Stellenbosch FC head coach Gavin Hunt has lifted the lid on a personal conversation he shared with veteran goalkeeper Lee Langeveldt just days before the shot-stopper’s emotional weekend send-off.
The 39-year-old veteran received a fitting guard of honour at the Danie Craven Stadium when he was brought on to replace Oscarine Masuluke during the referees’ regulation stoppage time, putting the finishing touches on a comfortable 2-0 Betway Premiership victory over Orbit College FC on Saturday.
The brief cameo served as the final chapter for Langeveldt, who has remarkably stood the test of time as a professional footballer for 21 seasons.
Crucially, Langeveldt holds a unique place in club folklore as the sole remaining playing member of the historic Stellenbosch squad that famously secured promotion to the South African top-flight during the 2018/19 campaign.
While the curtain has officially come down on his playing days, his journey in the Western Cape is far from over. Last season, Langeveldt penned a one-year contract extension with the distinct understanding that he would seamlessly transition into a vital backroom role upon retirement. Moving forward, the iconic keeper is set to pass on his decades of top-tier experience as the new goalkeeper coach for Stellenbosch FC’s Reserve, Youth, and Ladies teams.
GAVIN HUNT PAYS TRIBUTE TO VETERAN STELLENBOSCH FC GOALKEEPER LEE LANGEVELDT
Speaking in the wake of the triumph over Orbit, Hunt lamented that veteran stalwarts like Langeveldt—who have given so much to the local game—are no longer afforded the respect they deserve in South African football.
“Who thought of that? It was me on Monday. I told him on Monday that I’m going to bring you on,” said Hunt.
“Whether we are 2-0 up, or 5-0 down, or 5-0 up, you are coming on. He looked at me and said, ‘You don’t have to do it.’ I said, ‘No, I will bring you on.’ I believe in that boy, and I believe players like him don’t get enough respect.
“The big clubs give players respect, but the smaller clubs don’t give enough respect. Twenty years in the game—a guy like him should have a testimonial game, you know, something like that. We need to create a little bit of legacy and history in our game,” he added.
“I think we had it earlier in South Africa, but we have not had it since then. I am very emotional about these types of things. As a coach, I like those things.”
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