In the latest edition of Negotiating Behind the Scenes, Orlando Pirates legend Gavin Lane remembers the day he signed for the Mighty Buccaneers.
Lane won both the domestic league title and the CAF Champions League [CAF Champions Cup] during his time at the Soweto giants.
Who I signed for?
"Orlando Pirates. I think it was 1993 under Walter Da Silva. He spoke to Irvin Khoza about me because he coached me at Giant Blackpool."
How did you find out?
"Someone from Giant Blackpool, I don't remember who, contacted me and informed me Pirates were interested."
Where did you meet?
"I still remember walking into Irvin Khoza's office, that was the first time I met him.
"He said to me, listen I've heard a good report about you from Walter. I was quite excited."
Who was there?
"It was just Irvin Khoza and me. I didn't have any representative or anything like that."
What surprised you?
"The way Irvin Khoza was such a gentleman that day, such a nice, caring person. His honesty, there was no beating around the bush."
Did you get what you wanted?
"The league was still semi-professional; I was working on the side for a printing company.
"Then Pirates wanted to start training twice a day, and I said to Irvin this is the salary I'm getting at work, and this is the salary I'm getting in soccer, and Irvin understood."
Did you see out the contract?
"Yes, I did, first of all, I signed for five years but ended up staying for 10 years.
"Though I had a bump in the road with Viktor Bondarenko. He used to coach in Mozambique, and there was a centre-back he wanted to bring at Pirates, saying I'm too slow, I must only play when we were facing big guys like Raphael Chukwu, Pollen Ndlanya, Marc Batchelor.
"I said no, that is impossible, I can't play for one week and the next thing I'm out for three weeks. That's the only hiccup I had at Pirates."
What you would change?
"I'd ask Irvin Khoza for a lot more as well as lots of money because these days the guys are earning a lot."