Orlando Pirates have officially bid club captain Happy Jele farewell after spending 16 excellent years with the Buccaneers.
Jele met with club chairman Dr Irvin Khoza at the end of the 2021-22 season to discuss his future and, after a three-week deliberation, it was decided that the veteran defender’s time at the club had ended.
The 35-year-old has now parted ways with the club, marking the end of his illustrious career at Pirates.
Over the course of his career, Jele made over 400 appearances across all competitions while scoring 18 goals and assisting a further seven in the process.
Jele leaves the Buccaneers, having won eight trophies, including two league titles, three MTN8 trophies, two Nedbank Cups as well as one Telkom Knockout Cup trophy.
The Buccaneers have since released the following statement on Jele’s departure:
“After 16 amazing years with us, we bid farewell to our future Hall of Famer. Our central defender and Club Captain, who has reached the end of his contract, will be leaving the club. This marks the end of Happy Jele’s momentous career with us,” Pirates confirmed on the club’s official website.
“Orlando Pirates Football Club can confirm that Happy Jele met with the Chairman of the Club at the end of the 2021/22 season to discuss his future. During these deliberations, which spanned a three-week period, the Club discussed various job options available to the long-term serving defender in a non-playing capacity,” reads the statement.
“Subsequent to this meeting, the 35-year-old was afforded time to go home and think about it. Ordinarily, players are released at the end of the players’ contract but in Happy’s case, as he has a special place in the Club, having served the Club so professionally over the past 16 years, the Chairman had specifically asked the player for his input.
“A follow-up meeting was held two weeks later where Happy expressed his intentions to continue playing football beyond the 2021/2022 season, an option that unfortunately is not available.
“Everyone at Orlando Pirates Football Club would like to express enormous gratitude to Happy Jele and wish him the very best of luck for the future. Happy arrived from the amateur club Walter Stars in 2006 as a lanky and unassuming 19-year-old. Today, he leaves a place he has called home for the past 16 years as a legend, captain, husband and father.
“In those 16 years, he won 8 trophies, made over 400 appearances and scored 18 goals. Happy is a special character who has answered every call the Club has made of him throughout the years which is why he has a future at the Club beyond his playing days.
“Everyone at Orlando Pirates Football Club would like to express enormous gratitude to Happy Jele and wish him the very best of luck for the future,” concluded the statement.