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  • Kick Off

    By Royal appointment

    Dec 17, 2021 6 minutes
    GIVEN MASHIKINYA

    A mid all the uncertainty and angst over their future at Bloemfontein Celtic, Given Mashikinya stood out among his teammates as beacon of calm. He had seen it all before … and was ready to embrace the new challenge.

    With a week to go before the kick off of the new DStv Premiership season, the Free State club was in turmoil. Rumours were abounding of an impending sale and as much as the squad tried to focus on their preparations for the new season, the air was permeated with doubt and disquiet.

    But for the 30-year-old midfielder from Atteridgeville, this was a second time he had tasted the turmoil and the first time had not turned out so bad, so why would this one?

    “When I heard about the move, that we were getting sold, I was like, nah, man, I’m used to it now’,” says Mashikinya about the sale of Celtic to Shauwn Mkhize, the move to Maritzburg and the re-baptism as Royal AM.

    “I saw a lot of guys struggling with it, you know. I

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