Denis Onyango’s big birthday this week will come with his employers – Mamelodi Sundowns – still having key decisions hanging for the veteran goalkeeper.
Onyango will turn 40 on Thursday, doing so with his 12th league title in South Africa all but secured.
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Though the Ugandan keeper is now providing cover for Ronwen Williams, he has already been able to play a dozen matches with eight clean sheets this term and is set to join an exclusive class to have had minutes past the age of 40.
The oldest player to ever get minutes in the PSL remains Andre Arendse, who was under two months shy of turning 46 when he played for BidVest Wits against in May 2013.
At that time, it had been four years since he had last played in the professional ranks, playing his ‘last’ match in the colours of SuperSport United on May 9, 2009.
Then, while he was goalkeeper coach at Wits, the club’s four goalkeepers – Emille Baron, Ryan Harrison, Steven Hoffman, and Jackson Mabokgwane – all got injured and he had to bring himself back into the fold as the only other keeper registered by the club was 17-year-old schoolboy Jethren Barr.
Barr had played the previous week, and Wits were then forced to sign then 35-year-old keeper Tyron Damons as cover.
Bruce Grobbelaar played one match against Kaizer Chiefs aged 44 in 2002 against Kaizer Chiefs.
Vuyo Mere, Siyabonga Nomvete, Hans Vonk, and the late Arthur Bartman are amongst the notable names to have had minutes for topflight league clubs past their 40th birthdays.
With regards to Onyango, whose contract is up at the end of June, the club has set an important appointment.
This website has gathered the veteran goalkeeper will meet the club straight after the CAF Champions League final to discuss his contract.
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Onyango – who has been under contract at Sundown since July 2011 – will then travel to the FIFA Club World Cup with clarity over what then happens with his future at the club.
Besides the league titles, he has won the CAF Champions League, CAF Super Cup, African Football League, Nedbank Cup (thrice), Telkom Knockout (twice), and MTN8, pushing his total silverware collection to 20 so far.
