By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
File Photo.
Premier Soccer League (PSL) confirmed the death of first Chief Executive Officer of the league Trevor Philips.
The NSL Executive Committee expressed its heartfelt condolences to the Philips family, especially his wife Stella and his children Mark and Sharon.
PSL observes a moment of silence prior to this week’s DSTV Premiership and Glad Africa Championship matches.
Phillips served as the PSL’s CEO during two spells.
The first coincided with the founding of the PSL in 1996 and ran until 1998. In his first season in charge, it was Gordon Igesund’s Manning Rangers who won the inaugural PSL title.
Phillips then returned for another five-year stint which ran between 2002 and 2007. During this spell, the PSL was reduced from 18 to 16 clubs – ahead of the 2002/ 03 campaign.
Also in Phillips’ second stint in charge was the 2004 match-fixing scandal which rocked South African football – Operation Dribble lead to a number of arrests of club officials, match commissioners, referees and assistants.
Between 1996 and 2007 the PSL was sponsored by the South African Brewery (SAB) and the league competition was known as the Castle Premiership. Subsequently, Absa bank and now DStv have been the headline sponsors.
Phillips’ last stint as chief executive of the league was in 2007 and he was replaced by Norwegian Kjetil Siem who was in charge at the Parktown offices between 2007 and 2011.