When the African Legends take on their European counterparts at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday night, another giant and a legend in its own right, Kaizer Chiefs, will be celebrating 36 years of glory.

January 7 carries a lot of significant memories. It was on this day back in 1970 that a new kid on the block was born. That new arrival went on to change the face of professional football while not shying away from displaying skills that were never rivaled by any team. The result - countless trophies and success that many clubs can only dream of.

Paying tribute to the club’s history in 1991, on the 21st anniversary of the club, chairman and MD Kaizer "Chincha" Motaung simply said: "For 21years friend and foe have marveled at the phenomenon that is Chiefs." Indeed Chiefs had proved to be a great phenomenon and continues to live up to that reputation up to this day.

Back then there was no internet let alone a club magazine and Match Day programmes. Nevertheless, it was not for long before Amakhosi paved the way for others to follow in the information superhighway, while not losing focus of the main objective - winning, winning, winning and winning.

"It is our success and the manner of achieving it - playing arguably the best soccer - that we rightly occupy centre stage in South African sports. Yet life at Chiefs was not always beer and skittles. There were times when even the most hardy among us were tempted - to borrow from a boxing parlance - to throw in the towel,” said Chincha.

Throw in the towel they never did and Captain Chincha and his management colleagues are today reaping that rewards that not only benefited Kaizer Chiefs, but South African football as a whole.

As Motaung said, it "was not always beer and skittles" and the club also lost some great personalities along the cause of history. Such great administrators like Ewert "The Lip" Nene, Elkim "Pro" Khumalo, Clarence Mlokoti and many others including supporters gave their whole life working towards the success of Kaizer Chiefs.

As if to underline the losses that Chiefs have suffered through history was the passing away of Benedict Dire Mohale, the very first man on South African soil to register as an official supporter. His membership card number reads something like B. D. Mohale; Card No: 001 thus officially making him a fully-fledged Khosi 4 Life even before such phrases were coined.