Invincible Eleven
Encyclopedia
Invincible Eleven is a football (soccer)
club from Liberia
based in Monrovia
.They are one of the founding members of football in Liberia
. Their home stadium is the Antonette Tubman Stadium. Invincible Eleven is one of Liberia
's most popular and historic clubs, along with Mighty Barolle
. George Weah
, Liberia's most famous footballer, scored 24 goals in 23 games during a spell at I.E. early in his career, in the 1986/87 season.
The young players of the two teams, especially students of CWA having established teamwork and amicable relationship, decided to pull their resources and form a single team, strong enough to compete favorably with the older and more experienced teams like Olympics and Bame. A meeting with this agenda was summoned up at the residence of Joseph G. Richards's mother on Broad Street in May 1943. At this meeting the formation of team was unanimously agree upon.
After tossing around several ideas for naming a football team, the name Invincible Eleven was agreed upon. Those who attended that May, 1943 meeting during which IE was formed included John Coleman (deceased), G. Aaron Grimes, Hugh Collins, Sammy Hodge, Lawrence Morgan, Austin Coleman, George Marshall, Othello Coleman, Zulu Cooper and Oscar Hemans-Yankey. At that meeting, Joseph G. Richards was elected first captain of the team.
The point here to note is that though most of these young students were attending CWA and the team initially had the backing of the faculty of the institution; it is incorrect to state that IE was CWA team. There were also students from Liberia College and St. Patrick's High School. Though it is true that most of the original members of the team were America-Liberians or Congos by virtue of their easy access to formal education at that time, yet it is equally incorrect to state that IE is an Americo-Liberian team. There were also students who were from the Kru, Bassa and Grebo ethnic backgrounds. For instance, Edmund Johnson, Robert Sherman, Tugbeh Anderson and Prince N. A. Brown were all Krus. Frank George, Aaron Grimes and Argwu, the goalie, were Bassas, while Hugh Collins was Grebo, thus giving the team an academic and broad ethnic base support from the onset.
The following month, June 1943, IE made its debut in football competitions after some weeks of hard practicing. The first three years were marked by constant defeats. The boys were very young and inexperienced in the techniques of football. We were however fortunate to come out with a draw on one or two occasions. And with resolute determination and abiding courage, we made dramatic improvements in our performance.
IE struck its first surprise in 1945, when it trounced "Olympics" 5-0. This victory was crucial in animating the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork among the boys, for Olympics consisted of older and more experienced boys, mainly from Freetown. It was one of the oldest and leading teams. The Invincibility of IE, which was previously a laughing-stock, was then rested. For seven years afterwards it was almost not possible to draw with or beat IE. And football teams trembled when they had to encounter IE.
Between 1946-1949 IE sustained a severe blow when seven or eight of its members left about the same time for further studies in the USA and other foreign parts. But fortunately however, they were replaced subsequently by some promising young players from the junior team, West End Eleven. Some of these young players, who in their own right also came into national prominence included, Sam Payne Cooper, Leonard Deshield, T. Ernest Eastman, Bruce Smith, E. Harding Smythe, Gabriel J. Tucker and John Payne Tucker, among others.
However again between 1950/1951, some of these boys matriculated into schools abroad for further studies, thereby creating another vacuum. And coupled with the lack of support, IE was temporarily renamed "Pepperbird" by its sponsor Mr. Al Schoucair the owner of the Pepperbird Club. But when Joseph G. Richards, one of the original founders of IE returned from abroad in December 1951, he recommended a return to the IE name. Together with the name of another its junior team, Majestics, the entire IE organization is today called IE Majestics Sports Association.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club from Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
based in Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
.They are one of the founding members of football in Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
. Their home stadium is the Antonette Tubman Stadium. Invincible Eleven is one of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
's most popular and historic clubs, along with Mighty Barolle
Mighty Barolle
Mighty Barrolle is a football club from Liberia based in Monrovia.They are one of the founding members of football in Liberia. Their home Stadium is the Antonette Tubman Stadium...
. George Weah
George Weah
George Tawlon Manneh Oppong Ousman Weah is a Liberian humanitarian and politician, and an ex-footballer. He ran unsuccessfully for president in the 2005 election, losing to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in the second round of voting...
, Liberia's most famous footballer, scored 24 goals in 23 games during a spell at I.E. early in his career, in the 1986/87 season.
History
IE traces its origin from Iron United, based in Clay Ashland and Bombers, based in Monrovia. These teams were composed of young players between ages of 13 and 20, and mostly students of College of West Africa (CWA), St. Patrick's High School and Liberia College. Both Iron United and Bombers were active between 1940 and 1942.The young players of the two teams, especially students of CWA having established teamwork and amicable relationship, decided to pull their resources and form a single team, strong enough to compete favorably with the older and more experienced teams like Olympics and Bame. A meeting with this agenda was summoned up at the residence of Joseph G. Richards's mother on Broad Street in May 1943. At this meeting the formation of team was unanimously agree upon.
After tossing around several ideas for naming a football team, the name Invincible Eleven was agreed upon. Those who attended that May, 1943 meeting during which IE was formed included John Coleman (deceased), G. Aaron Grimes, Hugh Collins, Sammy Hodge, Lawrence Morgan, Austin Coleman, George Marshall, Othello Coleman, Zulu Cooper and Oscar Hemans-Yankey. At that meeting, Joseph G. Richards was elected first captain of the team.
The point here to note is that though most of these young students were attending CWA and the team initially had the backing of the faculty of the institution; it is incorrect to state that IE was CWA team. There were also students from Liberia College and St. Patrick's High School. Though it is true that most of the original members of the team were America-Liberians or Congos by virtue of their easy access to formal education at that time, yet it is equally incorrect to state that IE is an Americo-Liberian team. There were also students who were from the Kru, Bassa and Grebo ethnic backgrounds. For instance, Edmund Johnson, Robert Sherman, Tugbeh Anderson and Prince N. A. Brown were all Krus. Frank George, Aaron Grimes and Argwu, the goalie, were Bassas, while Hugh Collins was Grebo, thus giving the team an academic and broad ethnic base support from the onset.
The following month, June 1943, IE made its debut in football competitions after some weeks of hard practicing. The first three years were marked by constant defeats. The boys were very young and inexperienced in the techniques of football. We were however fortunate to come out with a draw on one or two occasions. And with resolute determination and abiding courage, we made dramatic improvements in our performance.
IE struck its first surprise in 1945, when it trounced "Olympics" 5-0. This victory was crucial in animating the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork among the boys, for Olympics consisted of older and more experienced boys, mainly from Freetown. It was one of the oldest and leading teams. The Invincibility of IE, which was previously a laughing-stock, was then rested. For seven years afterwards it was almost not possible to draw with or beat IE. And football teams trembled when they had to encounter IE.
Between 1946-1949 IE sustained a severe blow when seven or eight of its members left about the same time for further studies in the USA and other foreign parts. But fortunately however, they were replaced subsequently by some promising young players from the junior team, West End Eleven. Some of these young players, who in their own right also came into national prominence included, Sam Payne Cooper, Leonard Deshield, T. Ernest Eastman, Bruce Smith, E. Harding Smythe, Gabriel J. Tucker and John Payne Tucker, among others.
However again between 1950/1951, some of these boys matriculated into schools abroad for further studies, thereby creating another vacuum. And coupled with the lack of support, IE was temporarily renamed "Pepperbird" by its sponsor Mr. Al Schoucair the owner of the Pepperbird Club. But when Joseph G. Richards, one of the original founders of IE returned from abroad in December 1951, he recommended a return to the IE name. Together with the name of another its junior team, Majestics, the entire IE organization is today called IE Majestics Sports Association.
Achievements
- Liberian Premier LeagueLiberian Premier LeagueThe Liberian Premier League is the highest division in football in Liberia. The league began in 1956 and has never won by a club outside Monrovia.-Liberian Premier League - Clubs 2011/2012:*Barrack Young Controllers*Fatu FC*Green Pasture*Invincible Eleven...
: 13
-
- 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1997, 1998, 2007
- Liberian CupLiberian CupThe Liberian Cup is the top knockout tournament of the Liberian football.- Winners :*1974 : Mighty Barolle *1975 : not played*1976 : Cedar United *1977 : Cedar United...
: 15
-
- 1985, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Performance in CAF competitions
- CAF Champions LeagueCAF Champions LeagueThe 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...
: 2 appearances
-
- 1999 - withdrew in Preliminary Round
- 2008CAF Champions League 2008The CAF Champions League 2008 was the 12th running of the CAF Champions League competition. Al-Ahly of Egypt achieved an unprecented 6th Champions League cup by winning 4-2 on aggregate against Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon .-Preliminary round:...
- Preliminary Round
- African Cup of Champions Clubs: 1 appearance
-
- 1967African Cup of Champions Clubs 1967The 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...
: First Round - 1981African Cup of Champions Clubs 1981The 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...
: First Round - 1982African Cup of Champions Clubs 1982The 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...
: Second Round - 1984African Cup of Champions Clubs 1984The 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...
: Preliminary Round - 1985African Cup of Champions Clubs 1985The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1985 was the 21st 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....
: disqualified in First Round - 1986African Cup of Champions Clubs 1986The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1986 was the 22nd edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: First Round - 1988African Cup of Champions Clubs 1988The 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
- 1967
- CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 1 appearance
-
- 1992 - First Round