Relegated football clubs in Uganda struggling to regain promotion

Fans of relegated topflight clubs like to comfort themselves with the hope that their sides will be back after all.

But statistics show that the pro-motion record of relegated clubs isn't that good.

For the past 10 seasons, only two clubs (Proline and Maroons) managed to regain promotion back to the Uganda Premier League (UPL).

A majority of relegated teams are currently either in the FUFA Big League or the lower leagues while others folded up.

A case in point is SC Victoria University, Victors, Masaka LC, Lweza and Kira Young FC that disbanded after relegation. There are various reasons as to why most of the relegated clubs don't bounce back to the topflight.

Some are political and financial. The foundation of how these teams is also another challenge. However, Uganda Premier League (UPL) CEO Bernard Bainamani revealed that most of these clubs are set up with no clear vision.

"When you look at the foundation of these teams, it's not firm so it will be a big challenge for them to bounce back. Clubs like Proline that have a strong foundation managed to reorganise them-selves which is not something easy," said Bainamani.

"Being that most of these teams are owned by individuals, when they are relegated, they tend to be demoralised. So they look at how much they invested; so reorganising themselves to get back to the topflight becomes a big challenge to them. On why they don't take long to stay in the topflight, Bainamani pointed out these clubs don't prepare for their come back.

"Most of these teams lose their best players (either sold or other leave mutual by agreement) when relegated unlike in other leagues like the English Premier League you see will clubs getting relegated with their players. In Uganda, it is a different case," he noted,