Clive Barker Festival: Glenwood honours South African icon and old boy
Glenwood High School will pay tribute to the late South African legend and old boy, Clive Barker, during the inaugural u16 Clive Barker Soccer Festival, to be played on Saturday, 21 June, at the school.
Clive Barker, born on 23 June 1944, passed away on 10 June 2023. He was a national football treasure and led Bafana Bafana, the South African National Team, to its first and only African Cup of Nations (Afcon) title in 1996, two years after South Africa gained its first democratically elected government under President Nelson Mandela.
That momentous success came a year after the Springboks won the Rugby World Cup for a first time, defeating their long-standing arch-rival, the All Blacks, 15-12 at Ellis Park Stadium, in Johannesburg.
Securing the 1996 Afcon title, with a 2-0 win over Tunisia in the final, was a crowning achievement for a nation and a team that had been readmitted to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) on 7 July 1992.
At the age of 17, in 1959, Barker played rugby matches on Saturdays for Glenwood and represented Durban City on Sundays.
His playing career included wearing the jerseys of Durban City and Durban United in the 1960s. He underwent a trial with the English club, Leicester City. However, an injury curtailed his playing career prematurely.
Barker attended Glenwood from 1958 to 1961. He was a multi-talented sportsman in his younger days, playing first team cricket in 1960 and 1961 and first team rugby in 1961.
Nicknamed “Shortie”, he played Natal Schools Football in 1960 and was included in the SA Schools football team that same year. In 1961 he played for Durban City Colts, and for Durban City in 1962. From 1963 to 1967 he played for Durban United.
It is, however, his managerial career that stands out. He took charge of many top teams, including AmaZulu, Juventus Durban, Manning Rangers, Maritzburg United, Mpumalanga Black Aces, and, of course, Bafana Bafana.
Khaya Mngwengwe, the Director of Soccer at Glenwood and coach of the Green Machine, told SuperSport Schools Plus that the inaugural Clive Barker Soccer Tournament is something the school is extremely enthusiastic about: “It’s something I have thought about for a couple of years, and, finally, it has come to light,” he said.
The event will honour a football legend whose name will always be remembered, said Mngwengwe.
This year, the festival will take the form of a one-day tournament. Next year, however, it is planned to be an event that span several days. The intention is to also invite schools from other provinces, Mngwengwe said.
Glenwood is one of the powerhouses of schools’ football in KZN, and with the school promoting the Clive Barker Soccer Tournament, it has the potential to become a significant addition to the schools’ football calendar.
“It’s a big dream, and we hope to have different age groups in the future,” Mngwengwe said.
He encouraged spectators to attend in large numbers at the home of the Green Machine – make it a family occasion, make use of the school’s braai facilities, and turn it into a festive occasion to celebrate the life of a great Glenwood old boy.
“We looked forward to hosting everyone,” he said.
The participating schools include Westville Boys’ High and Hillcrest High, whose first teams are set to face each other in the final of the Mancosa KwaZulu-Natal High Schools Football Association (KZNHSFA) Second Term, Coastal A-League.
Maritzburg College will also be in action. Their first team will face Carter High in the Mancosa KZNHSFA Inland A-League final on Wednesday, 11 June, at Barns Field at 15:30. That’s a rematch of the 2024 final, which was won by Carter High.
Northwood School, which narrowly avoided relegation on the final day of last week’s Mancosa Coastal A-League fixtures, will hope for better fortunes for their u16 side.
Other participants in the Clive Barker Soccer Festival include Durban Academy, Port Shepstone High, Queensburgh High, Pinetown Boys’ High, and the hosts, the Green Machine.
GROUPS
Group A
Glenwood High, Westville Boys’ High, Queensburgh High, and Pinetown Boys’ High
Group B
Durban Academy, Northwood School, Hillcrest High, Maritzburg College
FIXTURES
Dixon’s Field
Group A
09:30 – Glenwood High vs Westville Boys’ High
11:30 – Glenwood High vs Queensburgh High
13:30 – Pinetown Boys’ High vs Glenwood High
Group B
08:30 – Maritzburg College vs Hillcrest High
10:30 – Durban Academy vs Maritzburg College
12:30 – Northwood School vs Maritzburg College
Basson’s Field
Group A
09:30 – Pinetown Boys’ High vs Queensburgh High
11:30 – Westville Boys’ High vs Pinetown Boys’ High
13:30 – Westville Boys’ High vs Queensburgh High
Group B
08:30 – Durban Academy vs Northwood School
10:30 – Northwood School vs Hillcrest High
12:30 – Durban Academy vs Hillcrest High
Final
Dixon’s Field
15:30 – Winner A vs Winner B
16:30 – Prize Giving.
