Few proffesional football clubs in South Africa can genuinely claim to have roots as deeply set within their respective communities as Santos FC. The club was established in Heideveld on the Cape Flats in 1982 and was originally known as Lightbody's Santos FC, after their sponsor. During the apartheid it was renowned for the insistence on no non-racial inclusivity- hence the nickname the "The People's Team."
They played in the Federation Professional League (FPL), the only truly non-racial football body in the country from 1982 to 1990. They won the championship in 1983/4/6/7/8/90 before joining the National Soccer League.
The NSL became the PSL in 1986, with Santos earnng promotion to the new league for te 1997-98 season. Santos tasted their first success in the new format of the league in 2001-02 when they suprisingly won the title under the mentorship of Gordan Ingesund. This side featured players like Edries Burton, Andre Arendse, Musa Otieno and the club's all-time top goal scorer Jean-Marc Ithier. With the title win Santos became the first - and to date the only - team that was not a founder member of the PSL to win the league.
They were crowned Bob Save Super Bowl winners in 2001 and BP Top 8 winners in 2002.
Santos was relegated from the PSL at the end of the 2011-12 season for the first time in the clubs history. After finishing 15th in the league they entered the 2011-12 PSL Playoff Tournament where they were pitted against Chippa United and Thanda Royal Zulu. Heading into the final playoff game Santos needed a win over Chippa United to maintain PSL status but they were defeated 4-3 and subsequently relegated, with Chippa United taking their place in the PSL.
Santos were relegated from the National First Division at the end of the 2016-17 season. The club now plays in the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League.
Notable Former Coaches
1. David Bright (2008 - 09)
2. Ronald Poulsen (2004)
3. Jean-Marc Ithier (2007 - 08)
4. Mart Nooij (2012)
5. Clive Barker (2000 - 01, 2005)
6. Gordon Ingesund (2001 - 02)
7. Roger De Sa (2005 - 07)
8. Muhsin Ertugral (2003)
9. Boebie Solomons (2003 - 04, 2009 - 11, 2018)
Honours
1. PSL Champions (2001 - 02)
2. ABSA Cup Winners (2003)
3. FPL League Champions (1983, 84, 86, 87, 88, 90)
4. FPL Cup Winners (1985, 88, 90)
5. Challenge Cup Winners (1988)
6. Bob Save Super Bowl Winners (2001)
7. BP Top 8 Winners (2002)
Club Records
Most starts - Edries Burton (409)
Most goals - Jean-Marc Ethier (70)
Most capped player - Musa Otieno
Most starts in a season - Cassiem Mohamed (44, 1993)
Most goals in a season - Duncan Crowie (19, 1991)
First and foremost, I would like to thank GOD Almighty for giving me this oppotunity. I would also like to thank all our loyal supporters for supporting us for all these years. Without your loyal support SANTOS FC (The People's Team) will never exist.
I am sure all the fans will agree that is has been a great journey but I can assure you we not throwing in the towel as yet. The club has been through far worse situations in its history and we will bounce back stronger, wiser and a lot more savy.
Those of you who knows the club, know we have been down before in 1993 and its from those ruins of that relegation period that we have rebuilt and restructured and eventually won the prestigious PSL title in 2001/2. For SANTOS football club it has never been about business. The priority has always been about the game, giving back to the community and creating something special for the people of Cape Town. Yes, we are dissapointed and feel especially bad for those who fought along side us in the struggle.
We have a legacy to be proud of and will continue to fight to get back where we belong and take our rightful place in the sport. We have a history, we stand for principles and in these tough financial times, even with no sponsor we always kept the club affloat and our achievements speaks for itself. I urge our faithful supporters not to give up on the club. This is a difficult period but we will continue and soldier on. We have a brand, we will restructure and do things differently.
Importantly and I say it again, this is a club that knows the meaning of hardship. We been in situations far worse than this, and we have come out shining on the other side and will do so again.
Thank you
!!! SANTOS JOU LEKKER DING!!!