Mighty Blackpool
Encyclopedia
Mighty Blackpool is a Sierra Leone
an football club based in the capital Freetown
. They play in the Sierra Leone National Premier League
, the top football league in the country. Blackpool represent the West End of Freetown and their home games are played at the National Stadium
in Freetown. The club was founded in 1923 under the name Socro United and they are the oldest and most successful football club in Sierra Leone, having won the Premier League eleven times and the FA Cup
four times. They have an intense rivalry
with city rivals, East End Lions
,. They changed their name to Mighty Blackpool in 1954 to show their admiration for the former Blackpool and England
player, Stanley Matthews
.
In 1989 Mighty Blackpool reached the quarter-final stages of the African Cup of Champions Clubs; the first time a club from Sierra Leone had reached that stage. In the first round they beat reigning champions ES Sétif
from Algeria
and on the second round beat Djoliba Athletic Club from Mali
, before losing to Tonnerre Yaounde
from Cameroon
in the quarter finals.
In the 2007 league campaign, a 2-0 win over Golf Leopards
on 15 July meant that Blackpool were on 24 points from 12 games.
Mighty Blackpool's record in the African Cup of Champions Clubs has mostly seen them elinated in the early rounds. In 1968
they were due to play Congolese
club, Étoile du Congo
in the Preliminary round but withdrew from the competition before the matches were played handing Étoile du Congo a walkover, and in 1975
they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Djoliba Athletic Club of Mali
in the First round. In 1979
they again lost in the First round, drawing 4-4 with Accra Hearts of Oak SC of Ghana
on aggregate but losing out on penalties 4-2. And in 1980
they lost to ASF Police of Senegal
4-1 on aggregate in the First round.
In 1989
they reached the Quarter-Final stage of the African Cup of Champions Clubs. In the Preliminary round they had a walkover, when Benfica withdrew from the competition. In the First round they beat Algeria
n club ES Sétif
5-3 on penalties after the two matches ended all square at 1-1. In the Second round they met Djoliba Athletic Club again, this time winning 2-1 on aggregate. They went out of the competition in the Quarter Final stage losing 4-1 to Cameroon
club, Tonnerre Yaoundé
. In 1992
they were again eliminated in the First round, this time by Canon Yaoundé
of Cameroon after beating LPRC Oilers
of Liberia
in the Preliminary round.
In 2006
they played in the CAF Confederation Cup
, losing to CSS Richard-Toll
of Senegal in the Preliminary round
Umaru Bangura
Albert Cole
Abu Bakarr Kamara Buba Kamara Mohamed Kanu
Obi Metzger
Tom Terry Tibaty Michael Tommy
Kabba Samura
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
an football club based in the capital Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
. They play in the Sierra Leone National Premier League
Sierra Leone National Premier League
Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top football league in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1967. The league is sponsored by the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, one of the major Sierra Leonean banks. East End Lions and Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful clubs. The...
, the top football league in the country. Blackpool represent the West End of Freetown and their home games are played at the National Stadium
National Stadium (Sierra Leone)
Brookfields National Stadium is a multi-use national stadium of Sierra Leone, located in the capital city of Freetown. It is used mostly for football matches and it also has athletics facilities. It is the largest stadium in Sierra Leone and has a 45,000 capacity...
in Freetown. The club was founded in 1923 under the name Socro United and they are the oldest and most successful football club in Sierra Leone, having won the Premier League eleven times and the FA Cup
Sierra Leonean FA Cup
Sierra Leone FA Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is the national knockout cup competition in Sierra Leone. It was established in 1967. The competition is run by the Sierra Leone Football Association...
four times. They have an intense rivalry
Sports rivalry
A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans. The intensity of the rivalry varies from a friendly competition on one end to serious violence on the...
with city rivals, East End Lions
East End Lions
East End Lions is a Sierra Leonean professional football club based in the capital Freetown. They play in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in Sierra Leone. they are one of the two biggest and most successful football clubs in Sierra Leonean football history;East...
,. They changed their name to Mighty Blackpool in 1954 to show their admiration for the former Blackpool and England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
player, Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
.
History
Although Mighty Blackpool have won the league title eleven times, the last time they were league champions was in the 2001 season after a dramatic finish to the season saw them finish one point ahead of Old Edwardians.In 1989 Mighty Blackpool reached the quarter-final stages of the African Cup of Champions Clubs; the first time a club from Sierra Leone had reached that stage. In the first round they beat reigning champions ES Sétif
ES Sétif
Entente Sportive Sétifienne , commonly referred to as ES Sétif or ESS for short, is an Algerian professional football club based in Sétif currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1...
from Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and on the second round beat Djoliba Athletic Club from Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, before losing to Tonnerre Yaounde
Tonnerre Yaoundé
Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaoundé are a football club based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The club was most prominent during the 1980s, winning all of their 5 national championship during the decade. They have also won the national cup 5 times...
from Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
in the quarter finals.
In the 2007 league campaign, a 2-0 win over Golf Leopards
Golf Leopards
Golf Leopards is a Sierra Leonean football club from Freetown, Sierra Leone. They currently play in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in Sierra League....
on 15 July meant that Blackpool were on 24 points from 12 games.
Mighty Blackpool's record in the African Cup of Champions Clubs has mostly seen them elinated in the early rounds. In 1968
African Cup of Champions Clubs 1968
The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1968 was the 4th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
they were due to play Congolese
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo , sometimes known locally as Congo-Brazzaville, is a state in Central Africa. It is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo , the Angolan exclave province of Cabinda, and the Gulf of Guinea.The region was dominated by...
club, Étoile du Congo
Étoile du Congo
Étoile du Congo is a Congolese football club based in Brazzaville.-Achievements:*Congo Premier League: 12*Coupe du Congo de Foot-ball: 5-Performance in CAF competitions:*CAF Champions League: 3 appearances...
in the Preliminary round but withdrew from the competition before the matches were played handing Étoile du Congo a walkover, and in 1975
African Cup of Champions Clubs 1975
The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1975 was the 11th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
they lost 3-0 on aggregate to Djoliba Athletic Club of Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
in the First round. In 1979
African Cup of Champions Clubs 1979
The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1979 was the 15th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
they again lost in the First round, drawing 4-4 with Accra Hearts of Oak SC of 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...
on aggregate but losing out on penalties 4-2. And in 1980
African Cup of Champions Clubs 1980
The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1980 was the 16th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
they lost to ASF Police of Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
4-1 on aggregate in the First round.
In 1989
African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989
The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989 was the 24th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
they reached the Quarter-Final stage of the African Cup of Champions Clubs. In the Preliminary round they had a walkover, when Benfica withdrew from the competition. In the First round they beat Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n club ES Sétif
ES Sétif
Entente Sportive Sétifienne , commonly referred to as ES Sétif or ESS for short, is an Algerian professional football club based in Sétif currently playing in the Algerian Ligue Professionnelle 1...
5-3 on penalties after the two matches ended all square at 1-1. In the Second round they met Djoliba Athletic Club again, this time winning 2-1 on aggregate. They went out of the competition in the Quarter Final stage losing 4-1 to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
club, Tonnerre Yaoundé
Tonnerre Yaoundé
Tonnerre Kalara Club of Yaoundé are a football club based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The club was most prominent during the 1980s, winning all of their 5 national championship during the decade. They have also won the national cup 5 times...
. In 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...
they were again eliminated in the First round, this time by Canon Yaoundé
Canon Yaoundé
Canon Sportif de Yaoundé, commonly referred to as Canon Yaoundé, are a Cameroonian football club based in Yaoundé. The club was formed in 1930 and play their games at Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo...
of Cameroon after beating LPRC Oilers
Liberia Petroleum Refining Company Oilers
LPRC Oilers is a football club from Liberia based in Monrovia. Their home stadium is the Antonette Tubman Stadium. The LPRC Oilers have been a fixture in Liberian football since the late 1980s...
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...
in the Preliminary round.
In 2006
CAF Confederation Cup 2006
The CAF Confederation Cup 2006 started with the preliminary round that was played in February and March 2006. Étoile Sahel of Tunisia beat FAR Rabat of Morocco in the final...
they played in the 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:...
, losing to CSS Richard-Toll
CSS Richard-Toll
Compagnie Sucrière Sénégalaise is a Senegalese football club based in Richard Toll. They play in the top division in Senegalese football. Their home stadium is Stade Municipal de Richard Toll.-Squad:-Performance in CAF competitions:...
of Senegal in the Preliminary round
League
- Sierra Leone National Premier LeagueSierra Leone National Premier LeagueSierra Leone National Premier League is the top football league in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1967. The league is sponsored by the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, one of the major Sierra Leonean banks. East End Lions and Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful clubs. The...
champions: 11
-
- 1968, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1988, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001
Performance in CAF competitions
- African Cup of Champions Clubs: 6 appearances
-
- 1968African Cup of Champions Clubs 1968The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1968 was the 4th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: withdrew in Preliminary Round - 1975African Cup of Champions Clubs 1975The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1975 was the 11th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: First Round - 1979African Cup of Champions Clubs 1979The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1979 was the 15th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: First Round - 1980African Cup of Champions Clubs 1980The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1980 was the 16th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: First Round - 1989African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989The African Cup of Champions Clubs 1989 was the 24th edition of the annual international club football competition held in the CAF region , the African Cup of Champions Clubs...
: Quarter-Finals - 1992African Cup of Champions Clubs 1992The 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...
: First Round
- 1968
- CAF Confederation CupCAF Confederation CupThe CAF Confederation Cup is an international club association football competition run by the Confederation of African Football.-Qualification:...
: 2 appearances
-
- 2006CAF Confederation Cup 2006The CAF Confederation Cup 2006 started with the preliminary round that was played in February and March 2006. Étoile Sahel of Tunisia beat FAR Rabat of Morocco in the final...
- Preliminary Round
- 2006
- CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 3 appearances
-
- 1984 - First Round
- 1994 - Second Round
- 2008 - Eliminated in the Second round by CSS of Senegal (Stade Demba Diop)
- The Starting Line Up in 2008
- Coach: Christian Cole
- Assistant: Charlie Wright
- 1.
Shongbon (Captain) (pro) - 2.
Saway Dollar (pro) - 3. Ibrahim Kargbo Meuncle
- 4. Pizzo
- 5. David Simbo (pro)
- 6. Lanssana Bayoh
- 7.
Muhmuni Khumson (pro) - 8.
Abu Tommy (pro) - 9. Adrew Alie (pro)
- 10.
Komba Tongu (pro) - 11.
Daniel Dove (pro)
Notable former players
Ibrahim "Inspector" Bah Alhassan BanguraAlhassan Bangura
Alhassan "Al" Bangura is a Sierra Leone footballer who plays for Forest Green Rovers as a midfielder.He has played for the Sierra Leone national team and is notable for having been the victim of human trafficking when he was a teenager and also the subject of a deportation case in the United...
Umaru Bangura
Umaru Bangura
Umaru Bangura nickname Zingalay, is a Sierra Leonean international footballer. He is a right midfielder and currently plays for Haugesund in the Tippeligaen division and for the Leone Stars, Sierra Leone national football team...
Albert Cole
Albert Cole
Albert Cole is a Sierra Leonean international footballer.He currently plays as a midfielder. He began his career with local club Mighty Blackpool in the Sierra Leonean Premier League....
Abu Bakarr Kamara Buba Kamara Mohamed Kanu
Mohamed Kanu
Mohamed "Ahmed" Kanu is a retired Sierra Leonean football player. He used to play as centre-back or libero. He's the current national team coach of Sierra Leone national football team, named the Leone Stars...
Obi Metzger
Obi Metzger
Sam Obi Metzger, Jr. is a Sierra Leonean footballer who plays as a striker for Finnish second division side FC Viikingit and the Sierra Leonean national team.- International :...
Tom Terry Tibaty Michael Tommy
Michael Tommy
Michael Tommy is a Sierra Leonean international football goalkeeper. He played recently for Grecia in the Costa Rican Second Division. Tommy was the first-choice goalkeeper for the Leone Stars in recent games but he has since lost that position to Christian Caulker.-Career:Tommy was born and...
Kabba Samura
Kabba Samura
Kabba Samura is a Sierra Leonean international soccer player and as well a Swedish Citizen European passport holder. He is currently playing for the Vietnam's V-League club Hoàng Anh Gia Lai.- Early career :...