Township Rollers is a football club based in Botswana

Botswana

Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...

 Gaborone

Gaborone

' is the capital and largest city of Botswana with a population of 191,776 based on a 2006 survey, about 10% of the total population of Botswana....

. Township Rollers are popularly known as Mapalastina. The club was founded in 1961. Township Rollers has a bitter and old rivalry with their closest neighbors Gaborone United

Gaborone United

Gaborone United, or short GU, are a football club from Botswana based in Gaborone.-Honors:*Botswana Premier League : 6** 1967, 1969, 1970, 1986, 1990, 2009*Botswana Challenge Cup: 5** 1968, 1970, 1984, 1985, 1990...

.

It enjoys a massive following all over the country.

History

The club was formed by the Public Works Department (PWD) workers in 1961. They called the team Mighty Tigers at the time. In 1965, the name was changed to Township Rollers Football Club.

Township Rollers is the most achieving football club in the history of Botswana football. It dominated Botswana football around the eighties and its popularity grew bigger and bigger.

Township was for the first time relegated to the first division league in 2003 leaving Extension Gunners as the only club in Botswana which has never played in the lower league. It took them only one season to bounce back to the then Premier League, and the club did so with a bang. They made history by being the first club to win a double in any one season. In the season 2004/2005 under the tutelage of a Botswana icon, the late coach Banks Panene they won both the coca-cola cup and the league title.

After the 2004/05 success, Township Rollers struggled to have any impact in domestic competitions winning only the Kabelano Charity Cup. This was mainly due to the sale of their influential players among them Mogogi Gabonamong (who is now the captain of South Africa's PSL club Santos Football Club), Moemedi Moatlhaping and the skillful winger Phenyo Mongala both of whom were sold to Platinum Stars. Mongala has since been bought by Orlando Pirates.

The season to watch for the mighty Popa was the 2009/2010 season. The club made history by clinching the League and Cup double to the delight of popa supporters where they amassed 78 points and beating their closest rivals Mochudi Centre Chiefs by 13 points as well as a convincing victory against the same team in the coca cola cup final. As if that was not enough the team won all awards on offer for both the league and coca cola cup.

Current squad

Honours

• Botswana Premier League: 11
  • 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1995, 2005, 2010, 2011.

• Coca Cola Cup Winners
  FA Challenge Cup (Botswana)
  The FA Challenge Cup is the national football cup competition for Botswana, it was created in 1968.The cup was previously called the Lions Cup.-Winners/Finalists:*1968: Gaborone United...
  
  : 5
  • 1993, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2010.

• Orange Kabelano Charity Cup
  Orange Kabelano Charity Cup
  The Orange Kabelano Charity Cup is a football one match competition in Botswana, it was created in 1996 and the participation in this one-day event is decided by invitation or by a public vote-Winners/Finalists:...
  
  : 4
  • 2002, 2004, 2006.

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League
  CAF Champions League
  The CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
  
  : 1 appearance

2011

2011 CAF Champions League

The 2011 CAF Champions League was the 47th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football , and the 15th edition under the current CAF Champions League format...

 - disqualified in Preliminary Round

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 6 appearances

1981

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1981

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1981 was the 17th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

 - First Round

1983

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1983

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1983 was the 19th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

 - Preliminary Round

1984

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1984

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1984 was the 20th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

 - Preliminary Round

1985

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1985

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1985 was the 21st edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs. It determined that year's club champion of association football in Africa....

 - First Round

1988

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1988

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1988 was the 23rd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

 - Preliminary Round

1996

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1996

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1996 was the 31st edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

 - Preliminary Round

• CAF Confederation Cup
  CAF Confederation Cup
  The CAF Confederation Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Confederation of African Football.-Qualification:...
  
  : 1 appearance

2006

CAF Confederation Cup 2006

The CAF Confederation Cup 2006 started with the preliminary round that was played in February and March 2006. Étoile Sahel of Tunisia beat FAR Rabat of Morocco in the final...

 - Second Round

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 4 appearances

1980 - First Round

1994 - Preliminary Round

1995 - First Round

1997 - Preliminary Round

Notable players

 Botswana

• Phemelo Ditsile
• Seabo Gabanakgosi
  Seabo Gabanakgosi
  Seabo Gabanakgosi is a Botswanan footballer who plays as a midfielder. He played for the Botswana national football team between 1998 and 2006.-External links:...
  
  
• Mogogi Gabonamong
  Mogogi Gabonamong
  Mogogi Gabonamong is a Botswanan football defensive midfielder and defender for South African Premier Soccer League club Supersport United and Botswana.-Information:*Year joined Supersport: 2011...
  
  
• Aubrey Kebonnetse
• Barolong Lemmenyane

 Botswana

• Boitumelo Mafoko
  Boitumelo Mafoko
  Boitumelo Mafoko is a Botswanan footballer who plays for Santos in the South African Premier Soccer League.-External links:*...
  
  
• Moemedi Moatlhaping
  Moemedi Moatlhaping
  Moemedi Moatlhaping is a Botswanan footballer. He currently plays for the Centre Chiefs in the Mascom Premier League.-External links:*...
  
  
• Joel Mogorosi
  Joel Mogorosi
  Joel Mogorosi is a Botswana footballer, who currently plays as a striker for Mochudi Centre Chiefs and the Botswana national team. He is noted for his fast play and quick feet. Mogorosi scored his first international goal by volleying the ball outside the box against the Togo on 4 September 2010...
  
  
• Mokgathi Mokgathi
• Tshepiso Molwantwa
  Tshepiso Molwantwa
  Tshepiso Molwantwa is a Botswana football striker currently playing for Notwane FC. He is a member of the Botswana national football team.- External links :*...
  
  

 Botswana

• Phenyo 'Kideo' Mongala
• Raphael Nthwane
• Mmusa Ohilwe

 Zimbabwe

• Terrence Mandaza