With Orlando Pirates having played before a full house in their MTN8 victory over Polokwane City the numbers in the stands for their league opener will be of interest again.
Pirates will again be at home at Orlando Stadium on Saturday (17h30) against Sekhukhune United as they get their league campaign underway.
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The league title is the most desirable trophy for Pirates considering that kids born when they were last champions are either completing primary school this year or already in their first year in high school.
Yes, 13 years have come and gone since Augusto Palacios led The Bucs to the league title (2011/12) which was their second in a row.
Since then, Roger de Sa, Eric Tinkler, Vladimir Vermezovic, Muhsin Ertugral, Palacios again, Kjell Jonevret, Milutin Sredojevic, Rulani Mokwena, Josef Zinnbauer, Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids, Jose Riveiro have all come and gone without lifting this trophy.
The Bucs have been second five times, third thrice and fourth on two occasions then sixth, seventh, and eleventh since they were last league winners.
Abdeslam Ouaddou has been handed the task to deliver Pirates to the Promised Land.
The Moroccan Frenchman has adopted a squad which has had the addition of Oswin Appollis, Sipho Mbule, and Sihle Nduli who all started last Saturday.
There has also been Tshepang Moremi, Yanela Mbuthuma, and Abdoulaye Mariko who came on as substitutes while Tshepo Mashiloane and Kamogelo Sebelebele stayed on the bench until the end.
Pirates also have Sinoxolo Kwayiba, Masindi Nemtajela, and Nkosikhona Ndaba as new signings.
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So, it is natural that there will be growing interest from fans as was seen last Saturday.
Tickets are already on sale at Opentickets at R60 for both the unreserved lower and upper-level seats.
While the game is four days away, there has already been considerable interest in the tickets suggesting that there will be at least 25 000 fans at Orlando.
Gates will open at 15h30.
Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images
