Asante Kotoko Football Club, also known as Asante Kotoko, is one of the biggest and most successful football clubs in Ghana

Ghana

Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...

 as well as being one of the more successful teams in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, having won twenty national league titles. They have also twice been champions of Africa. The club's home ground is the 40,000 all-seater Kumasi Sports Stadium

Kumasi Sports Stadium

Baba Yara Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kumasi, Ghana. It is Ghana's largest stadium, with a capacity of 40,500...

. The full name of the club is Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.

According to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics, an international organization recognized by FIFA

FIFA

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...

, Asante Kotoko was Africa's best club of the 20th century.

History

The foundation of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club was laid by 13 young Ashanti boys led by a young driver, Mr. Kwasi Kumah, ably supported by L.Y.Asamoah an electrician. Mr. Kwasi Kumah, a native of Nyankyerenease near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, was a chauffeur to an English colonial military officer, Colonel Ross, in Accra. While in Accra, Kwasi Kumah nurtured the idea of forming a football team when he watched an exciting football match between Accra Standfast and Hearts of Oak. Hearts won the match 2-1 and Sir Gordon Guggisberg, then Governor of the Gold Coast, presented a set of jerseys to Hearts for their good performance.

When Colonel Ross returned home for good and Kumah went back home to Kumasi, he bought a set of jerseys to start his football team. With co-operation from his good friend, L.Y.Asamoah, he formed the Ashanti United Football Club in 1926. Five years later the team was renamed Kumasi Titanics. The team was really handicapped because most of the players worked in government organizations like the Prisons and Railways and had been transferred from Kumasi. Titanics did not find enough luck in their new name and in 1934 they adopted a more powerful name, Mighty Atoms. Still the club did not see much progress and in 1935, Mr J.S.K. Frimpong, popularly called Teacher Frimpong, then a teacher of the Kumasi Government School who had all the time shown interest in the club, organized some boys from his school and proposed a change of name from Titanics to Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club. Permission had to be obtained from the Asantehene (King of Ashanti) because the name "Kotoko", meaning "Porcupine" is the official symbol of the Ashanti nation. The Asantehene, Nana Sir Osei Agyeman Prempeh II, became the first life patron of the club. Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club was subsequently formally founded in 1935.

Asante Kotoko's emblem features the "Porcupine", displaying an inbuilt arsenal of sharp spikes for use when attacked by an enemy. http://www.imeem.com/groups/8jkLq_H4/photo/PipkablgWL/

In July 2011, Asante Kotoko and English Premier League club Sunderland

Sunderland A.F.C.

Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...

 signed a partnership agreement, which will see the Sunderland offering practical support and advice in youth coaching, player development, fitness and medical matters as well as football business strategy to Kotoko.

Honours

• African Champions League: 2

1970, 1983,

Runners-up - 1967, 1971, 1973, 1982, 1993

• African Cup Winners Cup: 0

Runners-up - 2002

• CAF Confederation Cup
  CAF Confederation Cup
  The CAF Confederation Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Confederation of African Football.-Qualification:...
  
  : 0

Runners-up - 2004

• Ghanaian League Champions: 21

1959, 1963/64, 1964/65, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988/89, 1990/91, 1991/92, 1992/93, 2003,2005, 2007/08

• Ghanaian FA Cup
  Ghanaian FA Cup
  The Ghanaian FA Cup is the top knockout tournament of the Ghanaian football.-Winners:- References :*...
  
  : 8

1958, 1960, 1976, 1978, 1984, 1989/90, 1997/98, 2001

• Ghana SWAG Cup: 12

1981, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008

• Ghana Telecom Gala: 3

1999/00, 2001, 2005

• Ghana Top Four Cup: 2

2003, 2007

• Ghana Annual Republic Day Cup: 3

2004, 2005, 2008

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League
  CAF Champions League
  The CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation of African Football . The top club sides from Africa's football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the...
  
  : 6 appearances

2004 - Third Round

2005

CAF Champions League 2005

The CAF Champions League 2005 started on 29 January 2005 with a preliminary round. The two legs of the final were played on 28 October and 12 November, with Egypt's Al-Ahly coming out as 3-0 aggregate winners.-Preliminary Round:...

 - First Round

2006

CAF Champions League 2006

The CAF Champions League 2006 started on 17 February 2006 with a preliminary round. The second leg of the final was played in Tunisia on the 11th of November. Al-Ahly won the tournament for the second time in a row with a late winner by Mohamed Aboutreika....

 - Group Stage

2007

CAF Champions League 2007

The CAF Champions League 2007 was the 11th occurrence of the CAF Champions League, the most prestigious club football competition in Africa. Étoile du Sahel of Tunisia became champions for the first time, beating Al-Ahly of Egypt 3–1 in a two-legged final.-Preliminary round:The 1st legs were...

 - Preliminary Round

2009

CAF Champions League 2009

The 2009 CAF Champions League is the 45th edition of Africa's premier club football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football , and the 13th edition under the current CAF Champions League format...

 - First Round

2010 - Preliminary Round

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 16 appearances

1966

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1966

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1966 was the 2nd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs. It determined that year's club champion of association football in Africa....

: Quarter-Finals

1967

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1967

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1967 was the 3rd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Finalist

1969

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1969

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1969 was the 5th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Semi-Finals

1970

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1970

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1970 was the 6th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Champion

1971

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1971

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1971 was the 7th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Finalist

1973

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1973

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1973 was the 9th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Finalist

1976

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1976

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1976 was the 12th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Quarter-Finals

1981

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1981

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1981 was the 17th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Second Round

1982

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1982

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1982 was the 18th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Finalist

1983

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1983

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1983 was the 19th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Champion

1984

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1984

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1984 was the 20th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: First Round

1987

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1987

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1987 was the 23rd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Semi-Finals

1988

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1988

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1988 was the 23rd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: First Round

1990

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1990

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1990 was the 25th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Semi-Final

1992

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992 was the 27th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Quarter-Finals

1993

African Cup of Champions Clubs 1993

The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1993 was the 28th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...

: Finalist

• CAF Confederation Cup
  CAF Confederation Cup
  The CAF Confederation Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Confederation of African Football.-Qualification:...
  
  : 2 appearances

2004 - Finalist

2008 - Group Stage

• CAF Cup
  CAF Cup
  The CAF Cup was an annual competition organised by the CAF for domestic leagues runner-ups of member associations who haven't qualified to one of the two pre-existing CAF international club competitions the African Cup of Champions Clubs or the African Cup Winners' Cup.-Format:Only runner-ups of...
  
  : 2 appearances

1995 - Quarter-Finals

1997 - Second Round

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 6 appearances

1979 - First Round

1985 - Quarter-Finals

1991 - First Round

1999 - Second Round

2002 - Finalist

2003 - Quarter-Finals

2005 - First Round

Most Memorable Squads

• 1970 Squad - Africa Clubs Cup Competition Champions (January, 1971)

Squad included: Robert Mensah, Ben Acheampong, Dogo Moro, Cifford Odame, Sammy Stevens, Adarkwa, Ibrahim Sunday

Ibrahim Sunday

Ibrahim Sunday is a former Ghanaian football player and coach.-Playing career:Sunday started his career playing for local club Kumasi Asante Kotoko, of which he became the captain. In 1970, he and his club won the African Cup of Champions, predecessor of the CAF Champions League, the first...

 (Captain), Yaw Sam, Osei Kofi, Abukari Gariba, Albert Essuman "Baby Pele", Malik Jabir

Malik Jabir

Fazil Malikonge best know under his nickname Malik Jabir is a famous football player in Burundi who led his club Vital'O to the African Cup Winners' Cup final in 1992 before retiring from international competition in 1993 and is currently a customs agent in Burundi.- Career :He was one of the most...

, Ohene Brenya, Sulley, Osmanu

Head Coach: Aggrey-Fynn

Club President: I. K. Moukerzel

• 1980 Squad - (Widely considered one of the most talented squads in Ghana soccer)

Sam Ampeh, Haruna Yusif, Samuel "Old" Gyabaah, Charles Oppong, Seth Ampadu, Ahmed Rockson , Papa Arko, George Kennedy, Albert Asase, Opoku Afriyie (Captain), Kofi Badu, Francis Kumi, John Abeka, Karim Zito, Joe Gyekye, Addae Kyenkyehene, Nuru Mohammed, Opoku Nti,

Head Coach: J. E. Adabie

Club President: Phill Simms (Spent his personal money on acquisition of players)

• 1983 Squad - Africa Clubs Cup Competition Champions

Joseph Carr, Ernest Apau, Kwasi Appiah, Seth Ampadu, Addae Kyenkyehene, Papa Arko (Captain), John Smith Bannerman, Yahya Kassum, Ebo Mends, Opoku Nti*, Isaac Afranie, Arkye Ezuah, Charles Kwame Sampson, Ahmed Rockson, Emmanuel "Joe Tex" Quaye, Francis Agyeman

• Samuel Opoku Nti was voted as Africa's Best Player of the Year by the African Sportswriters Association and 2nd Best African Player of the Year by France Football

Head Coach: Ibrahim Sunday

Ibrahim Sunday

Ibrahim Sunday is a former Ghanaian football player and coach.-Playing career:Sunday started his career playing for local club Kumasi Asante Kotoko, of which he became the captain. In 1970, he and his club won the African Cup of Champions, predecessor of the CAF Champions League, the first...

Team Manager: Malik Jabir

Malik Jabir

Fazil Malikonge best know under his nickname Malik Jabir is a famous football player in Burundi who led his club Vital'O to the African Cup Winners' Cup final in 1992 before retiring from international competition in 1993 and is currently a customs agent in Burundi.- Career :He was one of the most...

Masseur: Omono Asamoah

Club President: Ernest Yaw Bawuah

• 1987 Squad - Beat Zamalek of Egypt 5 - 1 (Super Miracle of Kumasi)

Mohammed Odoom, Nana Eshun, Kwaku Kyere, Thomas "Gambo" Hammond, Ahmed Rockson, Abdul Razak (Captain), Sam Ayippey, Sarfo Gyamfi, Prince Opoku Polley, George Arthur, Windsor Kofi Abbrey, Anthony Osei Kwadwo, Kwaku Menkah, Saarah Mensah

Head Coach: Malik Jabir

Malik Jabir

Fazil Malikonge best know under his nickname Malik Jabir is a famous football player in Burundi who led his club Vital'O to the African Cup Winners' Cup final in 1992 before retiring from international competition in 1993 and is currently a customs agent in Burundi.- Career :He was one of the most...

Team Manager: Victor Sirebour

Masseur: Omono Asamoah

Club President: Ofori Nuako (Paa O)

• 1993 Squad - Africa Clubs Cup Competition Runners-up

Anthony Osei Kwadwo, Frank Amankwah

Frank Amankwah

Frank Amankwah is a football player from Ghana.-Clubs:*2000-2004: Asante Kotoko*1999-2000: Iraklis*1997-1999: AZ Alkmaar*1996-1997: FC Gütersloh*1990-1996: Asante Kotoko-International career:...

, Agyeman Duah, Frimpong Manso (Captain), Emmanuel Ampiah "Chairman", Alex Nyarko

Alex Nyarko

Alexander Nyarko is a former Ghanaian football player.-Football career:Nyarko started his career at Ghana, and in 1995 he joined FC Basel from Sportul Studenţesc, followed by Karlsruher SC in Germany; then RC Lens for two seasons, and in 2000 joined Everton FC for £4.5M, signing a contract until...

, George Arthur, Joseph Okyere, Mahmoud Ahmed, Raphael Akakpo "Patron", Seidu Yusif

Head Coach: Malik Jabir

Malik Jabir

Fazil Malikonge best know under his nickname Malik Jabir is a famous football player in Burundi who led his club Vital'O to the African Cup Winners' Cup final in 1992 before retiring from international competition in 1993 and is currently a customs agent in Burundi.- Career :He was one of the most...

2006 champions league plus former players mohammed ahlassan, aziz ansah, godfred yeboah, mutala mohammed, sam addo,edmond owusu ansah, yussif chipsah, george yamoah, nana ahine duah,kwame obeng darko,ahmed toure, douglas nkrumah,michael osei,gabriel issah ahmed, charles kwaku asampomg barnie bismark taylor,joseph hendricks, george owu, louis quainoo, osei boateng, godwin ablodey, hamza mohammed, baba adamu amando, prince adu poku,kwadwo poku mahala, kwadwo poku jnr,william tierro,emmanuel osei kuffour general,daniel yeboah argentina, shilla alhassan, shilla illiasu,michael ofosu appiah cid,isaac boakye, nii odartey lamptey,louis agyemang, saint eric nii baah, lawrence adjei, nana frimpong, isaac vorsah, costance mantey, kwabena dodje,isaac owusu ninja, mark fish (ghana),sammy kuffour,joe sam, baffour gyan,coach e.k afranie

Current squad

Youth Squad

Personal

Chairman

• K.K. Sarpong

Director of Communications

• Jarvis Peprah

Director of Finance & Administration

• Helina Kwabbla

Director of Operations

• Sarfo Gyamfi

Dirictor Of Legal Affairs

• Kwame Boafo

Team Manager

• Opoku Afriyie
  Opoku Afriyie
  Opoku Afriyie is a former Ghanaian footballer. He was popularly called Bayie. He played as a striker and won many caps with Asante Kotoko and the Ghana national football team. He works currently for Asante Kotoko as Team-Manager.-Club football:...
  
  

Head Coach

• Maxwell Konadu
  Maxwell Konadu
  Maxwell Konadu is a football coach and a retired Ghana international football player, who was a member of the Men's National Team that won the bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain...
  
  

Assistant Coache's

• Emmanuel Wellington

Goalkeeper Coach

• Joseph Carr

Fitness Coach

• Omono Asamoah

Specialist Medical Doctor

• Dr. Kwaku Boateng

Physiotherapist

• Omono Asamoah

Physical Trainer

• Awudu Nuhu

Masseur

• Richard Hammond

Former Officials

Distinguished soccer leaders

• Mr. Achulo
• Mr. E.K. Adu
• Mr. George Aduse-Poku (aka Georgido)
• Mr. Aboagye Agyei
• Mr. John Agyekum Kufour (Former President of Ghana)
• 'Uncle' John Aidoo
• Mr. J.D. Amoah
• Mr. George Amoako
• Mr. Hope Anderson Agbolosoo
• Mr. Frank Apeagyei
• Mr. S.S. Appiah
• Mr. L.Y. Asamoah
• Nana Baffour Awuah V (the late Bantamahene)
• Professor S.K. Awuah

• Dr. J.K. Brobbey-Kyei
• Mr. Charles de Graft Dickson
• Dr. Kofi Dzane-Selby
• Mr. B.K. Edusei
• Teacher Frimpong
• Mr. Yaw Frimpong (alias YF)
• Mr. Issam John Moukarzel
• Dr. J.K Kankam
• Nana Darko Kufour
• Mr. Daniel Kyei
• Mr. Kyenkyehene
• Mr. S.K. Mainoo
• Mr. Assad Mallah
• Nana Kwaku Mensah

• Mr. Simms Kofi Mensah
• Mr. F.D. Nsiah-Asare (aka Nana Gyamaning Asare), (the late chief of Kumasi, Asafo)
• Mr. P.V. Obeng
• Mr. D.K. Ofori Nuako (alias Pao)
• Oheneba Nana Osei Yaw
• Nana Yaw Owusu
• Mr. Albert Owusu-Ansah
• Mr. Ernest Yaw Bawuah
• Mr. Osei Yaw Akoto
• Major Yaw Larsen
• Nana Akosa Yiadom

Management or Board of Directors

• Mr. Nana Baffour Akoto
• Mr. Krobo Edusei (a Minister of State in the First Republic Government of Ghana)
• Mrs. Mary Edusei (née Mary Akuamoah)
• Mr. John Agyekum Kuffour (Former President of Ghana)

• Mr. B.M. Kufour
• Mr. Martin Appiah-Danquah
• Mr. Peter Mainoo-Appiah
• Mr. Desmond
• Mr. Simone Naja David

• Mr. Osei Kwame (aka 'Despite')
• Mr. Kwabena Kesse (aka 'Kessben')
• Mr. Kennedy Adjapong (aka 'Kenpong')

Head Coaches

• J.E. Adabie
• Herbert Addo
• E.K. Afranie
• E.J. Aggrey-Fynn
• Oti Akenteng
• Amonoo-Neizer Sam Arday
  Sam Arday
  Sam Arday is a Ghanaian football coach who has managed the Ghana national side on two occasions - from 1996 to 1997, and again in 2004, currently is Technical Director Feyenoord Academy.-Coaching career:...
  
  
• Augustine Omono Asamoah
• Asebi Boakye
• Isaac Opeele Boateng
• Morris Cooreman
• A.K. Edusei Josef Ember

• Paa Kwasi Fabian
• Alhaji Yahaya Gibrine
• C.K. Gyamfi
• Bashir Hayford
• Ron Heckman
  Ron Heckman
  Ronald Ernest Heckman , is an English footballer who played as a left winger in the Football League.-External links:*...
  
   Malik Jabir
  Malik Jabir
  Fazil Malikonge best know under his nickname Malik Jabir is a famous football player in Burundi who led his club Vital'O to the African Cup Winners' Cup final in 1992 before retiring from international competition in 1993 and is currently a customs agent in Burundi.- Career :He was one of the most...
  
  
• Tomasz Kertesz
• Hans Kodrick
• Osei Kofi
  Osei Kofi
  Osei Kofi is a retired Ghanaian footballer. He played for Asante Kotoko F.C. and the Ghana national football team. He was a joint top scorer in the 1965 Africa Cup of Nations tournament held in Tunis, Tunisia leading to Ghana winning the tournament for a second time. He was the third highest scorer...
  
  
• Lajos Kontha
• Ben Kuofie
• Addae Kyenkyehene
• Frimpong Manso
  Frimpong Manso
  Frimpong Manso is a Ghanaian former international footballer who played as a defender. He is currently Head Coach of the Ghana under-17 team.-Career:...
  
  

• Ebo Mends Ernst Middendorp
  Ernst Middendorp
  Ernst Middendorp is a German football manager.- Career :Middendorp coached the South African Castle Premiership team Kaizer Chiefs from the beginning of the 2005/06 season up to March 5, 2007....
  
  
• Awudu Nuhu
• boubakar Ouattara 1959]Cote d'ivoire]
• Telat Ozum Ian Porterfield
• Abdul Razak
• J.E. Sarpong Hans-Dieter Schmidt
  Hans-Dieter Schmidt
  Hans-Dieter Schmidt ) is a former German football player turned manager.-Career:Schmidt's playing career – part of which he spent with Hannover 96 – ended early after a severe injury at the age of 23....
  
   Ibrahim Sunday
  Ibrahim Sunday
  Ibrahim Sunday is a former Ghanaian football player and coach.-Playing career:Sunday started his career playing for local club Kumasi Asante Kotoko, of which he became the captain. In 1970, he and his club won the African Cup of Champions, predecessor of the CAF Champions League, the first...
  
   Burkhard Ziese
  Burkhard Ziese
  Burkhard Ziese was a German football manager.- References :...
  
   Ralf Zumdick
  Ralf Zumdick
  Ralf Zumdick is a former German football goalkeeper. He is assistant coach of Persepolis. After his career Zumdick was assistant coach at VfL Bochum from 1995 till 1999...
  
  

Other Personnel

• Dr. Dadebo (Team Doctor)
• Omono Asamoah (Masseur)
• Franklin Acheampong
• Kofi Osei ("Osei Driver") (Chauffeur)
• Awudu Seidu (Chauffeur)
• Isaac "Opeele" Boateng (Assistant Coach)

External links

• Official website