1. FOUNDED: 11th November, 1911

2. FOUNDERS:

 I. A group of young men led by Christopher Brandford Nettey (later Asafoatse Nettey), a war leader of the Ga State in the colonial times. His other colleagues include the 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.

3. It was the third football club in Ussher Town the then Gold Coast after Excelsior (1903 in Cape-Coast) and Invincibles (1910 in Accra) to provide challenge to a club called Invincibles, then the only football club in James Town.
It 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.

4. SLOGAN: WAY HEARTS – NEVER SAY DIE

5. MOTTO/EMBLEM/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 and reality that the Oak tree is very strong and tough in the forest and thus able to survive all kinds of weather conditions. Yes, as a human institution, the founding fathers were very much aware that there would be good and bad times at one stage or the other due to mortal failures, shortcomings and differences in opinion. They however never compromised on the spirit of love and unity that bonded them together to be able to ride the storms of life.

6. THREATS TO EXISTENCE.
a. In the early 20s there was disagreement between the old guards and the Young Turks in Management over structural differences. When the problems were solved the Club emerged a stronger and better team. One of the young players that emerged was the late General J.A Ankrah, former Head of State and Chief Life Patron of the Club.

b. In the early 70s the decision to elect, instead of appointing the Chairman polarized the Club into the Lawyer Osekere and Doctor Konney factions.
c. And, in the 80s there was division over which of the two (2) Board of Directors was in charge and, that led to Hearts of Oak sending two sides to play Sekondi Hasaacas in a league match in what came to be known as the “Gallant 14 Episode”

d. Again in the 90s, issues of whether it was the Patrons or Directors who had absolute control over the Club was fiercely litigated in the court, but thank God today our club is alive and healthy.

7. THE 1986 REVOLUTION
In 1986 a mass transfer never witnessed before in the club’s history saw 23 players, most of them members of the Black Stars being transferred by an IMC headed by Capt (Rt) Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe. The events giving rise to this were as follows.
The club had performed dismally in the league (placing 9th) and also eliminated at the ¼ finals stage of the Africa Clubs Championship all due to a number of factors, including player - indiscipline. There was also a feeling of general despondency within the rank and file and, crisis meeting was convened at which both the Council of Patrons and the Board of Directors agreed to hand over the club to the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Then PNDC Secretary of Youth and Sports the late Ato Austin put in place an IMC headed by Capt (Rt.) Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe who lost no time in putting on transfer over 23 seasoned players of the club amidst protest from the very fans who were displeased with the club’s performance. He also dissolved the supporters wing of the club, the National chapters Committee which appeared not to understand and appreciate his vision for the club.
The IMC stood its ground and put in place a technical team headed by P.E. Cobbina to scout for and groom a very formidable team made of unsung players who were later dubbed the “MUSICAL YOUTH” The star attraction of this talented grouped was the late Shamo Quaye. In the ensuing season (1987) this team placed 2nd in the round- robin and very agreed formular declared the Knock- out Champions. This team produced Ablade Kuma who captained Ghana to win Africa’s first-ever Olympic soccer medal (bronze though at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic).

8. INCORPORATION / CHALLENGES.
From a basic amateur unit that played the game simply for the love of it, the Club assumed its present status as a Limited Liability Company in 13th December, 1993 (with registration number 52,725) in line with a Ghana Football Association / Ministry of Youth and Sports directive that Clubs should be incorporated to reflect the kind of change being introduced in the governance structure of our football. Thus real challenges emerged. Professionalism amongst other things require the building and maintenance of a formidable squad with better service conditions and the ability to perform very well at all times with a cycle of quality players – good performance – maximum patronage – enough revenue – corporate sponsorship etc.

Today the main real challenge facing the club is finance. To address the issue, steps had been taken and approval has secured from the Security and Exchange Commission to enlist on the stock exchange. The IPO is expected to be launched soon.

9. SOME RECORDED ACHIEVEMENTS (LOCAL):
Domestic League – Won 1st organized Ghana League in 1958 and had since won it 19 more times including, a 6th consecutive and unprecedented time between 1997 and 2002.
Knock-out – 10
Super Cup – 9 times (4 times being Double Champions)

INTERNATIONAL:
(i) Africa – 1977 – Africa Club Championship (Runners-up) to Hafia Club of Guinea
1979 – Africa Club Championship (Runners-up) to Union Sportive Douala of Cameroun
THE GOLDEN MOMENTS: 2000-04
2000 – (4th) CAF Champions League (Champions) over Esperance du Tunis of Tunisia
2001 – (8th) CAF Super Cup (Winners) over Zamalek Club of Egypt
2001 – Rated 8th Best Club in the world by CNN / World Soccer Magazine
2001 – Rated 83rd out of Top 100 club in the world by International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
2001 – Rated 83rd out of top 100 Club in the world by International Soccer Magazine
2004 – 1st CAF Confederations Cup (Champions) over Kumasi Asante Kotoko in CAF’s 1st ever Inter-club finals involving two clubs from the same Country.
April 2005 – FIFA Ranking – 116th
(ii) Have represented the national team on several occasions including but not limited to Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt, Congo and Uganda etc,
(iii) The Legendary Sir Stanley Mathew KBE featured as guest player for Hearts in 1957.
(iv) Have played against several top clubs across the globe including; Real Madrid, Syria Club, Flamingo (24th May 1964) and Santos (6th June 1969) all of Brazil.
Drawing 2-2 draw with Santos, Edson A “Pele” do Nascimento scored an injury-time equalizer to both goals scored by Amusa “Pele” Gbadamoshie.
In 2000, 99% of the Black stars that played against the then dreaded Super Eagles in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match were from the Club.

SOME EXCEPTIONAL STARS:
(i) Hearts of Oak Emmanuel Christ Briandt was the 1st ever Captain of the Black Stars
(ii) When the Black stars (for the first time) won Africa Cup of Nations in 1963, skipper Edward Aggrey-Fynn was also the captain of Hearts.
(iii) This was repeated in 1995 when Hearts skipper, Addo Odametey also captained the Black Stars to retain the Africa Cup of Nations.
(iv) Ghana’s Africa Cup of Nation victories in 1963, 1965 and 1978 was masterminded by Coach C.K. Gyamfi (now Nana Kumi Gyamfi I), a FIFA /CAF Technical Instructor, who also played for Hearts.
Indeed Emmanuel Christ Briandt, Charles Addo Odametey (all deceased) and C.K. Gyamfi rose to become Patrons of the Club
(v) The skipper of the Black Stars that qualified Ghana for its first ever FIFA World Cup Tournament in Germany 2006, and a repeat in south Africa 2010, Stephen Appiah, was nurtured and brought to stardom by Hearts.
Goalkeeper – Sammy Adjei (voted Africa’s Best at U’ 21 in 1999),
(vi) Other notable (and historic) players produced were
i. Adolf Armah and Mohammed Ahmed Polo: Each coming second (at various times) in the Africa Best Footballer of the Year Award in the late 70’s
ii. Ablade Kumah - Captain of the Black Meteors that won Africa’s 1st ever Olympic soccer medal (Bronze) at the Barcelona Olympics (1992).
iii. Ishmael Addo – Golden Boots Winner at the FIFA U’17 World Cup in New Zealand (1999).
10. Some other great players the club has produced (see attached)

CENTENARY:
The Club celebrates its centenary this year 11th November 2011 with the theme “THE HEARTS OF OAK LEGACY, THE SPIRIT THAT NEVER DIES”.

AUDITORS - Prah, Ameyaw & Co.
P.O. Box 13324
Adabraka – Accra

SOLICITORS: Bram-Larbi, Beechham & Co.
P.O. Box AN 8345
Accra