We will survive relegation assures Mathare United winger

Mathare United winger John Mwangi is confident that the relegation threatened team will replicate the 2017 heroics which saw them beat the drop by a whisker.

The 2008 league champions survived the chop in 2017 after finishing just a point above the red zone in a season which Muhoroni Youth and Western Stima sunk to the National Super League.

Fast forward and Mathare are flirting with the axe as they sit second from bottom with a paltry nine points, one ahead of Zoo who are breathing behind their backs.

However, Mwangi who was part of the 2017 season says that the players are determined to save their faces by guiding the club with a reputation of churning out talents to a respectable finish once the league resumes.

Mwangi, commonly known as Mavado revealed that the playing unit was under intense pressure from their fans to keep a firm grip on their top flight status and they could not afford to let them down.

"Whenever my teammates and I walk around, fans always castigate us for the poor run. They always say we are working hard to see the team get relegated. I want to assure them that we will fight tooth and nail for a top ten finish once we resume. We did it in 2017 and we can repeat it," he said.

Mwangi who is in his final year of his contract poured cold water on suggestions indicating that he was headed to a new home next season. The forward said he was focused on helping Mathare ease their relegation fears.

"I can not think of leaving while the team is facing relegation. The club gave my first professional contract and it will be insensitive for me to think of leaving just because the team is not doing well in the league. I will only be at peace when I see the club sitting on a safer rank," he said.

Meanwhile, Mwangi appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to lift the ban on sporting activities saying that sportsmen were feeling its effects deep in their pockets.

The former national U20, Rising Stars winger who owns a ice cream parlor in Kiamaiko and has interest in meat business lamented on the dwindling income as the break had denied him an opportunity to make money from the pitch.

"Players out here are toiling to make ends meet. I beseech the President to allow us back to the pitch because we are suffering financially. Personally, I haven't lacked but my side hustles are doing badly due to the weather," he added.