Accra Hearts of Oak SC

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Hearts of Oak Sporting Club

Full name Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club

Nickname(s) Phobia

Founded 11 November 1911

Ohene Djan Stadium

Ground
(Capacity: 40,000)

Chairman Steven Akwetey

Manager Frank Nelson Nwokolo

Coach Ayman El Yamani

League Ghana Premier League

2008/09 Ghana Premier League, 1st

 Away colours
Home colours
For other meanings see Hearts of Oak

Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club, commonly referred to as Hearts of Oak or just Hearts, is
an association football club based in Accra, Ghana.

Contents
[hide]

• 1 History
• 2 The early years
• 3 Tragedy
• 4 Records
• 5 Glory years of 2000
• 6 Honours
• 7 Performance in CAF competitions
• 8 Memorable squads
• 9 Current players – 2009/2010
• 10 Famous players
• 11 Other notable players
• 12 Former head coaches
• 13 Former chairmen
• 14 References

• 15 External links

[edit] History
Hearts have been among Ghana and Africa's pre-eminent clubs since their founding and have
been very successful since the formation of a Ghanaian football league in 1956 having collected
the league title 21 times. Their great rivals, Asante Kotoko of Kumasi, have been champions 21
times.

[edit] The early years

The club was formed in 1911 and was the second team to be founded in Accra after the
Invincibles. They are the oldest existing club in Ghana. The club was, in the most part, trained by
Ackom Duncan, who would also become the team's first captain. Other members of the fledgling
club were J.T. Ankrah (father of Ghana boxing great, Roy Ankrah), and C.B. Nettey, who was
later to become the chairman of the Ghana Football Association. Hearts first match would come
on November 11, 1911 against the Invincible[1].

Hearts of Oak won their first major match in 1922 when Sir Gordon Guggisberg, governor of the
Gold Coast, founded the Accra Football League. Hearts won 6 out of 12 seasons in this league.
In 1956, Hearts joined the Ghanaian football league and have flourished since[2]. Their vice
chairman was Mr Robert Hayfron.

[edit] Tragedy
Hearts suffered a great tragedy on May 9, 2001 when 126 people died in Africa's worst
footballing disaster while watching a match between Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko. Trouble
started when supporters of Asante Kotoko began ripping out seats in an act of hooliganism in
protest at a goal allowed by the referee for Hearts of Oak, which they believe should have been
disallowed for offside. Police reacted by firing tear gas into the crowd, it has been suggested that
this was an over-reaction. Reports suggest that the gates to the ground were locked and that the
rush to escape the tear gas was a contributory factor to the death toll. A commission inquiry
strangely failed to indict the hooligans in its report[3].

[edit] Records
Accra Hearts of Oak have won both major current CAF trophies despite never winning any of
the older incarnations of the CAF competitions. They are the only team in Ghana to have won
the league on six consecutive occasions (1997–2002).

On winning the league title in 2009, Hearts are now tied with their rivals Asante Kotoko for the
most overall titles (21). With 9 championships, Hearts have won one more FA cup titles than
their arch rivals Kotoko.

[edit] Glory years of 2000

In 2000, Accra hearts of oak had the perfect campaign by winning the Ghana FA cup, the Ghana
premier league and the CAF champions league. It however came after an unconvincing start to
the season when they lost the J.O.T. Agyemang cup to the main arch rivals Asante Kotoko F.C.
at the Accra sports stadium in January 2000 and were also eliminated in the preliminary stages of
the Guinness Gala 2000. Their season did kick off after the return of Ishmael Addo from trials in
Europe and the controversial signing of Charles Asampong Taylor. They inflicted a 4:0 defeat on
their main arch rivals Asante Kotoko F.C. on their way to winning the league with several
matches to spare.

In the CAF champions league which they had never won before, they managed to embark on an
almost flawless campaign losing only one game in Kinshasa to DC Motema Pembe of Congo
DR. In the two-legged final of the tournament, Hearts of oak beat Espérance Sportive de Tunis of
Tunisia in the first leg by 2:1 at the El Menzah stadium ending Esperance's 41 year long
unbeaten home record (in continental competition). In the second leg, Hearts of oak beat
Esperance 3:1 at the Accra Accra sports stadium in a match marred by disturbances from the
home fans and a self inflicted injury by Chokri El Ouaer.

On February 2001, they topped off a perfect campaign with a 2:0 victory against Zamalek club
of Egypt at the Kumasi Sports stadium in Ghana to win the Africa super cup

[edit] Honours
• CAF Confederation Cup: 1

2004

• CAF Champions League: 1

2000...Runners-up 1977,1979.

• Ghanaian League Champions: 21

1956, 1958, 1961/62, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985, 1989/90, 1996/97,
1997/98, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004/05, 2005, 2006/07, 2009

• Ghanaian FA Cup: 9

1973, 1974, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1999, 2000

• Ghana SWAG Cup: 7

1973, 1974, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1984, 1985

• Ghana Telecom Gala: 4

1974, 1976, 1986, 1998/99

 • Ghana Top Four Cup: 3

2002, 2006, 2010

• PLB Special Knock-out: 1

• Ghana Annual Republic Day Cup: 1

2002

• African Super Cup Champions: 1

2001

[edit] Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League: 10 appearances

1998 – Group Stage 2001 – First Round 2004 – Third Round

1999 – Group Stage 2002 – First Round 2005 – First Round
2000 – Champion 2003 – Second Round 2006 – Group Stage
2008 – Preliminary
Round

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 8 appearances

1972: Semi-Final 1979: Finalist 1986: Quarter-Final

1974: Quarter-Final 1980: Quarter-Final 1991: First Round
1977: Finalist 1985: Second Round

• CAF Confederation Cup: 1 appearance

2004 – Champion

• CAF Cup: 1 appearance

1993 – Second Round

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 5 appearances

1982 – Semi-Final
1988 – withdrew in First Round
1990 – Quarter-Final
1995 – Quarter-Final
1997 – Second Round
[edit] Memorable squads
• 1977 Team – Beat Mufulira Wanderers of Zambia 3 – 0 (Miracle of El-Wak)

Sam Suppey, Aryee Quaye, Ofei Ansah, Sarpei Nunnoo, Anthony Micah, Adolf Armah,
Mahama "Acquah" Musah (Captain), Peter Lamptey, Anas Seidu, Robert Hammond,
Mohammed Ahmed "Polo", Paul Annan, Bashiru Gambo, Addo Quarcoo, Yusif Salifu, Tanko
Ayuba, Douglas Tagoe

Head Coach: Charles Addo Odametey

Club President: Tommy Thompson

• 1979 Team – Africa Clubs Cup Competition – Runners-up

Sam Suppey, Ofei Ansah, Hesse Odamtten, Nii Noi Thompson, Justice Moore, Adolf Armah*,
John Nketsia Yawson, Robert Hammond (Captain), Kingston Asabre, Anas Seidu, Douglas
Tagoe, Paul Annan, Anthony Micah, Simons Awuah

• Adolf Armah was voted Africa's 2nd Best Player of the Year

Head Coach: Charles Addo Odametey

Club President: Tommy Thompson

• 1987 Team - "The Musical Youth" - Hearts Youthful Team That Rocked Ghana
Soccer

Sam Abbeyquaye, NanaBenyin Crentsil, Fred Akuffo, Ben Adjei, Anyetei Sowah, Thomas
Quaye, Joe Addo (Captain), Ahmed Oguaa, Paul Adjoda, Eben Dugbartey, Amponsah Doddoo,
Edward "Santrofi" Acquah, Eric Mensah, Adjetey Sowah, Ablade Kumah, Sowah Ghartey,
Shamo Quaye, Razak Adjinie, Lawrence "Adu Beilah" Annan

Head Coach: Cobinnah

Club President: Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe

• 2000 Team '64 Battalion'- Africa Champions League and SuperCup Winners

Sammy Adjei, Yaw Amankwah Mireku, Jacob Nettey (Captain), Edward Agyeman-Duah,
Stephen Tetteh, Lawrence Adjah-Tetteh, Charles Allotey, Joe Ansah, Ishmael Addo, Emmanuel
Osei Kuffour*, Charles Asampong Taylor, Eben "Dida" Armah, James Nanor, Dan Quaye,
Justice Ampah, Edmund Copson, James Zoglo, Emmanuel Donkor, Emmanuel Adjogu, Maouas
Kwame Ali.

• Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour was top scorer in the Champions League Competition

 • Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour "General", Charles Kwaku Asampong "Taylor", Bernard Dong
Bortey "Dada Diouf/Serial Killer" and Ishmael Addo formed the much dreaded 64
Battalion. This squad won all there is to win in Africa that year in a surreal fashion. They
traveled to Tunis for the first leg of the 2000 Champions League. After going down by a
goal early in the game, they came back to score two late goals over an Espérance team
that hadn't lost at home for that year. The return league was even better. An Espérance
early goal had subdued the home fans to fear and total silence before the 'Battalion'
staged a three-goal comeback to wrap up as winners, piercing fear into the hearts of all
the African clubs in the process. When the once continental lords – Egypt's Zamalek SC
– came to Ghana to meet Hearts for the Super Cup, the fear in the visiting side was so
evident as they succumbed to a 2 nil defeat amidst a plague of attacks from the Phobians.
Hearts' performance geared them to the 8th place in world club ranking for that period.
Some football minds even believed their form could be one of the reasons FIFA scratched
it's World Club Championship tournament for that year to calm the fears of European
teams suffering humiliation at the hands of the African conquerors. That theory is still yet
to be proven though but one thing was clear: the '64 Battalion' were just dangerous!

Head Coach: Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio

Club President: Harry Zakour

• 2004 Team – Confederations Cup Inaugural Winners – Beat Compatriots, Asante

Kotoko in Finals

Sannie Mohammed, Dan Quaye, Amankwah Mireku (Captain), Acquah Harrison, Michael
Donkor, Francis Bossman, Adjah Tetteh, Lawrence Adjei, Louis Agyemang, Prince Tagoe,
Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Dong Bortey, Ablade Morgan.

Head Coach: Sir Cecil Jones Attuquayefio

Club President: Tommy Okine (Nii Ayi Bonte II)

[edit] Current players – 2009/2010

Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one
non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player No. Position Player

GK Sammy Adjei MF Torric Jebrin
GK Philemon McCarthy MF Ken Korlie
GK Laud Quartey MF Suleman Masawudu
GK Baba Sampana MF Esme Mends
GK Lugard Tetteh MF Douglas Nkrumah
DF David Annas MF Peter Oduro Kwarteng
 DF Kwabena Boafo MF Joshua Otto
DF Mohammed Haruna MF Eric Owusu
DF Rakibu Issah MF Charles Taylor
DF David Kotey MF Mohammed Tuah Khamis
DF Jonathan Mantey MF Frank Yeboah
DF Bawa Mumuni FW Ishmael Addo
DF Mohamed Tetteh Nortey FW Kofi Abanga
DF Noah Ofori Razak FW Samuel Affum
DF Richard Osei Bonsu FW Davis Amoquandoh
DF Daniel Owusu FW John Kwaku Ampong
MF Elvis Adu Acheampong FW Rich Adika
MF Stephen Adjei FW Felix Baffoe
MF Karimu Alhassan (Captain) FW Ekow Ghansah
MF Theophilus Apoh Owutey FW Kwabena Kwakye
MF Obed Ansah FW Alhaji Alhassan Mohammed
MF James Antwi FW Emmanuel Ziem
MF Jonathan Ghansah

[edit] Famous players

All popular players of the club[4]

• Sammy Adjei • Bernard Dong Bortey

• Lawrence Adjei • Daniel Coleman
• Ishmael Addo • Ibrahim Dossey
• Joe Addo • Robert Foley
• Opoku Afriyie • Eric Gawu
• Louis Agyemang • Robert Hammond
• Mohammed Ahmed Polo
• Yaw Amankwah Mireku •
• Anthony Annan
• Stephen Appiah
• Sebastian Barnes

• Kwabena Boafo