‘There’s a lot of crime & drugs’: Clayton Daniels on ABC Motsepe move
Veteran defender Clayton Daniels has explained the factors that influenced his decision to join ABC Motsepe League side Crystal Palace FC.
Daniels, 40, joined the SAFA Western Cape amateur club at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign after he cut ties with Cape Town Spurs in March 2024.
This comes after Crystal Palace bought Ikapa Sporting FC’s ABC Motsepe League status before the start of the new season.
The Manenberg-based club, coached by former Hellenic FC and Santos legend Bradley August, has already played six games in Stream A of its provincial ABC Motsepe League.
In the six matches they have played to date, they have scored 11 points, which ranks them third in their stream.
WHAT MOTIVATED CLAYTON DANIELS TO JOIN CRYSTAL PALACE FC
Daniels, the team captain, expressed that he chose to join the club to support the Manenberg community impacted by gangsterism, crime, and drug issues.
The ex-Urban Warriors defender reckons that as much as he enjoys playing in the amateur league, he cited that he felt it was important to take action to create change because he observed that the Manenberg township lacks role models for its youth.
“Honestly, I’m enjoying life in the ABC Motsepe League. Being in an environment where you can train and play makes me enjoy every moment,” Daniels told FARPost.
“First of all, it’s a community in Manenberg where there is a lot of gangsterism, crime, and drugs. Most of the people here come from complex backgrounds. That is what I looked at first.
“It’s a community that needs a lot of role models. I realised that if I could be there among the guys in the community, maybe I could be a role model to some of them.”
Daniels added, “So, I thought being there would make a difference and uplift the community by giving back for playing for a club like Crystal Palace in the third division.”
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