The formation
of Kumasi Asante Kotoko was
engineered by one Kwasi Kumah, an Ashanti from Nyankyerenease near Kwadaso, a
suburb of Kumasi. He was the chauffeur of an English soldier called Colonel
Ross in the colonial days. Soccer historians give Kwasi Kumah credit for having
returned from Accra to begin the formation of this football club named Ashanti United in 1924, which was
renamed Kumasi Titanics 5 years
later.
The team was
to an extent handicapped because most of the players worked in government
institutions like the Prison Service and the Railway Corporation and were
transferred from Kumasi to other areas. In 1934 Titanics had a new name, Mighty Atoms. Still the club did not
see much progress and in 1935, J.S.K. Frimpong, popularly called Teacher
Frimpong, then a teacher of the Kumasi Government School organized some boys
from his school and proposed a name change from Titanics to Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.
Permission
was sought from the Asantehene because the name "Kotoko", meaning
"Porcupine" is the official symbol of the Ashanti Kingdom.Out of that
lineage, KUMASI ASANTE KOTOKO FOOTBALL
CLUB was subsequently founded in 1935. Consequently, Otumfuo Nana Sir Osei
Agyemang Prempeh II, the then Asantehene, became the first Life Patron of the
Club.
According to
the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS), an
international organization recognized by FIFA, Asante Kotoko was Africa’s best club of the 20th century.
This is no fluke as the club can boast of a number of trophies won both home
and abroad, which is unprecedented in the annals of any Ghanaian club. Kumasi Asante Kotoko is the only club
in Ghana to have won the league trophy for a record 21 times. Kotoko has won
the African champions league on two occasions in 1970 and 1983, and were
runners-up in 1967, 1973, 1982 and 1993.
Again, Kotoko were runners-up in the Africa
Cup Winners Cup and the maiden edition of the CAF Confederations Cup in 2002 and
2004 respectively. There are also quite a number of domestic trophies to Kotoko's
name, which is obviously the envy of many soccer clubs.
Throughout
its history, the club has had the privilege of having very talented players
donning the famous red jersey of the one and only “Soccer University”. Numerous players who are fortunate enough to have
been associated with this great club in one way or the other are recognized
worldwide as great players who can compete on any level in professional
football.
Nevertheless,
Asante Kotoko could be said to have
shown tremendous foresight in player transfers in the country - a phenomenon
that is now common practice in professional soccer globally.
Indeed in
1969, Osei Kofi a product of Asante
Kotoko soccer school of excellence was offered a transfer fee of over
Thirty-Thousand pounds sterling (£30,000), an amount that was among the highest
for any player in that era. Indeed Osei Kofi is recognized in some soccer
circles as arguably the best African soccer player of all time, and certainly
the best ever produced by Ghana.
Apart from
Osei Kofi, the list of other illustrious Asante
Kotoko players is certainly an exhaustive one, including outstanding ones
like, C.K. Gyamfi, Baba Yara, Kwame Adarkwa, Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, Mohammed
Salisu, Robert Mensah, Ibrahim Sunday, Malik “Johnny” Jabir, Dan Oppong, James
Kuuku Dadzie, “Golden Boy” Abdul Razak, Opoku Afriyie “Bayie”, “Lord Zico” Opoku
Nti, Ernest Papa Arko, Albert Asaase, Addae Kyenkyehene, Francis Kumi, Frimpong
Manso, Joe Debrah, the current Black Stars Coach and his Assistant, Akwasi
Appiah and Maxwell Konadu respectively among a host of other notable names.
These were
fantastic players who took Ghana and Africa by storm for decades, conquering
every team that came their way. It is no gainsaying that every Ghanaian
footballer wants to be associated with the Kumasi
Asante Kotoko brand, and Gideon Baah, a member of the current squad clearly
underscores this point…
Asante Kotoko boasts of
the largest fanatical supporter base in Ghana, and one of the clubs with the
largest army of supporters in Africa. Football fanatics around the world who
know anything about club soccer in Africa obviously know more about KUMASI ASANTE KOTOKO and what it stands
for. Undeniably, the success of the club hinges on its massive following
ranging from the fanatical brand to the genuine sympathizers.
There are
indeed salient facts that underline Asante
Kotoko’s supremacy in Ghanaian and African soccer, and of course which lend
credence to the status of Kumasi Asante
Kotoko as the most Fabulous Club of Ghana and Africa.
The history and
achievements of the club has elevated its place in society beyond the world of
soccer. Asante Kotoko is a phenomenal
institution, and the aura which surrounds the club is one of mystery. Over the
years, the various management teams of Asante
Kotoko have always recognized the substantial contributions and sacrifices
made by the supporters of the club.
Undeniably,
Fabulous Kumasi Asante Kotoko has
emblazoned Ghana's name in soccer records than any other Ghanaian club. Asante Kotoko has over the years been
often recognized as the peerless pioneers for their contributions to the
development and popularity of the game in Ghana and Africa as a whole.
For instance,
during Asante Kotoko's first tour of
Europe in the late1960's, the team helped immensely to introduce soccer brewed
in the African pot to the rest of the world through the individual brilliance
of the players, the quality of soccer and the excellent organization
demonstrated by the club’s management. Indeed the former Director of Sports in
Ghana, Mr. Ohene Djan, aptly described Asante
Kotoko FC as: "...The club over whose popularity the sun will never
set".
It is worth
noting that Asante Kotoko's numerous
achievements did not happen by accident. Since the club was placed under the
custody of the then Asantehene Otumfuo Sir Osei Agyemang Prempeh II, his
successors have all provided worthy ownership, leadership and guidance to the
team.
Thus, the Asantehenes have been crucial anchors of peace and stability
for the team in an era where many teams have experienced turmoil in leadership,
and several other teams are now defunct, as a result of leadership crises.
Over the
years, the club has had the honour and privilege to be guided by several
patrons, executive chairmen, directors and other administrators, who are
visionaries in soccer philosophies and artistry; and have shown dedicated service
to the cause and progress of the club.
Among the most distinguished soccer
leaders who have graced the helm of Asante Kotoko's affairs include, Dr.
Dzane-Selby, I.J Moukarzel, Simms Kofi Mensah, Ernest Yaw Bawuah, Ofori Nuako
(Paa O), J.A. Kufour, Herbert Mensah, P.V. Obeng, S.S. Appiah, Assad Mallah(
Mr. Kotoko), E.K. Adu, George Aduse-Poku (Georgido), Nana Yaw Owusu, Sylvester
Asare-Owusu, among others.
The immense
success of the team has also depended to a large extent several distinguished technical
handlers notably Ben Kuofie, C.K. Gyamfi, Aggrey-Fynn, Asebi Boakye, Rev. Osei Kofi,
Malik Jabir, Ibrahim Sunday, E.K. Afranie, Maxwell Konadu and the likes.
Nevertheless, inasmuch as the achievements
have been many, there has also been myriad of challenges. Therefore, in the
effort to restore the club to its rightful place, the true supporters and
teeming followers of the club must take advantage of the 77th
anniversary of this great club to join in the "journey to victory",
with the express support of the Life Patron, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the
Executive Chairman Dr. KK Sarpong.
Now is the
time! Now is the hour! Let all the Porcupine Warriors arise and shine! Asante
Kotoko will prevail and succeed! Fabulous, The Best! Fabulous, The Greatest!!
LONG LIVE KUMASI ASANTE KOTOKO
LONG
LIVE OTUMFUO OSEI TUTU II
LONG
LIVE DR.KK SARPONG
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