Francisco Ivo De Jesus Pereira (2 November 1945 – 3 September 2023) was a Portuguese-born South African footballer who played as a midfielder. He was a part of the 1981 quadruple-winning Kaizer Chiefs.
 Cape Town City v Durban City, Hartleyvale, c1972 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Francisco Ivo De Jesus Pereira | ||
| Date of birth | 2 November 1945 | ||
| Place of birth | Jardim do Mar, Portugal | ||
| Date of death | 3 September 2023 (aged 77) | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Sweeper, midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1955–1963 | Stewards & Lloyds AFC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1963–1972 | Vaal United | 270 | (108) |
| 1972–1973 | Jewish Guild | 29 | (22) |
| 1973–1979 | Cape Town City | 204 | (93) |
| 1979–1983 | Kaizer Chiefs | 170 | (53) |
| Total | 644 | (276) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 1983–1985 | Benoni United (player-coach) | ||
| 1986 | Orlando Pirates | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Early life
editFrancisco Ivo De Jesus Pereira was born on 2 November 1945.[1] He grew up on a farm in Vereeniging[2] where he eventually gained skills from playing with the black labourers' kids. People at his school wanted him to play rugby but he loved soccer and he was heavily criticised for playing the black man's sport.[1]
Playing career
editAt the age of 24, Pereira won the 1969 NFL Footballer of the Year award.[3]
At Cape Town City he was the team's top goalscorer in 1973 and 1974 and helped them win the NFL, UTC Bowl and the Champion of Champions.[3]
Pereira joined Chiefs in 1979 as the third white player in their history.[1] Pereira was later converted into a sweeper and was part of the legendary Glamour Boys side that won the quadruple in 1981[4] before retiring in 1983 with a 276-goal tally.[3] Pereira was even given an "African" nickname by the Chiefs supporters: "Baba ka Sibongile".[5]
Managerial career
editPereira coached Benoni United, where he discovered Roger De Sá, before joining the Orlando Pirates on 29 April 1986 after the Pirates' poor prior run of two wins in 11 matches.[6]
Post-retirement
editPereira was the owner of Nova Papers (Pty Ltd) with his two brothers-in-law and two nephews in downtown Johannesburg. His company produces products such as kitchen towels, serviettes, garage rolls etc.[1]
Personal life and death
editPereira was married three times. His second wife died in a car accident. His third wife is called Helena.[1] He was named Jingles when he played for Stewarts & Lloyds when he was 10 years old because he always had two pennies in his pocket as his good-luck charm. The pennies tinkled in his pocket as he ran on the field and one senior player, Bobby Farrel, said: "Go on, Jingle Bells, go on."[1]
Before his death, he lived in Sandringham, Gauteng.[7]
Pereira died on 3 September 2023 at the age of 77, after an illness.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Bareng-Batho Kortjaas (23 August 2009). "The white boy flushed with success in a black league". Times LIVE. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Como o futebol explica a África do Sul". www.dn.pt (in European Portuguese). 6 June 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ a b c "Blue Ribbon – Frank 'Jingles' Pereira | Soccer Laduma". Soccerladuma.mobi. Archived from the original on 16 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
- ^ "Jingles: Kaizer Always Paid Us on Time". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
- ^ "Pereira and his Kaizer Chiefs journey". www.kaizerchiefs.com. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ Kickoff December 2015.
- ^ Strydom, Marc (4 September 2023). "Kaizer Chiefs legend 'Jingles' Pereira dies". Times Live. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ Qina, Masebe (4 September 2023). "Chiefs Legend Passes Away". Soccer Laduma. Retrieved 8 September 2023.