Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot

The Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot is an annual association football award presented by the Premier Soccer League to the leading goalscorer in the South African Premier Division.[1] The award, colloquially known as the PSL Golden Boot or simply the Golden Boot, has been presented since the inception of the post-apartheid format of the league in 1996. It was named in 2003 in honour of Lesley Manyathela, a South African international footballer and former recipient of the award who died in a motor vehicle collision in August of that year.[2]

Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot
Awarded forThe leading goalscorer in a given Premier Division season
CountrySouth Africa
Presented byPremier Soccer League
First awarded1997
Last awarded2024
Currently held byTshegofatso Mabasa (1st award)
Most awardsPeter Shalulile (3)

Wilfred Mugeyi was the first recipient of the award after he scored 22 goals for Bush Bucks in the inaugural Premier Division season.[3] He is one of five players to have scored 20 or more goals in a season alongside Pollen Ndlanya, Collins Mbesuma, Siyabonga Nomvethe and Peter Shalulile.[3] Mbesuma holds the record for the most goals scored in a single campaign following his return of 25 goals for Kaizer Chiefs in the 2004–05 season.[4] He was also the first player to have won the award more than once, having claimed the trophy for a second time during his spell with Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2016, while Shalulile equalled this record in 2022, and broke it the following year.[4][5][6] In doing so, the latter also became the only player to have won the award in back-to-back seasons.

Bernard Parker holds the record for the fewest goals needed to win the award, with his return of 10 goals for Kaizer Chiefs in the 2013–14 season earning him the accolade.[7] The award has been shared three times in the Premier Division's history, an occurrence which first took place in the 2017–18 season after Rodney Ramagalela of Polokwane City and Percy Tau of Mamelodi Sundowns both ended the campaign on 11 goals.[7] Players from Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs have won the award the most times, with each club having four unique winners.[3]

Winners

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Bernard Parker (pictured here during his time with Dutch side Twente) holds the record for the fewest goals needed to win the award. His tally of 10 goals for Kaizer Chiefs earned him the Golden Boot in 2014.
Key
Player (X) Name of the player and number of times they had won the award at that point (if more than one)
Indicates multiple award winners in the same season
Denotes the club were South African Premier Division champions in the same season
§ Denotes the record for the most goals scored in a South African Premier Division season
¢ Denotes the record for the less goals scored in a South African Premier Division season
Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot winners
Season Player Nationality Club Goals Ref
1996–97 Wilfred Mugeyi   Zimbabwe Bush Bucks 22 [3]
1997–98 Keryn Jordan   South Africa Manning Rangers 11 [3]
1998–99 Pollen Ndlanya   South Africa Kaizer Chiefs 21 [3]
1999–2000 Dennis Lota   Zambia Orlando Pirates 18 [3]
2000–01 Gilbert Mushangazhike   Zimbabwe Manning Rangers 19 [3]
2001–02 Ishmael Maluleke   South Africa Manning Rangers 18 [3]
2002–03 Lesley Manyathela   South Africa Orlando Pirates 18 [3]
2003–04 Jackie Ledwaba   South Africa Zulu Royals 14 [3]
2004–05 Collins Mbesuma   Zambia Kaizer Chiefs 25§ [4]
2005–06 Mame Niang   Senegal Moroka Swallows 14 [8]
2006–07 Christopher Katongo   Zambia Jomo Cosmos 15 [9]
2007–08 James Chamanga   Zambia Moroka Swallows 14 [10]
2008–09 Richard Henyekane   South Africa Golden Arrows 19 [11]
2009–10 Katlego Mphela   South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 17 [3]
2010–11 Knowledge Musona   Zimbabwe Kaizer Chiefs 17 [3]
2011–12 Siyabonga Nomvethe   South Africa Moroka Swallows 20 [12]
2012–13 Katlego Mashego   South Africa Moroka Swallows 13 [13]
2013–14 Bernard Parker   South Africa Kaizer Chiefs 10¢ [14]
2014–15 Moeketsi Sekola   South Africa Free State Stars 14 [15]
2015–16 Collins Mbesuma (2)   Zambia Mpumalanga Black Aces 14 [16]
2016–17 Lebogang Manyama   South Africa Cape Town City 13 [17]
2017–18 Rodney Ramagalela   South Africa Polokwane City 11 [18]
2017–18 Percy Tau   South Africa Mamelodi Sundowns 11 [18]
2018–19 Mwape Musonda   Zambia Black Leopards 16 [19]
2019–20 Gabadinho Mhango   Malawi Orlando Pirates 16 [20]
2019–20 Peter Shalulile   Namibia Highlands Park 16 [20]
2020–21 Bradley Grobler   South Africa SuperSport United 16 [21]
2021–22 Peter Shalulile (2)   Namibia Mamelodi Sundowns 23 [22]
2022–23 Peter Shalulile (3)   Namibia Mamelodi Sundowns 12 [6]
2022–23 Khanyisa Mayo   South Africa Cape Town City 12 [6]
2023–24 Tshegofatso Mabasa   South Africa Orlando Pirates 16 [23]

Awards won by nationality

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Country Total
  South Africa 17
  Zambia 6
  Zimbabwe 3
  Namibia 3
  Senegal 1
  Malawi 1

Awards by club

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Mame Niang (pictured here during his time with Norwegian side Viking) is one of four Moroka Swallows players to have won the Golden Boot award.
Club Total
Moroka Swallows 4
Kaizer Chiefs 4
Orlando Pirates 4
Mamelodi Sundowns 4
Manning Rangers 3
Orlando Pirates 3
Bush Bucks 1
Cape Town City 2
Free State Stars 1
Golden Arrows 1
Jomo Cosmos 1
Mpumalanga Black Aces 1
Polokwane City 1
Zulu Royals 1
Black Leopards 1
Highlands Park 1
SuperSport United 1

References

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  1. ^ "NSL Constitution" (PDF). Premier Soccer League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Safa retires Lesley's jersey". News 24. 15 August 2003. Archived from the original on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 17 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Throwback Thursday: Golden Boot winners of yesteryear". Vodacom Soccer. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Can Anyone Break Mbesuma's Record?". Soccer Laduma. 19 April 2016. Archived from the original on 15 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Shalulile equals unique Mbesuma record". Kick Off. 30 May 2022. Archived from the original on 3 May 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b c Ditlhobo, Austin (23 May 2023). "PSL top scorers 2022-23: Shalulile, Mayo, Grobler, Bimenyimana & the race for the PSL Golden Boot". Archived from the original on 9 June 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Sundowns' Tau, Polokwane's Ramagalela in two-way race for Golden Boot". Independent Online. 30 April 2018. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  8. ^ "Former PSL top scorer Mame Niang predicts possible Golden Boot winners for 2017/18 season". Kick Off. 20 July 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  9. ^ Luvhengo, Tshifhiwa (23 May 2007). "Jomo Cosmos gets Golden Boot award". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  10. ^ Mark, Jonty (26 August 2008). "Big-money lure for PSL's golden boot". Independent Online. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Teko does it again". Sport 24. 25 May 2009. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  12. ^ "Moroka Swallows striker Siyabonga Nomvethe was the big winner at PSL Awards". Kick Off. 28 May 2012. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  13. ^ "Moroka Swallows striker Katlego Mashego wins Golden Boot". Kick Off. 18 May 2013. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  14. ^ "PSL Golden Boot, or bronze boot?". Kick Off. 12 May 2014. Archived from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  15. ^ "Moeketsi Sekola wins Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot award". Kick Off. 9 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  16. ^ "Collins Mbesuma Wins The Absa Premiership Golden Boot". Soccer Laduma. 23 May 2016. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Cape Town City's Lebogang Manyama wins PSL's Golden Boot". Kick Off. 27 May 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Sundowns dominate PSL Award nominations". News 24. 21 May 2018. Archived from the original on 23 May 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  19. ^ Breakfast, Siviwe (11 May 2019). "PSL: Top goal scorers for 2018/19 season". The South African. Archived from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  20. ^ a b Kelly-Klate, Chad (6 September 2020). "Gaba shares Absa Prem Golden Boot". Kick Off. Archived from the original on 7 September 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
  21. ^ Lambley, Garrin (8 June 2021). "Golden Boot winner Bradley Grobler sets his sights higher next season". The South African. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
  22. ^ "The top 10 PSL goalscorers in 2021/22". Kick Off. 31 May 2022. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Riveiro gives special praise to Golden Boot winner Mabasa". Soccer Laduma. 25 May 2024. Archived from the original on 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.