TREND-SETTING premiership newboys, Scottland FC, are continuing to set the standards for local football teams both on and off the pitch.
Among the club’s most stunning recent moves was the launch of a popular weekly television show that airs every Friday evening at 7pm on fast-growing independent national television station 3Ktv.
Now, and after recently participating in the annual Pirates Cup in South Africa, the club is further taking the lead in establishing important partnerships with likeminded teams in the region. Last week, a delegation from top Eswatini outfit, Nsingizini Hotspurs, met with the top brass of Scottland, to explore areas of collaboration for their mutual benefit.
The Nsingizini delegation included club president Derrick Shiba and its chief executive officer, Banele Ngobe.
“The visit by Nsingizini Hotspurs is a welcome development as we fully identify with their strategy to create mutually beneficial relations with other clubs.
“Indeed, we want to have win-win partnerships where we share knowledge, experience and best practices — including on running our teams, coaching techniques and player development strategies,” Scottland chief executive officer, Ronald Moyo, said yesterday.
On his part, Ngobe also said the establishment of a working relationship with Scottland FC would open up big opportunities for both clubs.
“This business trip was aimed at establishing a working relationship with Scottland Football Club. The two clubs will benefit a lot from the exchange of ideas and cross-cultural football experiences. “It is also an excellent opportunity for both clubs to explore business ventures and collaboration in marketing activities,” he said.
“Nsingizini Hotspurs is a well-established team with a strong reputation in their home league. They are the current log leaders going into the last three matches of the season.
“We are excited to have caught their attention and we would love to learn from their experiences,” Moyo chimed in further, adding that plans were afoot for Scottland to reciprocate the visit of Nsingizini.
“This will provide an opportunity for our teams to engage in friendly matches, training sessions and knowledge-sharing exercises. “Our recent tour to South Africa, where we took part in the annual Under 21 Pirates Cup, is part of our broader strategy to give our teams exposure and gain a competitive advantage.
“These tours and linkages allow us to gain international experience through competing against top teams and players from other countries, while also getting to develop our players. “At the same time, we will be building our brand and getting the opportunity to attract new fans, sponsors and partners,” Moyo also said.
Meanwhile, Scottland’s innovative club membership drive, which aims to offer unique experiences to the club’s fans, is going well. The club membership carries various benefits such as discounts upon the purchase of Scottland FC merchandise, priority entrance in home games, access to Ecobank loans, InnBucks discounts on match days, 24-hour ambulance service from Discovery Ambulance, and a hospital cash plan.
“Our membership drive is going well, and we are excited to offer various categories of membership to all our fans and supporters. “Our membership programme offers a unique experience that sets members apart from ordinary supporters.
“Members will enjoy exclusive benefits, priority access and a sense of belonging to the Scottland FC community,” Moyo said.