It’s been a decade of premier league soccer at the Kpando Sports Stadium. Volta Region has never seen premier league action until 2003 a decade after the inception of the professional league in 1993. Though the region had some quality teams like Ho Voradep, Agbozume Wivers, Kpando Mulpo, Juantex F/c, Home Stars and the likes, none could however break into the professional league. Ho Voradep F/C held the touch for decades for the region and conquered Ghana football with some thrilling actions at the Ho Sports Stadium, a quality side indeed! Soccer at the highest level in the region fizzled in to the oblivion after the wonder club of Volta, Voradep F/C slipped in to the doldrums.
Though no one dreamt of premier league soccer in the region when Hearts of Lions burst onto the scene in 2012 soccer season, things took a awesome turn when the team within its first year of existence attained a premier league birth.The business mogul bankroller Victor Ahiakpor really meant business when he said to himself “I want to own a team” The team played in the 2012 division one league in which they emerged atop in their group qualifying to the middle league. The middle league is one of the competitive in the lower divisions since it’s all about promotion into the premier league. Heart of Lions picked up one of the two spots for the 2012/2013 Premier league season. Massive investment from the Chairman made it possible for lions to secure premier league birth just after a year of it formation.
Kpando Sport Stadium which used to be the hub of sporting activities in the Volta Region came back to life after years in hibernation. The first season for Heart of Lions in the premier league was really an interesting one. They got a baptism of fire from King Faisal at the Baba Yara sports stadium in their first ever premier league game, they lost by four goal to one. Pundits and lovers of the game thought it was business as usual for newly promoted teams to get the whipping boys tag and probably get packing after the season. But that bitter lesson rather ossified their resolve to sit up and be counted among the contenders. They subsequently bounced back strongly to make a statement. They went ten straight matches unbeaten at home thereby carving a niche for Kpando as the lion’s den.
They eventually brought every team to their knees in the den, including that famous win over the then league leaders and the eventual winners of the league Kumasi Asante Kotoko. Kotoko was then on top form and had a fantastic season. They had gone unbeaten until the ninth week when their bubble got busted at Kpando. That match became huge and topical on the soccer landscape for some time. Lions managed to end the season at the eighth position. This was by far a splendid performance by debutantes considering the fact that the other team it gained promotion in to the premier league with, stay cool professional was relegated after the season.
The team grew from strength to strength in their quest to make a bigger statement as a firmly rooted club that has come to stay. They emerged among the top four in their second season and have since become a regular top four team in Ghana. They twice won the top four trophy becoming the third team to win the top four tournaments since its inception in 2003. One would remember the infamous “yenbo biem” controversy that dogged the top four tournaments in a match between Lions and Kotoko?
In 2005 Heart of Lions qualified for the CAF champions’ league but have to drop out at the last minute due to financial challenges and other logistical constrains. This attracted the wrath of CAF thereby earning them a two years ban with a fine. The team qualified for the CAF champion’s league three years later after serving the ban. They were then ready to compete at the highest level in Africa, they took the chance but crushed out in the group stage in their first ever attempt.
Due to the poor and non-existent facilities at the Kpando Sports Stadium, Lions were denied the use of their den. The home ground did not meet CAF standard for champions’ leagues soccer so the region was rob of the opportunity to host Africa’s top league. Accra sports stadium became the only choice and some of us blamed our early exit on the venue though a top club shouldn’t be seen giving such excuses but I believe the home grounds adds a spackle to the team. No matter how Fulham and Stoke city are seen struggling in the EPL, every team visit the Craven Cottage and Britannia with their tails in between their legs.
The contribution of Heart of lions to the success of the various national teams especially the black stars cannot be over-emphasized. The team since its inception produced top class players who competed and are still competing in top leagues all over the world. In the past decade, talented players likes of Haminu Dramani, Samuel Yeboah, Emmanuel Banahene, Jerry Akamenko, John Boye, Obed Ansah, Gladson Awako etc. donned the national Jersey. The 2011 world under 20 player of the year Dominic Adiyah was a product of hearts of lions. Heart of lions also produced foreign stars like Komla Amewu who went ahead to feature for the Togolese National team.
Heart of Lions has seen all therein in top level football within the decade but for one regret! Though so close on several occasions the league diadem became elusive as the grail. It is not late nevertheless the moment is nigh and our beloved team will soon drop the icing on the beautiful cake they have already prepared before us.
On this occasion of our 10th anniversary of premier league soccer, I will graciously use this opportunity to call for more support for the team. A football team is nothing without a support base. Support can also take different forms. It can come in attendance and cheering the team during matches, it can come in financial and material form; it can also come in moral and psychological form. All these combined with the right investment will make any club an adamant rock to permeate. And for us fans to continue savouring from the beautiful soccer of Heart of Lions then we must arise and root the club deeper in Ghanaian football with all our support. It is time to give back to our club and strengthen Mr. Victor Ahiakpor to build Africa’s biggest team.
As stakeholders of Heart of Lions, we should all be proud to see our club own its own stadium and training facility in the next decade and this can only be achieved when we take keen and active interest in the development of the club. I will also appeal to the management of the club to put in place an attractive scheme to draw supporters and investors alike in a well-coordinated manner. Management must from time to time engage fans for stakeholder-meetings to increase its committed fan base.The club under the able leadership of Victor Ahiakpor brokered some good partnership deals abroad which are critical to the development of the club. Building partnership both home and abroad is definitely the way to go! I wish the lions family a happy anniversary.
Long live Heart of Lion! Long live the Dzata Klub!!!
Authored By
Franklin Yayra Adorsu-Djentuh
yayrafranklin@yahoo.com
www.yayrafranklin.wordpress.com