Still fighting for Santos: Allie takes battle for beloved club to court

Goolam Allie has never been one to seek applause nor the limelight, yet his footprint on South African football runs deep, from Heideveld's patchy turfs to the William Herbert sports complex where he resolutely helped Wolves to remain a prominent and loyal member of Cape District while leading Santos FC to the professional stage for more than four decades. Now aged 72, the long-serving Santos administrator for over 50 years finds himself engaged in what may be one of the defining battles of his celebrated career, a fight to overturn the club's expulsion from the Western Cape ABC Motsepe League. He has now approached the Western Cape High Court to have the expulsion annulled. Santos, once a powerhouse of South African football and affectionately known as "The People's Team", was recently removed from the league over allegations that the club failed to pay its registration fees. The decision has sparked shock, frustration, and speculation across Western Cape football circles, where Santos remains an institution with a legacy stretching back to the days of the Federation Professional League.