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| Full name | Township Rollers Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Tse Tala, The Blues, Popa-Popa | ||
| Founded | 1961 (as Mighty Tigers) | ||
| Ground | Botswana National Stadium UB Stadium Jamali Stadium | ||
| Capacity | 22,000 | ||
| Chairman |  Walter Kgabung | ||
| Manager | Innocent Morapedi | ||
| League | BTC Premiership | ||
| 2022–23 | 4th | ||
| Website | http://www.rollersfc.com/ | ||
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Township Rollers Football Club is a football club based in Gaborone, Botswana. Rollers are also known as Popa, The Blues or Tse Tala, the official nicknames of the club. The club is also often referred to as Mapalastina, a nickname that developed in the 1990s but has never been officially adopted by the club. Rollers is the most successful club in Botswana football history, having won more league titles and cup competitions than any other local side. It enjoys a large support base all over the country and has been called arguably the best-supported team in Botswana.[1]
The club was founded in 1961 as Mighty Tigers, later adopting the name Township Rollers in 1965. Rollers has an old rivalry with cross town club Gaborone United. The match between the two sides is called the Gaborone Derby. Rollers also have a bitter rivalry with Mochudi Centre Chiefs, and matches between the two sides over time have eclipsed the Gaborone Derby as the biggest football encounter in Botswana due to both clubs' following and success.[2]
Club financier Jagdish Shah has been the most influential figure at the club since 2013. The team is owned by its supporters, whose membership of the club qualifies them to be a part of the Township Rollers society. The society membership elects the Rollers executive committee at annual general meetings (AGM).
The club is currently administered by an executive committee comprising Walter Kgabung (chairman), Jagdish Shah (president), Khumo Masonya (secretary general), Kebadile Mosiakgabo (deputy secretary), Phempheretlhe Bafana Pheto (public relations officer), Minkie Molatlhegi (Treasurer), and additional member Baatweng Motladiile. Other senior officials are Sydney Magagane (general manager), Ajay Shah (finance manager) and Motshegetsi Mafa (team manager). The club's official website is rollersfc.com, which also feeds the club's social media network pages on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Instagram with club news. Rollers has over 200,000 followers on Facebook, the largest of any sporting institution in Botswana.[citation needed]
- ^ Mosimaegape Tshoswane (14 August 2018). "Rollers' million pula drop in gate- takings!". Weekendpost.co.bw. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
- ^ Masanako, Neo (5 November 2018). "No buzz for Gabs Derby". Botswana Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 22 November 2018.