The South African outfit had to buy the top-flight status after failing to gain promotion on the pitch.
Marumo Gallants have intensified their restructuring ahead of the 2024/25 Premier Soccer League campaign.
Gallants were relegated at the end of the 2022/23 season and couldn't get promoted after finishing 11th in the second tier. However, they have since bought the broke Moroka Swallows' slot in the South African top-flight football which grants them a chance to compete at the highest level once again.
On Tuesday, June 9, Gallants unveiled their head coach Dylan Kerr, and went on to confirm where they will be playing their home matches. The two parties worked together in 2023 as the team battled relegation.
Gallants ready to give back to the community
“The club will be relocating to Bloemfontein. The team is excited to return to the Premier Soccer League, with the home games scheduled to be played at the Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium,” the PSL side confirmed via a statement.
“Larger fixtures will be played at the Free State Stadium, ensuring that the fans experience top-tier football in iconic venues.
“A warm welcome was extended to incoming head coach Dylan Kerr… he shared the club's plans to focus on football development in Bloemfontein, explaining that Gallant's vision is to give back to the community and uphold the passion for football that the Free State province is known for.”
Why is the club buying PSL status as opposed to working hard for promotion?
This is the second time Gallants have bought a slot in the PSL; the first time was in 2021 when they replaced Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM).
“Why do we buy the status instead of working hard? It’s a very ugly question and easy to answer. Football has got rules, PSL has got rules, and there is no way you can cross the bridge without following those laws and rules,” Chairman Abram Sello said in a presser.
“You work hard to get promoted. So why do we go for the status commercially? It’s because it’s within the rules, and I’m not gonna be able to talk on behalf of the league and say, ‘This is what is happening’. Buying status is allowed and it’s legal.
“So I’ll leave it like that; we did it with TTM before; it’s nothing strange, but you just have to follow the rules and all those kinds of things.”
