia Stadium in Rustenburg to Dobsonville in Soweto.