Accra Hearts of Oak S.C - history, facts, and stats
Accra Hearts of Oak S.C is Ghana's oldest football club. Additionally, it is amongst the most celebrated in the country because of their triumphs locally and abroad. The football club, affectionately nicknamed Phobia, has been a significant part of Ghana's pre-eminent clubs, bringing home numerous trophies. Indeed, they have quenched the country's and continent's appetite for impressive football tactics at the field with their amazing play in various instances.
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Abroad, African players, who make it to the top-tier club, are revered as some of the best, moulded by dominant clubs with great African roots. And Accra Hearts of Oak is one such academy of football giants. The team has been very successful since the formation of the Ghanaian football league in 1956. What is the club's story?
Quick facts about Accra Hearts of Oak S.C
- Founded: November 11, 1911, 109 years ago
- Home ground: Accra Sports Stadium
- Capacity: 40,000 people
- Nickname: Phobia
- Rivals: Longest established rivals Asante Kotoko S.C and city rivals Accra Great Olympics FC
- Premier League cup titles (20): 1956, 1958, 1961–62, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1989–90, 1996–97, 1997–98, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009
- FA Cup titles (10 titles): 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1990 (After winning a protest that declared them winners), 1993–94, 1995–96, 1999, 2000
- Honours: 2004 CAF Confederation Cup winners, 2001 CAF Super Cup Champions, In 2000 the club won the trio thus Ghana FA cup, the Ghana Premier League and the CAF Champions League Ghana Super Cup (2 trophies) 1997/1998
Accra Hearts of Oak history
Accra Hearts of Oaks S.C was founded in 1911 when young men from Ussher Town in Accra came together. They all had a single desire of creating a team to challenge the only one existing in Accra at the time called, The Invincibles.
The club consisted of young men primarily from the James Town area. Duncan, a young man from Saltpond, became the club's first captain and catapulted it to stardom by implementing various training techniques. The team adorned their first Jersey on November 11, 1911, officially becoming a club in Ghana.
Accra Hearts of Oak S.C altered its football jersey colours in 1917. Bruce Tagoe came up with the rainbow colours of blue, red, and yellow. They ordered jerseys from Manchester, UK. The unveiling of the new Accra Hearts of Oak jersey happened during their match with their old rivals, The Invincibles whereby they won via a solitary goal.
It wasn’t until 1922 that the Accra Hearts of Oak S.C won their first major triumph, the Guggisberg Shield. This shield was established in 1920 when the then Governor of the Gold Coast, Sir Gordon Guggisberg donated a shield for the Accra football league.
The team continued their domination of the football scene in Ghana by winning six out of twelve competitions. They are the custodians of the trophy, winning the last one in 1954.
Phenomenal achievements of the 2000s
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How many trophies has Accra Hearts of Oak won? Indeed, the 2000s have been great for the Hearts of Oak as they have won many trophies. They have acquired the Ghana FA Cup, the Ghana Premier League and the CAF Champions League.
The football club has been recognized as the only team in Africa to play the CAF Champions League unbeaten and the only Ghanaian club to win the league the most consecutive times (six, 1972 – 2002).
Accra Hearts of Oak players
What is the current squad of the Ghanaian club Heart of Oak? Although players often change during the transfer season, the following are the current club players for the 2020/2021 season:
- Ben Mensah – Goalkeeper
- Richard Ayi – Goalkeeper
- Richard Baidoo – Goalkeeper
- Richard Attah – Goalkeeper
- Mohammed Alhassan – Defender
- Raddy Machel Kokemba – Defender
- Fatawu Mohammed (Capt.) – Defender
- Robert Addo Sowah – Defender
- Sumaila Larry Ibrahim – Defender
- Dankyi William Ntori – Defender
- James Serwornu – Defender
- Nuru Sule – Defender
- Manaf Umar – Midfielder
- Aminu Alhassan – Midfielder
- Kotey Afutu Benjamin – Midfielder
- Michelle Saprong – Midfielder
- Dominic Eshun – Midfielder
- Abdourahamane Mamane – Midfilder
- Fredrick Ansah Botchway – Midfielder
- Emmanuel Nettey – Midfielder
- Abdul Aziz Nurudeen – Midfilder
- Daniel Kordie – Midfilder
- Eric Dizan – Forward
- Ademola Kuti – Forward
- Abednego Tetteh – Forward
- Daniel Afriyie Barnie – Forward
Who is the owner of Accra Hearts of Oak?
Togba Afede XIV is the current board chairman of the Accra Hearts of Oak football club and has Frank Nelson Nwokolo as a board member. The club has an efficient management system that consists of a Chief Executive Officer, Communications Manager, Chief Commercial Officer, and other managerial positions.
This well-structured management system ascertains that the oldest football club in Ghana recruits good players and appropriately runs its football and financial affairs.
Accra Hearts of Oak Pobiman project
Accra Hearts of Oak S.C, like numerous other football clubs all over the globe, has been involved in various projects that seek to build better foundations. One of the most recent and most notable ones is the Pobiman project.
The successful Ghanaian club secured GHC 4.5 million from GT Bank in June 2020 for the Pobiman project. They also signed a deal with a local construction company called K.A Estates Construction Company Limited to start work on the facility. The local firm's role was only to complete the substructure.
After the project's first phase ends, a Turkish contractor called Prefabax Yapi Teknolojileri San Ve Tic Ltd (STL) will commence the second and final phase.
The Pobiman project is an ultramodern training complex. When concluded, it will include staff residence, senior housing units, gym, training centres (pitches), laundry, lockers, swimming pools, toilet facilities, kitchen and dining hall.
Accra Hearts of Oak song
Source: Facebook
Arose, arose, arose, be quiet and don't be silly, we are the famous Hearts of Oak, we never say die… The famous Accra Hearts of Oak anthem is very popular.
Fans chant it during football matches with great enthusiasm. Indeed, it gives players motivation when facing fierce rivals, and over time, it has become one of the most popular amongst football clubs in Ghana. It is even blasted in nightclubs and political events as it has been recognized as an adrenaline booster.
The Accra Hearts of Oak S.C has positioned itself as one of the most successful teams in Ghana. Their anthem is also viral, and rivals have even confessed that the song is a great motivator. The team's rich history and decorated trophy cabinet is something that any player and fan celebrate every day.
Yen.com.gh on December 18, 2020, featured an interesting article about the sacking of The Porcupine Warriors head coach for non-performance. The club hired Maxwell Konadu in 2019 to help them win the domestic league.
Maxwell is a decorated individual having won gold as the assistant coach of Ghana’s Men Olympic team at the All-Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique in 2011. His ouster came as a shock to many that hoped he would elevate the team.
Source: YEN.com.gh
