Portadown are delighted to announce that midfielder Katlego Mashigo has agreed a new, one year contract with the club.
Mashigo (21), joined the club in January 2022 and made 11 appearances as he played his part in the club retaining their Premiership status.
Born in Pretoria Shoshanguve, South Africa the young midfielder moved to the Republic of Ireland at the age of 5 with his father to join his mum who’d got a job opportunity in the Emerald Isle but got homesick.
Starting his football career with Phoenix FC at the age of 6 the South African would remain with the Dublin club until the age of 13 before joining St Kevin’s Boys, a club who produced Premier League players such as Robbie Brady, Damien Duff and Jeff Hendrick.
The midfielder would sign for English League One club Fleetwood Town in 2017 spending time at their academy with their U-18s and making his debut for their U-23 side at the age of 17 before returning back to the League of Ireland with Bohemians in 2019 and having subsequent spells at Waterford and Athlone Town.
He has represented the Republic of Ireland at U15 and U16 level within training camps and has also received a call up to the South Africa under 20 squad in August 2019 for the 2020 All Africa Games Finals in Morocco.
On penning a new deal at Shamrock Park Katlego said
First of all I want to say I’m delighted to get everything done and a big thank you to the Paul, Neil, Trevor and all the staff for giving me this opportunity & the fans for the amazing support.
When I first came I was welcomed with open arms and was given the opportunity to play and express myself, the fans where top class from the day I came in and it was a easy decision to stay.
The fans really have taken me in and seeing the South African flag around the side during matches & seeing fans waving it during games gives you external motivation to really kick on and give your all. It’s massively important that the fans get behind us as a team because at times it could be the difference between winning or losing on a Saturday.