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Lechaba - 'I’m the original number 15'

Legend Jan Malombo Lechaba insists he popularised the now-retired number 15 jersey at Kaizer Chiefs before fellow club legend Doctor Khumalo.

At the announcement of Khumalo's retirement in 2004, Chiefs decided to retire the famous jersey number with Khumalo also claiming no current player deserved to wear the number.

READ More changes expected at Chiefs

During the Amakhosi's CAF Champions League campaign in 2020/21, midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo had the honour of wearing it as the competition rules allowed players to have numbers from 1 to 30.

"Yes, I'm the original number 15. Let's make it clear, he asked the jersey number 15 to give it to him, and when I looked at him, I said you deserve it then I gave it to him, and what I liked about Doctor is that he took that number to another level.

"That's what makes me happy," Lechaba told GameON on Radio2000.

"The funny thing about the story is that when he was just about to retire, the chairman Kaizer Motaung asked him, who are you going to give the number to, and he said no one.

"What happened is Doctor phoned me and said I have the number 15 who should I give it to, and I said eish 'I don't know' that was my answer. So yes, I do agree with him (that no one deserves it). It's too heavy that jersey," Lechaba said.

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