PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The captain of the high-achieving Oriented Birds Football Club, Khanyisani "Mashesha" Radebe, has left the club to join the Richards Bay outfit, the Milford Football Club.

Milford FC are currently playing in the Motsepe Foundation National First Division, the second tier in South African soccer.

The 29-year-old Radebe, a decorated player, will be playing in the professional ranks for the first time in his football career.

He told the Knysna-Plett Herald, before catching a flight to Durban, that after he had undergone trials at Milford in January, he received a call from the club's management, saying they wanted to sign him, and that he must make arrangements for this with the Birds' leadership.

"I feel happy about the move - getting this professional offer at this time after playing away from home (Durban) for four years," Radebe said.

He said the offer had come as a "shock" to him, but "I'm very excited because they (Birds) handled it in a proper way and have allowed me to go and join Milford FC".

"I want to say a special thank you to the people of the Garden Route for allowing me to express my football dream - I'll never forget the support I've received from them, from when I came down to the Eden region."