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It’s only eight days into his presidency, and Clive Kilian is already setting his sights on bringing the diverse football communities of Nelson Mandela Bay together.
Kilian succeeds Simphiwe Mkhangelwa, who served two terms in the hot seat as the NMB Football Association president.
Though his appointment as Bay football leader received mixed reactions, Kilian has urged all parties to put aside administrative squabbles and focus on nurturing the city’s football talent.
He said the key point was that the majority decision had placed him in this position.
His vice-presidents are Mpumzi Plaatjie, Themba Ximiya and Busisiwe Stokwe.
Aloma van Wyk is the acting regional executive officer.
The complete regional executive committee will only be finalised on Wednesday at the regional executive committee meeting.
“Football also has its difficulties and disagreements, but for me, that is administrative,” Kilian said.
“What is important is the objective to put young players on the field to become professionals and ultimately make the Bafana Bafana team.
“All of us should agree whether you contested or disagreed (with my appointment); that is democracy.
“All of us just disagreed and contested among each other.
“I think the objective, and I want to believe that the objective is football and nothing else.
“Administration disagreements you will find everywhere, but what I want to encourage all of us to do is bring football to the table; that is important, and that is what the community wants from us.”
He said the completion of the NMBFA Elective Congress brought finality to the abnormal circumstances that existed from 2025.
The former senior prosecutor, who retired in 2024, said the election of the new leadership brought certainty to the NMBFA’s governance structures.
He said the football business the new leadership was facing was important and urgent, and it affected the governance, stability and future of football in Nelson Mandela Bay.
“I think that is the most important thing.
“Coming from the background of disagreements at LFAs, I think we achieved something in 2025, going into 2026.
“Football is a massive moment, and what we need as a unified organisation is to convince the municipality that we need more facilities, good facilities, to develop players.
“Safe facilities so that in the end, when a youngster enters a football arena, he knows that pathway to professional football, and that is what I think all of us need to think about and put our minds towards.
“We embarked on the objective to unify the LFAs that were frustrated, and Mofa (Motherwell FA) was a successful story, and at Larofa (Langa and Rosedale FA), the same.
“The other one that we need to move in a more positive direction is Nodefa (KwaNobuhle and Despatch FA) and the other structure, Qhafa (Qhagqiwa FA), that is not yet a member of Safa.
“Discussions are ongoing following a recent meeting with both structures.”
Kilian started his football journey at the age of nine in Gelvandale.
He later moved to Arcadia, where he joined Park United, playing for the U12s in 1972.
He enjoyed his football at Park United and, due to his talent, was promoted from the club’s U16s to the first team.
“I played Park United’s first team in 1975, and I never looked back.
“While still playing, I started to attend EP board meetings with our chairman.
“That is how my interest in administration also started to grow.
“Before the unification of football, I joined PE Blackpool in the professional league federation. I played there for two years.
“After unification, we joined the professional soccer league, the unified professional structure, and competed against teams such as Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
“That was a dream for any player to play against such big clubs.”
I urge every football player, every administrator, to participate with discipline and respect. Listen as much as you speak
— Clive Kilian
Besides the law qualifications, B Juris and LLM, Kilian also holds the International Sports Management Certificate FIFA, CIES (NMU).
“I urge every football player, every administrator, to participate with discipline and respect,” he said.
“Listen as much as you speak. Argue the point, not the person.
“And remember that outside this hall, the football public will judge us not by how loudly we argued but by what we resolved.
“The leadership is confirmed. The agenda for the next four years has been adopted.
“I do not promise miracles. I promise work.
“So let us do the work that the football demands of us. Let us grow football together.”
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