| Full name | Ajax Cape Town Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | Urban Warriors | ||
| Founded | 1999, merger of Seven Stars and Cape Town Spurs |
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| Ground | Cape Town Stadium, Cape Town (Capacity: 55,000) |
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| Chairman | George Comitis | ||
| Manager | Maarten Stekelenburg | ||
| League | ABSA Premiership | ||
| 2010–11 | ABSA Premiership, 2nd | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
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Ajax Cape Town is a South African football (soccer) club based in Parow, Cape Town, that plays in the Premier Soccer League.
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Ajax CT was formed in 1999 by Rob Moore, and John Comitis via the amalgamation of two Cape Town-based teams, Seven Stars and Cape Town Spurs, as AFC Ajax expanded their worldwide talent-feeder network to South Africa.
Ajax Cape Town played their first official game against Kaizer Chiefs in the Iwisa Charity Spectacular on July 17, 1999. Ajax caused an upset when they beat Chiefs 1–0 with Sam Pam, the Ajax Cape Town captain, scoring the winning goal.
As of 2010 Ajax Amsterdam own 51% of Ajax Cape Town with the remaining 49% owned by the Comitis and Efstathiou families.
The Ajax CT project had limited success in the seasons leading up to 2006–07, the club winning a solitary title – the Rothmans Cup in 2000 – with Steven Pienaar being one of the few talents to make the grade for a move to Amsterdam, back in 2002. However, in 2006–07, under the guidance of new coach Muhsin Ertuğral, Ajax CT claimed fourth place in the PSL and won the ABSA Cup – beating league champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2–0 in the final.
Gordon Igesund, South Africa's most successful club coach,[1] who won league titles with Manning Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Santos and Sundowns, coached the club from 2002 until 2006.
In January 2007 Ajax CT managed to beat their mother club AFC Ajax 3–1 in a friendly game held in Cape Town. The next friendly, played in Amsterdam, ended in a 3–2 win for AFC Ajax in July 2009.
Since the inception of the club from it's merger under Rob Moore, Ajax Cape Town have successfully imported the Ajax philosophy and effective youth development schemes to the Western Cape. Many of the Senior squad players have come up from the clubs own youth ranks, such as the likes of Nazeer Allie, Granwald Scott and Thulani Hlatshwayo, while others such as Steven Pienaar, Thulani Serero and John Obi Mikel have moved on to some of the top clubs in Europe.
With the introduction of the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme in conjunction with the South African Police Services, Ajax CT also provides football opportunities to young people within the greater Cape Town area regardless of race, gender, social status or disability, facilitated through structured programs in a safe and fun learning environment.
Since then the Ajax Cape Town Community Scheme has been implemented in more than 120 schools across the Western Cape as far as the Cape Winelands, reaching more than 8 000 children.[2]
In the beginning Ajax CT played their home games at Athlone Stadium and Newlands Stadium. The later is a 51,900 capacity venue, which was first built in 1988, and was also host to the 1995 Rugby World Cup opening match. Essentially being a Rugby stadium, it was a home they shared with clubs Santos and Vasco da Gama, as well as Rugby teams Stormers and Western Province. Athlone Stadium was home to the Santos and has a capacity of 30,000. The stadium located in Athlone, Cape Town was also host to some of Ajax CT early home matches as well.
Moving to the Green Point Stadium, an 18,000 seat multi-purpose stadium in the Green Point area of Cape Town. The stadium was eventually demolished in 2007 to make way for the new Cape Town Stadium for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Construction of the new stadium was completed in 2009, and the Urban Warriors have played their home games at the Cape Town Stadium since the beginning of the 2010-11 Premier Soccer League season to an improved capacity of 55,000. On August 3,2011 a contract extension of three years was negotiated with the stadium, which will see Ajax CT playing their home games there until 2014.[3][4]
The first match played at the new stadium was a Cape Town derby between Ajax CT and Santos on January 23, 2010 as part of the official inauguration of the stadium.
Ajax Cape Town also has a large training facility called Ikamva. Located in Parow, Cape Town. It serves as the training grounds for the Senior squad, as well as for the Ajax Cape Town Youth Development Academy, serving as a venue for a host of community outreach programs and initiatives as well.
As of August 31, 2011 Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Players with foreign and South African citizenship do not count as foreigners.
Main Article: List of Ajax Cape Town players
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