“Shoooooes!”
Intshatsheli kwibhola ekhatywayo, 1976 – 1991
Eseneminyaka nje elishumi elinesihlanu, uLeonard Gregory waye sele eyintshatsheli kwibhola ekhatywayo. Wayedlalalela iqela elikwinqanaba eliphezulu iZulu Royals. Yayilelona qela laziwayo eli KwaZulu-Natal, elathi latshintsha igama labizwa AmaZulu.
Amanqaku amaninzi ayesiza ngoLeonard. Wayedlala kwinkaba yebala. Yayinguye owaye “qhawula unobathana” kwimidlalo. Wayeyiqokelela lo bhola esuka nayo, enkabeni yebala, esebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bakhe, edlulisela kubalingane bakhe.
“Shoooooes!” babegquma batsho ababukeli xa uLeonard ebamba ibhola.
ULeonard wadlalela amaqela amaninzi KwaZulu-Natal kunye naseTranskei. Wasuka kwiZulu Royals, waya kudlalela iBush Bucks eThekwini, apho adlale khona iminyaka emine kwiNational Professional Soccer League. Iqela lakhe elilandelayo, kwaba yi-Aces United kwiFederation Professional League.
Ngexesha lengcinezelo, umdlalo webhola ekhatywayo wawohlulwe ngebala. Kwakukho amacandelo ohlukileyo, ehlulwe ngebala. Ngubani owaziyo mhlawumbi uLeonard ngekude kangakanani nomdlalo webhola ekhatywayo ukuba kwakungekho calu-calulo ngokwebala kwiPremier Soccer League? ULeonard wathuthela eMthatha, apho afike wadlalela iqela leLiverpool United kwiTranskei Professional League. Wayengomnye wabadlali ababalaseleyo kweli candelo, wakhethwa ukuba adlalele eli qela kumdlalo walo neBophuthatswana. Wasuka apho waya kudlalela iThembu Royals apho uBantu Holomisa, olilungu lepalamente, wayengumqeqeshi khona.
ULeonard usakhumbula ukuba uBantu Holomisa wayedla ngokuthi, ”Madoda imizuzu yokugqibela seyifikile!” kubadlali phambi komdlalo.
ULeonard “Shoes” Gregory noDorrington Webster kunye nabalandeli beReal Taj eNorthdale Stadium (1986).
Emva koko, uLeonard wathuthela eKokstad. Apho afike wadlalela iKokstad Swallows, eyathi yamfumanela umsebenzi kwivenkile ekhanda iimoto, apho asebenze njengomakhenikhi.
Wazimanya ngeqhina lomtshato noSylvia Kroutz baba nabantwana ababini, uLee kunye noLeandra. Waqhubekeka edlala ibhola ePietermaritzburg, edlalela iReal Taj kwiFederation Professional League. Wayehamba ngempela veki esuka eKokstad aye ePietermaritzburg eyokudlala umalalo webhola. Izinto zazisahamba kakuhle eKokstad.
Kodwa kuthe emva kwengozi, yonke into yatshintsha.
ULeonard noSylvia kunye nabantwana babo uLee noLeandra, uLeandra wayegqiba unyaka ezelwe (13 Novemba, 1990).