Retired footballers Michael Morton and Keagan Buchanan have opened up on the abrupt end to their playing careers while turning out for Cape Town Spurs.
The duo’s unceremonious departure from the scene as players came at different periods, but while playing under veteran coach Ernst Middendorp. First through the exit door was former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Buchanan, who left aged 33.
Morton was then forced out midway through the 2024/25 season as the Urban Warriors were bidding for a return to the PSL from the Motsepe Foundation Championship. He was 35, and he says his exit was a blessing in disguise, which catapulted him into his new career as a football content creator.
“I had a good relationship with Ernst Middendorp for a long time. He is the one who took me in at Maritzburg United,” Morton told FARPost.
“So at that time at Spurs, experienced guys in the team got affected, we wanted to help the team return to the PSL, but it didn’t happen that way. I still have respect for him, though.
“It was the best thing that did me a favour. It fast-forwarded my career into content creation. When I look at it in hindsight, it happened for the good.
“To be honest, when we got relegated, I was ready to play for a season and help the guys. It was what it was. I was ready to retire, so no hard feelings.”
HOW EXACTLY DID MIDDENDORP PUSH MORTON OUT OF THE GAME AS A PLAYER?
The former Orlando Pirates midfielder explains on his podcast, Mike Morton Talks Football, what really transpired. He left in November 2024 with seven months remaining on his contract.
“It ended very similarly for me; it was the exact same thing [that happened to Buchanan]. I played on a Saturday like 80 minutes. Cool. Meeting on a Monday, debrief. Cool, no problem,” he said.
“We are all in the team. I huddle whatever in my kit ready to train, and straight afterwards, he [Middendorp] said, ‘Come to the office. Two-minute conversation, ‘You are not going to play for me anymore.’
“Handshake, upstairs, done. I was out of the building within like 10, 15 minutes with my cardboard box with all my belongings.”
‘DON’T COME BACK IN THE AFTERNOON’ – MIDDENDORP TO BUCHANAN
Buchanan has a similar story to tell about his final match as a professional footballer, away at Sekhukhune United in April 2024. He had come on as a substitute to play the final 27 minutes as Spurs lost 1-0.
Surprisingly, Buchanan was forced out when the Urban Warriors were desperately fighting against relegation from the Betway Premiership.
“That’s our guy, he is our buddy [Middendorp]. It ended like it ended for you. I had just got back from playing Sekhukhune away,” Buchanan said on Mike Morton Talks Football.
“Obviously, we were in a relegation battle, and then yeah, we got back and had a double session. Double sessions are like that guy’s standard procedure. The more you train, the better your chances to win, that type of scenario.
“But then they told me after one session, ‘Listen, bro, don’t come back for the afternoon session.’ Then I was like, ‘I mustn’t come back for the second session?’ And they were like ‘yeah.’”
‘YOU AND RALANI ARE PLAYING YOUR OWN WAY AGAINST THE COACH’
Buchanan further explains why he fell out of favour with Middendorp, leading to his dismissal, together with Bradley Ralani.
“Then my agent actually called me, ‘Enst told the boss that you and Ralani are trying to make the team play a specific way and it’s going against what he is trying to do,’” he explained.
“From there basically, that’s when I left Spurs, and I haven’t played football since then. It is what it is. I don’t think I’ll give him the glory of saying that’s why I stopped playing.
“But the difficulty with people like that is that it takes away all your passion. Waking up, I must come every morning to…, you know what I mean.”
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