As part of their preparations for the new season, Black Leopards conducted trials for new players at the Thohoyandou Stadium last week.

According to the team’s assistant coach, Mr Joel “The Prophet” Masutha, the players who were selected during the trials will go for final assessment when the team resume their normal training next Thursday, 2 July.

The players were given a month-long leave to rest after playing their final promotional play-off match against Moroka Swallows at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Sunday, May 30. Masutha stated that the team’s head coach, Mr Zeca Marques, would decide on the players who would be offered employment contracts when he came back from leave next Thursday.

Asked about the quality of the players he had selected during the trials, Masutha indicated that they had selected the cream of the Vhembe district. The team’s chairman, Mr David Thidiela, assured the supporters that they were not going to release any of last season’s regular players.

He agreed, however, that they would let a number of players go, but only those who were less known. According to him, all their players who were regulars last season were still contracted to the club. He further revealed that their aim was to build on the foundation which they had laid the previous season. He said that their plan was to finish their league programme on top of the log and gain automatic promotion to the elite league next season.

Black Leopards participated in the promotional play-offs for two seasons in a row, failing to gain promotion by a whisker in both instances. They lost 1-2 to Polokwane City at the Giyani Stadium in their deciding match last year. Jomo Cosmos and Black Leopards finished their promotional play-off matches with seven points each this year, but Cosmos were promoted to the Absa Premiership League by virtue of having one goal more thanLidoda Duvha.