The late Norman Elliott formed Durban City back in May 1959. Their first NFL game on Sunday, 5 July 1959 was against Arcadia Shepherds at Hoy Park. The City players, smartly dressed in their blue and white hoops, ran onto the small compact Railway ground, and in front of 5 000 spectators walloped Arcs 6-1. These men became heroes overnight. That year they won the inaugural league - thanks to Les Salton’s 23 goals in only 11 games.

 The following season Elliott’s darlings captured the Castle Cup - after defeating Ramblers 4-2.

 Moreover, in 1961 the club made history by winning three trophies – the league, the UTC Bowl and the Champion of Champions, by which stage Salton had scored well over 100 goals. Their 4-2 bowl triumph over Highlands Park was a remarkable feat!

 City, who was without doubt the best-balanced side in the country, continued to dominate the South African soccer scene by clinching another two Castle Cups over the next three years as Bobby Chalmers pulverized goalkeepers wherever he went.

 By 1968, the UTC Bowl had been on display in their clubhouse cabinet no fewer that four times. That year Highlands had no chance in the cup final as their fiercest rivals showed them just how to play, the score being 3-0.

  Jim Scott was the main goal scorer during this exciting era! His 43 successful strikes in 1970 went a long way to securing the league title as City pipped Cape Town City by three points. They also claimed the bowl for the fifth time, a record no other club managed to surpass.

 Despite a Ronnie Mann hat-trick in the 1971 Castle Cup Final, Elliott’s side were held to a 3-3 draw by Cape Town City, forcing the first ever replay of this great competition (which they unfortunately lost 2-1).

  As the NFL drew towards a close, the Durban side hit the jackpot in 1972, capturing the league and Coca-Cola Shield double – thus becoming the first club to win all four knock out trophies on offer!

 Six years later, in 1978, Elliott decided to join the Federation Professional League. Significantly, here again his team proved unstoppable in both league and cup competitions.

 The next year five top players (Rodney Kitchen, Len Wilkinson, Ian Bender, Brummie de Leur and Patrick Price) departed for Johannesburg-based Dynamos. The “Silver Fox” was not amused, but he had elected to play in yet another league - the NPSL - and these players used this loophole to their own advantage.

 Nevertheless, the club regrouped and under the astute guidance of coach Clive Bark, Sanyo Durban City won back-to-back league titles in 1982 and 1983. In addition, they almost made it three-in-row but a disputed penalty left Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows and Durban City sharing the same number of points. City’s inferior goal aggregate cost them top spot!

  From there a sudden decline in City’s fortunes followed. They escaped relegation in 1986 and 1987. Suddenly Elliott’s “Darlings of the South” looked fragile, and as the wheels of this once-famous club began seizing up, he decided to sell his beloved asset. On 27 July 1988 (exactly 29 years and 22 days since the team made its debut in pro soccer) the club was dead and buried.

By Peter Raath