Players from Kaizer Chiefs and Tottenham Hotspur had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with each other on Friday afternoon, ahead of their Vodacom Challenge game on Saturday in Durban. When Spurs sent a group of five players which included the likes of England and French internationals Jermain Defoe and Pascal Chimbonda, who met up with the entire Kaizer Chiefs first team at the St Vincent’s orphanage in Marianhill just outside of Durban.

The visitors were greeted by a guard of honour made up of about 30 kids from the orphanage, who serenaded the Spurs players upon their rival at the premises where they were there after met by the Kaizer Chiefs team. The Vodacom Challenge organizers had pulled out all the stops in ensuring that it was a truly memorable afternoon for the kids at the orphanage, and amongst the activities laid on were a number of blow up jumping castles, play stations and an area for face painting. It was not just the kids who enjoyed the festivities as a number of players got in on the act, as Amakhosi striker Shaun Bartlett and his former Charlton Athletics team mate and new Spurs signing Darren Bent got in on the act and had a go with some of the kids on one of the jumping castles.

Chiefs midfielder Scara Ngobese was a hit amongst the kids as was local Kwa – Zulu Natal native Mabhuti Khanyeza who was kept bust signing autographs and taking pictures, Ngobese while commenting on Chiefs visit to the orphanage afterwards said. “The good thing about being part of Kaizer Chiefs is that the team encourages us to get involved in various social responsibility exercises, it is always heart warming to visit a place like St Vincent’s because of the mere fact that you get to add some joy to the lives of children who in their young lives have suffered a lot”.

While the occasion afforded the kids at St Vincent’s the opportunity to meet and collect autographs from the Chiefs and Spurs players, it also gave the Chiefs players the opportunity to size up their opponents on Saturday. Chiefs defender Fabian McCarthy who spent some time chatting with Jermain Defoe said afterwards “it is nice for us to get to see the Spurs guys before the game, usually the only opportunity we get to see them is during the game. On Friday afternoon we got to see a lighter side of them and them of us and we could talk and share a few words, on Saturday there will be no joking around when we get down to the serious business”.

A spokesperson for St Vincent’s thanked both clubs for taking the time to journey across Durban to visit the orphanage, Chiefs director of communications Thebe Mohatle expressed the clubs gratitude at been able to pay a visit to St Vincent’s and said that the club would continue to carry out such activities across the country.