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Cape Town - Ex-Bafana Bafana striker George Dearnaley has mourned the death of former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates striker Marc Batchelor.
News24 confirmed that Batchelor was shot multiple times through the driver's window of his car by two gunmen on motorbikes in Olivedale, Johannesburg on Monday night.
The 49-year-old died on the scene.
Batchelor was part of the Buccaneers squad that won the CAF Champions League title against ASEC Mimosas in a two-legged encounter in 1995.
In a series of Twitter posts, Dearnaley described the former striker as 'very passionate' and revealed that he fought for - and with - his team-mates.
"Firstly its MARC - he hated Mark. To his mates he was Batch. I sent him a whatsapp when I saw him at the Oscar trial - Hey Batch I see you are still on the bench! He called me straight away to tell me my jokes were still crap. #RIPBatch," the tweet read.
"Thanks. Not just mine, he was a proper football person back in the day. Very passionate about the game. Played with his heart on his sleeve. Fought for his teammates every week. Sometimes with them!!"
Dearnaley played three matches for Bafana Bafana between 1992-1993.
Meanwhile, tributes immediately started to stream in from former team-mates and fans of the striker who donned the No 25 jersey for both Soweto giants.
Firstly its MARC - he hated Mark. To his mates he was Batch. I sent him a whatsapp when I saw him at the Oscar trial - Hey Batch I see you are still on the bench! He called me straight away to tell me my jokes were still crap. #RIPBatch
— George ‘Madlinyoka’ Dearnaley ???? (@zulushark) July 15, 2019
Thanks. Not just mine, he was a proper football person back in the day. Very passionate about the game. Played with his heart on his sleeve. Fought for his teammates every week. Sometimes with them!!
— George ‘Madlinyoka’ Dearnaley ???? (@zulushark) July 15, 2019
