Posted in Club News, News on Apr 26, 2017.
Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Jeff Butler will be laid to rest on Thursday, 27 April in Sussex, England. The service will commence at midday.
Butler passed away on Friday, 21 April after a long illness. He was 83 years old. Since retiring from the game, he had been living back in the UK with his wife of 52 years, Valerie.
He is survived by his grieving wife and four children - Allison 50, John 48, Mike 46 and Tim 44 – as well as seven grandchildren.
“He often reflected on his time in South Africa and on African Football in general. His legacy amongst many is founded strongly on his successes at Kaizer Chiefs FC and the many accolades he’s brought to the club in that incredible time during the 80s and 90s,” said his son Tim Butler.
Butler was recruited from Cyprus by the Chairman in the hope that he would guide the team back to winning ways and reclaim their dominance of South African football.
Butler arrived at Chiefs in 1988 and enjoyed some really magical moments in the country during his tenure. He coached the team during a few separate spells. By the time he completed his stint in 1996, he had led Amakhosi to a number of major trophies, including the JPS Knockout Cup, the league championship, the BP Top Eight Cup, Ohlsson’s Challenge, Bob Save Super Bowl and the Charity Spectacular. The chairman never regretted bringing this legend to the club.
Butler retired from football a number of times but the lure of the game always brought him back, normally at the request of a club interested in benefitting from his vast expertise, vision and incredible coaching abilities. After leaving Kaizer Chiefs in 2003/4, Butler went back to Chiefs at Mr Motaung’s insistence to work on the youth team academy. He was originally supposed to work for four months but stayed for two years.
Butler had as big an impact on the youth team academy as he had before at the highest Kaizer Chiefs level of coaching. He was as passionate about the grass roots level of football at the club and the game's overall development as he was about winning trophies.
After fully retiring, he moved to Spain with his wife for many years and enjoyed their kids growing up and being successful in their own lives. He loved seeing his grandchildren come into the world and they loved him more than anything. He was a kind and thoughtful family man.
He had a boat he enjoyed spending time on, and loved his garden, where we had many lovely family bbq's (braais) and of course many 5-aside football kick-arounds.
His passion for the game knew no bounds and he was constantly looking at the league table in South Africa and across Africa. He had local football websites constantly open on his computer and his love for the game was complete - but African football was his main interest.
“Jeff’s passing is a great loss to football and his legacy will live on for many years to come,” said Kaizer Motaung, Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs. “He was a disciplinarian, workaholic and very dedicated. His contribution will live forever and his name will be engraved in gold in our history books.”
The Butler family thanked South Africans for the outpouring of good wishes and love for a man that they will always think of and who will always be in their hearts. “The love shown by many generations on social media in the last few days, and elsewhere, and the respect that the club has shown in all its efforts to highlight his achievements so many years on, is wonderful to us,” said Tim Butler. “In particular, we appreciate the recognition by the President of SA himself, His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma. We are comforted to know that he made as a big a mark on many other lives, across the world , and not just our own,”
The Kaizer Chiefs family of millions is thankful to the Butler family for letting Jeff share his life with us when most of us were with our families.
May God comfort the Butler family and may Jeff’s soul rest in eternal peace.
He remains a Khosi4Life!
Butler passed away on Friday, 21 April after a long illness. He was 83 years old. Since retiring from the game, he had been living back in the UK with his wife of 52 years, Valerie.
He is survived by his grieving wife and four children - Allison 50, John 48, Mike 46 and Tim 44 – as well as seven grandchildren.
“He often reflected on his time in South Africa and on African Football in general. His legacy amongst many is founded strongly on his successes at Kaizer Chiefs FC and the many accolades he’s brought to the club in that incredible time during the 80s and 90s,” said his son Tim Butler.
Butler was recruited from Cyprus by the Chairman in the hope that he would guide the team back to winning ways and reclaim their dominance of South African football.
Butler arrived at Chiefs in 1988 and enjoyed some really magical moments in the country during his tenure. He coached the team during a few separate spells. By the time he completed his stint in 1996, he had led Amakhosi to a number of major trophies, including the JPS Knockout Cup, the league championship, the BP Top Eight Cup, Ohlsson’s Challenge, Bob Save Super Bowl and the Charity Spectacular. The chairman never regretted bringing this legend to the club.
Butler retired from football a number of times but the lure of the game always brought him back, normally at the request of a club interested in benefitting from his vast expertise, vision and incredible coaching abilities. After leaving Kaizer Chiefs in 2003/4, Butler went back to Chiefs at Mr Motaung’s insistence to work on the youth team academy. He was originally supposed to work for four months but stayed for two years.
Butler had as big an impact on the youth team academy as he had before at the highest Kaizer Chiefs level of coaching. He was as passionate about the grass roots level of football at the club and the game's overall development as he was about winning trophies.
After fully retiring, he moved to Spain with his wife for many years and enjoyed their kids growing up and being successful in their own lives. He loved seeing his grandchildren come into the world and they loved him more than anything. He was a kind and thoughtful family man.
He had a boat he enjoyed spending time on, and loved his garden, where we had many lovely family bbq's (braais) and of course many 5-aside football kick-arounds.
His passion for the game knew no bounds and he was constantly looking at the league table in South Africa and across Africa. He had local football websites constantly open on his computer and his love for the game was complete - but African football was his main interest.
“Jeff’s passing is a great loss to football and his legacy will live on for many years to come,” said Kaizer Motaung, Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs. “He was a disciplinarian, workaholic and very dedicated. His contribution will live forever and his name will be engraved in gold in our history books.”
The Butler family thanked South Africans for the outpouring of good wishes and love for a man that they will always think of and who will always be in their hearts. “The love shown by many generations on social media in the last few days, and elsewhere, and the respect that the club has shown in all its efforts to highlight his achievements so many years on, is wonderful to us,” said Tim Butler. “In particular, we appreciate the recognition by the President of SA himself, His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma. We are comforted to know that he made as a big a mark on many other lives, across the world , and not just our own,”
The Kaizer Chiefs family of millions is thankful to the Butler family for letting Jeff share his life with us when most of us were with our families.
May God comfort the Butler family and may Jeff’s soul rest in eternal peace.
He remains a Khosi4Life!
