Chicken Inn FC
Chicken Inn was originally known as Bakers Inn a social club where Innscor workers and outsiders would gather and socialise with other teams. In 2004 then Bakers Inn joined the Division three League as a social independent team. The Company eventually came on board to sponsor the team in 2005 hence the change in name from Bakers Inn to Chicken Inn. During this period it was coached by Dickson Mbazo who was assisted by Mark Mathe.
The company under Bakers Inn in 2006-7 joined forces to sponsor Highlanders and in 2006, in that same year Highlanders lifted the Premier Soccer League Championship. In 2008 the team was promoted to Division one and Mark Mathe was Promoted to the position of Head Coach after the then Head Coach Dickson Mbazo had resigned to join another Division One side in the region. Mathe was assisted by Saymore Dube and Julius Ndhlovu. In 2009 Wilbert Sibanda was appointed the team Manager and Xavier Kamitsa was introduced as the team doctor whereas the technical team remained the same.
The team was posed for Championship glory but unfortunately it lost grip of the top spot and drew nine successive league games. This poor run of form saw Mathe resign as the Head Coach with Saymore Dube taking over as the interim coach for just two games. After the two games the late Lindile Dube was appointed as the Head coach up to the end of the season.
In 2010, Philani Ncube, Philani Mabhena, Julius Ndlovu, Xavier Kamitsa and Dumisani Nyoni formed a new Technical team which was meant to help the team to qualify into the PSL. Luveve Stadium was then chosen to be the team’s home ground up to date.
The well assembled team went for 28 games unbeaten and ruled the roasts in that same year which meant the team secured their spot into 2011 PSL season.
After an astonishing and impeccable season, Philani Mabhena was lured to newly promoted Premiership side F C Platinum from Zvishavane. To strengthen the Technical department, the late Adam Ndlovu joined the technical department as the assistant coach to Ncube.
In the PSL debut season Ncube the head coach left his hot seat with only three games to the season end which saw Ndlovu (the assistant) filling the void and was able assisted by Ndhlovu and Sikhumbuzo Banda. In those three games the trio managed to win two and lost one game. The team finished on position eight.
In 2012, Ndlovu was permanently appointed the Club’s head Coach, he was assisted by Mandla Mpofu which meant Ndhlovu (Julius) reverted back to his goalkeepers coach role while Banda went to assist the club’s developmental side
The team played well and managed to surpass their 2011 position on the log and finish on third position. However an unfortunate event befell the team in December which saw Ndlovu lose his live after being involved in an accident along the falls road.
In this year the team managed to have three players in the season’s calendar that is, Tendai Ndoro, Kudakwashe Mahachi and Felix Chindungwe. For his scoring abilities Ndoro was named the top goal scorer in the country after scoring 18 goals.
In 2013, Mpofu was elevated to the post of head coach, Julius Ndhlovu doubled as the assistant and goalkeepers’ coach and this saw the retain of Banda from his role in the developmental side to join the senior team’s technical department as the second assistant coach. The technical department managed to lift the Net One cup which was played at Mandava Stadium. The team also won a bronze medal in the Independence cup.
In June, the team was at the helm of the log when Mkhuphali Masuku was romped in as an assistant coach as means of strengthening the technical department. Ndhlovu then reverted to his role that is Goalkeeper’s’ coach and Banda was sent back to the developmental side.
In the same year Mpofu and Masuku resigned, Joseph Antipas was called back from football exile to become the team’s head coach with only five games to go.
In those five games the team won three, drew one and lost one to finish sixth on the log.
In 2014, there was an additional man power in the technical department which saw Prince Matore being romped in as the first Assistant to Antipas, Banda remained as the second assistant whilst Ndhlovu was the Goalkeepers coach.
The team replicate the same position as per the previous year where it finished sixth on the log table.
In 2015, the technical team remained the same and it was a year of great achievements. Antipas and his technical staff brought in four new faces that is, striker Edmore Chirambadare, Michelle Katsvairo, David Temwanjira and Tafadzwa Kutinyu.
Chirmabadare was playing in his maiden year in the PSL, and he played a pivotal role in helping the team maintain its position on the top of the log finishing as the club’s top goal scorer with 11 goals. The very year saw the team win the championship with 61 points having lost only five, drawn 7 and won 18 games to be crowned as the Champions of Zimbabwe
The Gamecocks produced four players in the calendar year these include, Edmore Chirambadare, Clemence Matawu, and goalkeeper of the year Elvis Chipezeze and the soccer star of the year captain Danny Phiri. The coach for his excellent results was voted Coach of the year
