Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot
The Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot is an annual association football award presented by the Premier Soccer League to the leading goalscorer in the South African Premier Division. The award, colloquially known as the PSL Golden Boot or simply the Golden Boot, has been presented since the inception of the post-apartheid format of the league in 1996. It was named in 2003 in honour of Lesley Manyathela, a South African international footballer and former recipient of the award who died in a motor vehicle collision in August of that year.
Wilfred Mugeyi was the first recipient of the award after he scored 22 goals for Bush Bucks in the inaugural Premier Division season. He is one of four players to have scored 20 or more goals in a season alongside Pollen Ndlanya, Collins Mbesuma, and Siyabonga Nomvethe. Mbesuma holds the record for the most goals scored in a single campaign following his return of 25 goals for Kaizer Chiefs in the 2004–05 season. He is also the only player to have won the award more than once, having claimed the trophy for a second time during his spell with Mpumalanga Black Aces in 2016.
Bernard Parker holds the record for the fewest goals needed to win the award, with his return of 10 goals for Kaizer Chiefs in the 2013–14 season earning him the accolade. The award has only been shared once in the Premier Division's history, an occurrence which took place after the 2017–18 season after Rodney Ramagalela of Polokwane City and Percy Tau of Mamelodi Sundowns both ended the campaign on 11 goals. Players from Moroka Swallows and Kaizer Chiefs have won the award the most times, with each club having four unique winners.
Winners
Player | Name of the player and number of times they had won the award at that point |
Indicates multiple award winners in the same season | |
Denotes the club were South African Premier Division champions in the same season |
Season | Player | Nationality | Club | Goals | |
1996–97 | Bush Bucks | 22 | |||
1997–98 | Manning Rangers | 11 | |||
1998–99 | Kaizer Chiefs | 21 | |||
1999–00 | Orlando Pirates | 18 | |||
2000–01 | Manning Rangers | 19 | |||
2001–02 | Manning Rangers | 18 | |||
2002–03 | Orlando Pirates | 18 | |||
2003–04 | Zulu Royals | 14 | |||
2004–05 | Kaizer Chiefs | 25 | |||
2005–06 | Moroka Swallows | 14 | |||
2006–07 | Jomo Cosmos | 15 | |||
2007–08 | Moroka Swallows | 14 | |||
2008–09 | Golden Arrows | 19 | |||
2009–10 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 17 | |||
2010–11 | Kaizer Chiefs | 17 | |||
2011–12 | Moroka Swallows | 20 | |||
2012–13 | Moroka Swallows | 13 | |||
2013–14 | Kaizer Chiefs | 10 | |||
2014–15 | Free State Stars | 14 | |||
2015–16 | Mpumalanga Black Aces | 14 | |||
2016–17 | Cape Town City | 13 | |||
2017–18 | Polokwane City | 11 | |||
2017–18 | Mamelodi Sundowns | 11 | |||
2018–19 | Black Leopards | 16 |
Awards won by nationality
Awards by club
Club | Total |
Moroka Swallows | 4 |
Kaizer Chiefs | 4 |
Manning Rangers | 3 |
Mamelodi Sundowns | 2 |
Orlando Pirates | 2 |
Bush Bucks | 1 |
Cape Town City | 1 |
Free State Stars | 1 |
Golden Arrows | 1 |
Jomo Cosmos | 1 |
Mpumalanga Black Aces | 1 |
Polokwane City | 1 |
Zulu Royals | 1 |
Black Leopards | 1 |