OPINION: Bloemfontein Celtic identity crisis: revival or rivalry?

Now that the dust has settled and SuperSport United’s demise is officially confirmed, it’s time to address the elephant in the room.

Will the real Bloemfontein Celtic please stand up? The curious state of affairs in trying to revive the club would be funny if it wasn’t this confusing to all football lovers in the Free State province.

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The PSL status formerly held by United has been acquired by a new entity, Siwelele FC, backed by a Bloemfontein-based consortium led by Calvin Le John, son of Sports, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie.

Celtic in Tshwane

The club is set to play its 2025/26 Betway Premiership campaign out of Lucas Moripe Stadium in Tshwane, and despite the change in location, it is already positioning itself as the spiritual successor to the original Celtic.

Mckenzie has publicly shared his family’s emotional connection to the club, with the outspoken sports minister once revealing, “The only time my father hugged me was when Celtic scored a goal.” While the minister insists he will not interfere in club matters while in office, his influence looms large over the project.

However, the situation is far from clear-cut. Edward Modise, a Free State businessman, has legally acquired the naming rights to Bloemfontein Celtic from former owner Max Tshabalala.

In an interview with Radio 2000’s Thabiso Mosia, Modise outlined plans to purchase a Motsepe Foundation Championship status and restore the Celtic brand through promotion, rather than top-flight acquisition.

This has left some supporters in a state of confusion. Should they rally behind Siwelele FC, who have a PSL status but no official claim to the Celtic name, or wait for Modise’s version, rooted in Free State and built from the ground up?

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Social media activity suggests Siwelele FC has already begun engaging with fans, holding community meetings and using club iconography. Yet, the legitimacy of this effort remains in question given that the actual naming rights reside with Modise.

Tug-of-war

It’s a tug-of-war for heritage, identity and fan loyalty. It threatens to further fracture a supporter base already left heartbroken by the club’s earlier sale. Instead of a long-awaited return, Celtic fans are now watching two rival visions pulling in different directions. 

Siwelele FC will open their premiership campaign against Golden Arrows while the true revival of Bloemfontein Celtic remains in limbo. The question remains, where does this leave the loyal Phunya Sele Sele faithful? Who do they back, Le John’s Siwelele FC, or Modise’s bid to bring back the real Celtic?

What happens if Modise follows through and secures a status in the NFD? The naming rights legally belong to him, and a potential clash seems inevitable. At this stage, it’s difficult to speak of a true revival when two camps claim the same legacy but are pulling in opposite directions. 

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For now, the light at the end of the tunnel looks increasingly more like an oncoming train. Once again, the fans risk ending up on the wrong side of a messy collision.