Durbanville Football Club won the league last week after losing only one match the entire season, with fixtures still remaining, but the club says its focus remains on growing its legacy.

Fathers and sons

Founded 52 years ago in 1974 by a group of fathers and sons who set out to develop what is now Durbanville Football Club, the club coined the phrase “More than just a club, it’s a legacy” during its 50th-year celebrations.

Autram Jacobs, spokesperson for the club, says there is a legacy, a story and an ethos they want to leave behind with every member, player and anyone involved at the club.

“We embrace our history of how we were pioneered by fathers and sons, our role in developing the grassroots game in our community and the impact this has on everyone who wears the badge. We define our success by how well we live this legacy. A legacy of not just success on the playing field — this year the club won its 10th Premier Division title — but also of how we are able to develop young players’ football and character, from our youth structures to senior football,” says Jacobs.

According to Jacobs, entry into the club’s youth structures is in high demand in the community, and the feeling among players and members is one of appreciation for being part of the ethos and structures.

“With the club’s recent promotion to the Premier 1 Division in junior football, the vision is to further embrace our identity as a club that promotes our youth from these structures into senior football as early as we can. This season we saw numerous players win the Premier Division league title with the club that came through our youth structures, and our aim is to increase this number significantly,” he says.

“In the short term, after the recent success of winning the Premier Division title and our promotion to the top-tier youth division for next season, the club targets further silverware as we have advanced to the finals of three youth age groups and two senior division knockout competitions. Our Mini football (U7 to U11) continues to thrive as a platform to instil the fundamentals of the game. We have gained entry into two of Cape Town’s top Mini football competitions, where last season we were able to win two plate competitions and appear in numerous cup final rounds. One of our Mini footballers won the Golden Boot accolade at the Kapstadt Cup 2025, widely regarded as the premier Mini football tournament in the Cape,” he says.

Challenges

Among the successes, says Jacobs, there are of course the challenges and opportunities to maintain the resources the club needs to continue the growth of its structures and facilities.

“We appreciate the generosity of members and businesses in our community who value what we believe in and invest in our legacy financially. But there is always more that we are capable of, more to give back, as we continue to further rely on community investment. Through it all, our message to the community we serve is that Durbanville Football Club will continue to grow our legacy of ensuring opportunities for young footballers to have a place of football, belonging, friendships and memories. From formative years, through our youth structures into seniors, we take pride in creating an environment where a young footballer can thrive.”

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