HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Accra Hearts Of Oak SC Celebrate 111 Birthday Today; Check Out Some Fascinating Facts About The Phobians
Accra Hearts of Oak was formed on 11th November, 1911 and it was the third football club in Gold Coast after Excelsior (1903 in Cape-Coast) and Invincibles (1910 in Accra)
It was formed to provide challenge to Invincibles, then the only football club in James Town.
Hearts of Oak is at the moment, the only existing Club out of 3 above-named, signifying its strength and character as the HEARTS OF AN OAK TREE, which is its emblem.
According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, an oak is a large tree that produces small nuts called acorns. The oak tree is not a single species; about 600 varieties exist worldwide.
Interestingly, oak trees can live up to 200 years or more, and mature trees have the capacity of absorbing more than 50 gallons of water in one day.
In the year 2004, the oak was officially declared as the National Tree of the United States of America, symbolizing the country’s sheer strength.
Founding fathers of the club
A group of young men led by Christopher Brandford Nettey (later Asafoatse Nettey), a war leader of the Ga State in the colonial times founded the club. The other founding members were Sinon-Okraku brothes (Adolf, Alfred and Wilhelm), J.T .O Ankrah, J.A Aryee, Dodoo Annang, Darku Abbey, Mark Nettey, the Solomon duo (Amponsah and Kwashie), the Bruce-Tagoe brothers (W.W and T.F), Willie Ocran, TF Wilson, JDK Botwe, FD Amoo, Peter Malm and Quarshie Coker, Akom Duncan.
II. In fact all the founders were the first players of the team.
III. 1st CAPTAIN: – They chose Saltpond-born Akom Duncan as their first playing captain.
Slogan: – Never Say Die
Motto/ Colours:
The Club’s colours have been red, yellow and blue with a heart embossed in the sterm of the Oak tree as a symbol. The motto “NEVER SAY DIE” reflects the art, science
Check out some fascinating facts about Accra Hearts of Oak:
1. Hearts of Oak is the 1st African Club to win the new format of the CAF Champions League since 1997 without loosing a match from the group stage to the finals thus the year 2000.
2. Hearts of Oak is the 1st African Club to accumulate 14 points in the Group Stage of the CAF Champions League since 1997 .
3. Hearts of Oak is the 1st African club to produce a player thus Emmanuel Osei Kuffour in the year 2000 to score 10 goals since the new format of the CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE in 1997.
4. Hearts of Oak is the first African club to break Esperance FC in Tunisia of it’s 29-year home invincibility in both Domestic & Caf African Competitions by
2- 1 in the 2000 CAF Champions League season with 10 against 11 players.
5. Hearts of Oak is the only African Club to win the CAF Champions League without any Foreign Player in their Squad List since the new format of the CAF Champions League in 1997.
6. The 1st and only Ghanaian club to produce a Ghanaian Coach to be awarded CAF African Coach of the Year thus Coach Jones Atuquayefio in the year 2000.
7. Hearts of Oak is the only Ghanaian club to play in the Group Stage of the CAF Champions League for four(4) times.
8. The first Ghanaian club to produce a topscorer in the CAF Champions League with 10 goals in a season thus Emmanuel Osei Kuffour in the 2000 CAF Champions League since the 1964/1965 season.
9. Hearts of Oak is the only club to produce a Ghanaian player with most goals in the CAF Champions League since 1964/1965 season thus Emmanuel Osei Kuffour with 20 goals from 1998-2005 followed by Rev. Osei Kofi from 1966-1973
and Emmanuel Clottey in 2012 with 12 goals each.
10. The only Ghanaian club with the LONGEST UNBEATEN STREAK since the inception of the Ghana Premier League in 1956 thus Forty- Six (46) MATCHES from Match day 19 in the 2002 season to Match day 4 in the 2004 season .
11. The only Ghanaian team with the LONGEST UNBEATEN STREAK in a single season thus 30 matches in the 2003 season.
12. The only Ghanaian club to produce nine (9) different TOPSCORERS thus Peter Lamptey 1973 season , Henry Acquah 1988/1989 season, Joe Fameye 1997/1998 season, Ismael Addo 1999, 2000 &2001 seasons, Charles Taylor 2002 season , Don Bortey 2002 season, Prince Tagoe 2005 season, Samuel Afum 2008/2009 season and Mahatma Otoo 2012/2013 season .
13. The first Ghanaian club to produce a topscorer for 3 consecutive seasons since the New Ghana Premier League in 1993/1994 season thus Ishmael Addo in 1999,2000& 2001.
14. The only Ghanaian club to produce Six(6) Ghana Footballer of the Year Awardees thus Mohammed Polo in 1975, Nketiah Yawson in 1979, Joe Odoi in 1984, Sam Johnson in 1996 , Emmanuel Osei Kuffour in 2000 and Charles Taylor in 2002.
15. The only Ghanaian Club to win the Ghana Premier League consecutively on six(6) different occasions thus 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002.
16. The only Ghanaian Club to win a Double which are the Ghana Premier League and FA Cup in a season on six (6) different occasions thus 1973, 1979, 1989/1990, 1999, 2000 & 2020/2021.
17. The only African Club to feature a Balon D’or Winner thus Sir Stanley Mathews as a Guest player to play a match dubbed ” Match Of The Century” against it’s arch rival thus Asante Kotoko in 1957 and won by 2-1.
18. The 1st and only Ghanaian club with Most Points in the Ghana Premier League since 1956 thus 78 POINTS in 1989/1990 & 2002 Seasons .
19. Hearts has won all the seven (7) Ghana Premier League Deciders against it’s arch rival Asante Kotoko thus 1961/1962, 1976, 1979, 1985, 1989/1990,
2004/2005, 2020/2021 Seasons.
20. The only Ghanaian club to play a friendly match against World Pele’s Santos FC of Brazil in 1969 which ended 2-2.
21. The only Ghanaian club to feature four(4) youngest players on different seasons in the Ghana Premier League at age 15 thus Mohammed Polo in 1972, Shamo Quaye in 1986 , Yaw Preko in 1989/1990 and Stephen Appiah in 1995/1996 Seasons.
22. The only Ghanaian club to produce Four(4) players who played the Ghana Senior National Team, Black Stars at age 16 thus Mohammed Polo in 1973, Shamo Quaye in 1987 , Yaw Preko in 1991 and Stephen Appiah in 1996.
23. Hearts is the Ghanaian club to produce the Deadliest Forwards of All-time since the inception of the Ghana Premier League in 1956 dubbed ” The Fearsome Five” namely Mohammed Polo, Robert Hammond, Mama Acquah, Anas Seidu and Peter Lamptey who terrorized teams in the 1970’s.
24. The first Ghanaian club to produce a player to play in Europe thus C.K.Gyamfi who played in the German Bundesliga for Fortuna Dosseldorf in 1960.
25. Hearts produced the first Captain of the Ghana National Team, The Gold Coast 11( Black Stars) from 1950- 1959 thus Emmanuel Christian Briandt who also captained Hearts of Oak for 10 years thus from 1949- 1959.
26. Hearts of Oak is the only Ghanaian club to have 2 of it’s former players to have received FIFA Award out of the 4 FIFA Awardees from Ghana thus Emmanuel Christian Briadnt with FIFA Centenary Award in 2004 for his Great Leadership and being the 1st Captain of the Ghana National Team for 9 years from 1950-1959 and Mohammed Polo with FIFA/COCA-COLA Award in 2006 for Breaking Barriers after Dawu Youngsters Goalkeeper Sumaila Abdalla in 2001 for FIFA Fair Play Award and Abedi Pele for FIFA 100 Award in 2004.
27. Hearts of Oak holds the All Time Record of 85 Trophies from FIFA , CAF and GFA National Titles as at August 2022 in the Ghanaian Football game.
They are as follows:
OFFICIAL TROPHIES OR MAJOR TROPHIES RECOGNIZED BY GFA , CAF and FIFA
– 43
Ghana Premier League – 21
Ghana FA Cup – 12
Ghana Champion of Champions / Super Cup – 7
CAF Champions League – 1
CAF Confederation Cup – 1
CAF Super Cup – 1
OTHER GFA NATIONAL TROPHIES OR MINOR TROPHIES – 42
Ghana SWAG Cup –
7
Ghana Telecom Gala- 4
GHALCA Special Cup – 3
Ghana Top Four – 3
Ghana Top Eight – 2
President’s Cup – 5
Independence Cup – 4
PLB Special Knockout – 1
June 4 Cup – 3
31st December Revolution Cup – 1
Accra Football League ( Guggisberg Shield)
– 6
Gold Coast Club Competition – 2
Black Stars Celebration Cup – 1
TOTAL ALL TIME TROPHIES FOR HEARTS OF OAK – 85 ( ALL-TIME RECORD)
28. Hearts of Oak is the only Ghanaian club to have produced the All-time youngest Topscorer in the Ghana Premier League at age 17 since 1956 thus Ishmael Addo in the 1999 Ghana Premier League.
29. Hearts of Oak is the 1st and only Ghanaian club with Forty Two (43) Official Trophies or Major Trophies recognized by GFA, CAF and FIFA as at August 2022 followed by Asante Kotoko with 40 Major Trophies.
30. Hearts of Oak is second to Asante Kotoko in terms of Minor Trophies or Other GFA National Trophies with 42 as against Asante Kotoko with 44.
31. Hearts of Oak is the 1st African team to be ranked 8th on the CNN WORLD FOOTBALL CHART which happened on February, 2001.
Our Hearts of Oak team of all-time
Sammy Adjei, Chris Briant (He was the first skipper of the Black Stars), Ofei Ansah, Jacob Netteh, Addo Odametey (Skipper of the Black Stars winning team of 1965) Adolf Armah (Part of Ghana’s AFCON winning team of 1978), Shamo Quaye, Emmanuel Osei Kuffour, Ishmael Addo, Mohammed Polo and Ofei Dodoo
Substitutes: Dodoo Ankrah, Dan Quaye, Amankwah Mireku,Hesse Odamtey Sanni Wahab, Dong Bortey, Peter Lamptey, Robert Hammond, Mama Acquah, Anas Seidu, Charles Allotey, Joe Ansah, Mahatma Otoo, C.K Gyamfi, Aggrey Fyn, Adu Darko, Charles Taylor.
criteria used to select Hearts’ finest are as follows:
(1) Position, national teams contribution, commitment and number seasons played for the club and individual brilliance
Story out together by pulse.com and Mr Hayford Boateng, Town Planning Officer, Ga-West Municipal Assembly Accra.
