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Ghana Premier League powerhouse, Hearts of Oak is celebrating its 109 years today, November 11, 2020.
The club club was founded on 11 November 1911. Hearts of Oak won their first major match in 1922 when Sir Gordon Guggisberg, governor of the Gold Coast, founded in Accra the Accra Football League.
The Phobians won 6 out of 12 seasons in this league. In 1956, Hearts joined the Ghanaian football league and have flourished since.
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In the year 2000, Hearts of Oak won the Ghana FA cup, the Ghana Premier League and for the first time in their history the CAF Champions League.
This was the most successful year in the Clubs’ history.
On May 9, 2001, 127 people died in Africa’s worst footballing disaster. During a match between rivals, Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko.
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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. The match was officiated by referee J.Wilson Sey from Cape Coast.
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 the stadium was not up to FIFA standards. The rush to escape the tear gas was a contributory factor to the death toll. A commission inquiry, indicted six police officers in its initial report, but they were not convicted as it was deemed that the deaths could have been caused by the stampede instead of the year gas.
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In terms of honours, Hearts of Oak have won 20 Ghana Premier League titles, 10 Ghana FA Cup trophies, 2 Ghana Super Cups, 1 CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup.
The team currently plays its home matches at the Accra Sports Stadium with Edward Nii Odoom as the head coach.
