In this edition of Story Behind The Nickname, KickOff gets more information about former Moroka Swallows striker Phumelele Bhengu's nickname, 'Ace', a special sobriquet in South African football that is not given to any Tom, Dick and Harry.
That it is a name by which Kaizer Chiefs great, the late Ace Ntsoelengoe, was otherwise known by, says it all.
Who and where did you play?
"I am a rural boy from Swayimane in Pietermaritzburg. That's where I started playing my football, at the same time herding my grandfather's cattle.
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"I was discovered at the U15 Nike regional tournament. I played for Ethekwini Coastal with the likes of Njabulo Manqana, and we won the tournament in Mpumalanga against the likes of Remember FC, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. It was my first time going to the USA, my first time on a flight, at the age of 14.
"Though the likes of Chiefs, Pirates and [Mamelodi] Sundowns were interested in me, I managed to make a correct decision by choosing Moroka Swallows.
"I didn't want to go to Pirates or Chiefs who had more than 200 young boys in their development structures. I chose Swallows because, at the time, they were still establishing their development team."
What's your nickname?
"Ace".
Who gave it to you and why?
"My biological father. My father was a footballer, his nickname was V8, the biggest engine. He named me after the great [Joel] 'Ace' Mnini and the great [Patrick] 'Ace' Ntsoelengoe. These are players he grew up watching.
"Those were his two favourite players, not knowing I would turn professional one day.
"Mark Mayambela used to call me 'Mabhekaphansi'. So, yeah, that's how I got my nickname, Ace."
Did you like it?
"I liked it from the onset because I knew what it meant in football. It means excellency."
Any other nickname you had?
"I used to be called 'Drogba', only to find out when I arrived in the U23 South Africa national team that there was already another 'Drogba' [Bongani Ndulula].
"But in my village, I'm popularly known as 'Squ'. The reason is that I was fat when I was a kid. So, they used to call me 'Squmama' [rich man]."
If you could relive it, what would you want your nickname to be?
"Yho, that's the tough one! A nickname should have a meaning behind it. So, I would welcome any nickname that belongs to a free-scoring striker.
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"But I fell in love more with the 'Ace' one after I got an opportunity to be coached by the Swallows legend, Ace Mnini, at the club's U19.
"I'm well-known today in South African football because of that nickname. So, I don't think I will be anything else besides Ace."