Dynamos Football Club is believed to be one the country’s most decorated team, its greatest achievement was when it reached the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions league final in 1998.
The star-studded team had some of the greatest players to ever wear the club and national team colours.
Meanwhile, speaking about the Dembare of the that period, the narrative is never complete without mentioning of the greatest goalkeepers of that time, Ernest Chirambadare.
Remembered for leading the team into CAF Champions league final in 1998, Chirambadare is one of the most prolific goalkeepers to have played for Dynamos Football Club and the Warriors.
Ernest was born on February 27, 1970, married to Rebecca Muzambi and he is also brother to former Dynamos defender Stanley Chirambadare.
Ernest was known for having been a great goalkeeper with a safest pair of hands, during his playing times.
He commanded the Dembare goalposts in their historic run in the African Champions League, some of great names who played alongside him were Chamu Musanhu, Lloyd Mutasa, Memory Mucherahowa, Gift ‘Umbro’ Muzadzi, George Mandizvidza, Claudius ’Hokoyo’ Zviripayi, Tauya ’The Flying Doctor’ Murehwa, Masimba Dinyero, Beki Mhlotshwa, Kaitano ‘Ngwenya’ Tembo and Tonderai Mtambikwa.
Apparently, Chirambadare played for several big clubs during his haydays which included the likes of Blackpool Football Club, Black Aces, CAPS United Football Club but the best part of his career was arguably at Dembare.
Prior to Chirambadare’s heroics exploits with Dembare in champions league, he had helped Blackpool craft their own piece of history by becoming the first Zimbabwean football team to reach the semi finals of the continental tournament.
Chirambadare had a very illustrious football career running over twelve years until eventually he moved to the United Kingdom where he worked as a nurse.
Chirambadare went off radar from, away from Zimbabwean football in 1999 at the age of 29 after relocating to the United Kingdom.
This was frustrations allegedly stemming from being unfairly treated by the Dynamos board, however, he returned home 13 years later.
“That one hurts (leaving Dynamos). I have a feeling that those who were in-charge at the time had an ulterior motive once we qualified for the group stages (of the Champions League).
“They accused us of selling the final game and actually fined us for protesting our innocence.
“We lost our skipper (Memory Mucherahowa) during warm-up due to him having been head-butted by ASEC Mimosas players in front of hundreds of cameras and reporters,’’ he once said.
Life after football, Chirambadare later opened a school in Zimbabwe named Garvey School of Excellence after the late Jamaican historian and activist Marcus Garvey in Marondera, 75.5km outside Harare.
Garvey died more than eight decades ago and his war cry was education as a pathway to freedom for black people.
One of Garvey’s most popular quotes is: “It is by education that we become prepared for our duties and responsibilities in life. If one is badly educated, he must naturally fail in the proper assumption and practice of his duties and responsibilities because the Negro has been badly educated.”
Just like Garvey, Chirambadare dreams of an environment in which Africans’ education will help them become self-sustainable.
The school, is self-funded and headed by his mathematician wife, has four classes — Form One to Four — but when fully operational, should take up to Advanced Levels.