South African lawyer Santosh Ponen hails city as ‘football place’ after Inverness Thistle appointment
South African football “legal eagle” Santosh Ponen believes fate has brought him to Inverness to play his part in the revival of one of the city’s oldest football dynasties.
Named this week as one half of Inverness Thistle’s new Sporting Director pairing, the Durban native’s expertise in law and love for football have become synonymous throughout his career.
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Having grown up on the ‘back-end’ of Apartheid, Santosh did not experience the full extent of the regime - but the 47-year-old readily admits he was greatly influenced by anti-apartheid activist, lawyer and politician, Nelson Mandela.
So much so that he was inspired to take up a career in law - one that would ultimately see him become embroiled in the country’s football scene.
The decision to play football, he explains, was all but made for him at the age of just six years old.
“In South Africa, if you are white, usually you played rugby, or cricket,” he said. “And if you are non-white you played soccer or football, as we played.
“Sport was still along a racial line, although it is very different now.
“I started playing at the age of six, and was playing senior football by the age of fifteen. As someone of Indian descent, I played mostly with people of the same origin.
“That’s just how it was because of the history of the country, but after Apartheid the league started integrating.
“So, for me, rather than just playing with people of my same race, after I went to trial for my university team, I became the only Indian player in an all-black team.
“We were playing a semi-professional level and I was fortunate to see a lot of South Africa, playing in tournaments and traveling. It was there I was exposed to football, proper coaching, and football administration.
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“At university, initially I wanted to do electrical engineering but I later converted to law, completing a BA in legal studies and politics and then a post-graduate LLB, qualifying as a lawyer.
“Around that time I met my first wife who secured a teaching job in the East End of London, and that took us to the UK.”
Mr Ponen went on to live in England for seven years, becoming a passionate supporter of West Ham United while going on to complete his first coaching badges and playing recreationally when he could.
He returned to South Africa just before the World Cup hit the nation in 2010.
After taking in the opportunity to see some of the world’s top football stars dazzle to the tune of the vuvuzela, a move back to his hometown of Durban saw his love affair with the game move up a gear.
Known locally for his legal experience, the Durban & District FA elected Santosh to its executive committee, and after moving into a new career in teaching, he started to “give back” by coaching youth and school teams.
As his presence grew, he was then headhunted by the South African FA to provide consultancy on legal matters, as a prosecutor and judge for the Ethekwini region in Kwa-Zulu Natal.
These days, as well as balancing a commitment as a supporter liaison officer for West Ham, he finds himself living in Inverness - via Fort Augustus - and is preparing to spearhead the revival of one of Inverness’s oldest football names.
“I had moved to Fort Augustus, but it is not a football town, there it is shinty. Also, when winter comes, hours are cut.
“After being made redundant I moved further north. When I saw the Inverness Thistle opportunity arise, I applied and I was successful. Sometimes fate brings you to a place. Coming to Inverness, I can see it is a football place.”
Alongside cohort Stuart Fraser, Santosh has been tasked with leading the sporting endeavours of the revived Inverness Thistle FC, after the upstart club launched a recruitment campaign last month.
One of his first jobs will be to assemble a management team to lead the reformed outfit, while also engaging with the Inverness community.
He added: “You know, sometimes in football, fate happens. I am quite excited. For me, it’s about job satisfaction and giving back.
“I am very glad to be sharing the role as this is a huge task. Although I have worked in football, I have not worked in a sporting director role. I know bits and pieces so it will be a learning curve for me. So it will be about working together, and to our strengths.
“I can see that there is a lot of work ahead, but I can also see that it is a blank canvas. When you look at the history and the club’s re-emergence. We have a thousand followers on social media already.
“For me, I grew up in a community that revolved around football. Families would be there, watching the local team or their kids play.
“That’s where I see the club going. I understand the values, the fundraising and developing opportunities to break down barriers to football that you normally see.
“I am not overly religious, but I believe that what is due to you comes at a certain time. The universe gives you what you do. You just need to wait for it.
“In the interim, as human beings our role on this earth is to do good, and be good, and if we can’t help someone, at least not hurt them.”