In our exciting feature, My Welcome to the League moment, KickOff catches up with popular former Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United attacker Thuso Phala.
The decorated Phala featured for a host of sides including SuperSport United where he made 193 appearances while contributing 31 goals and 40 assists.
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The 37-year-old became a cult figure among Matsatsantsa fans while lifting the Telkom Knockout, MTN8 and Nedbank Cup on multiple occasions.
"I made my debut for Silver Stars against Golden Arrows and faced Philane Shange.
"I remember I was just an 18-year-old boy back then, playing for Silver Stars.
"But welcome came against Orlando Pirates' Lebogang Mokoena at Ellis Park Stadium, I think Kosta Papic was their coach.
"I was assigned to mark Lebogang Mokoena, it was tough!
"That guy kept coming at me the entire game [laughs]. It was tough.
"I couldn't even go forward to attack or overlap. I couldn't attack, I had to focus on stopping him the whole game.
"For the whole game we were saying nothing to each other, we only spoke after the game because we are from the same kasi.
"He was already used to the Premier Soccer League, and I was in my first season.
"So, after the game, he just gave me words of encouragement that I must keep working.
"As you know Pirates always dominated in the stands, so every time Mokoena was in possession of the ball the crowd would make a lot of noise and cheering [laughs].
"While for Silver Stars we had only five fans maybe [laughs].
"But our coach Da Gama kept encouraging me, he guided me because he knew it was my first season.
"But yes, it was tough but at the same time, it was not a bad game.
"We lost that match 1-0, I think Siyabonga Nomvethe scored for Pirates."
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