Heartland F.C.
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| Full name | Heartland Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Soccer Scientists, Spartans, Naze Millionaires, Hearts | ||
| Founded | 1976 | ||
| Ground | Dan Anyiam Stadium Owerri, Imo, Nigeria | ||
| Capacity | 10,000 | ||
| Chairman | Goodfaith Etuemena[1] | ||
| Manager | Mehmet Tayfun | ||
| League | Nigeria Professional Football League | ||
| 2017 | 1st-Nigeria National League (promoted) | ||
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Heartland FC (formerly known as Iwuanyanwu Nationale from 1985 to 2006) is a Nigerian football club based in Owerri. They play their home games at Dan Anyiam Stadium. Enyimba FC are their rivals. Until their 18th place showing and relegation in 2016, they were one of two teams in the top flight that had never been relegated. In October 2017, Heartland F.C. won the Nigeria National League Southern Conference to gain promotion back up to the top flight. [2]
History
Founded as Spartans FC, they won the Nigerian championship three years running from 1988–90. [1]. Their first international (friendly) match was against Ararat Yerevan of the USSR which Spartans won 2–0 at the Township Stadium, Tetlow Road, Owerri, in August 1976.[3]
Milestones
November 1985: Spartans FC renamed Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC following a successful change of ownership from Imo State Government to chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
January 1986: Iwuanyanwu Nationale embark on a 3-week training tour of Brazil. The club finished runner-up of Nigerian top league.
1987: Iwuanyanwu Nationale emerged as League winners ahead of Leventis United on goal difference. They later went on to represent Nigeria in CAF Champions Cup.
1988: Iwuanyanwu Nationale repeat as League champions as well as winning Nigerian FA Cup for first time, beating Flash Flamingoes of Benin in cup final 3–0. Reach CAF Champions Cup final, winning 1–0 in first leg tie in Ibadan, losing 4–0 in Constantine, Algeria in return leg versus Entente Setif.
1989: Retain League title but lost FA Cup following 0–1 loss in final to BCC Lions.
1990: Iwuanyanwu Nationale beat Stationery Stores of Lagos in Lagos in professional League's commemorative game 2–1. Nationale went on to emerge first pro league winners in Nigeria.
1991: Nationale lose League title to Julius Berger, crash out of CAF Champions Cup to Nakivubo of Uganda in semi-final.
1993: Club regain League title following a 2–0 away victory over El-Kanemi Warriors in last league fixture to edge out Bendel Insurance to the title race.
1994: Reach champions cup quarter-final. Lose 3–0 to Espérance de Tunis of Tunisia in first leg tie, September 18. Aboard a chartered Oriental Airline, the team suffered an aircrash at Tamanrasset, Southern Algeria same night. Two players, defender Aimola Omale and goalkeeper Uche Ikeogu lost their lives. CAF consequently shifted the return leg match in Owerri from October 3, to October 10. Nationale crashed out following a 1–1 draw in the return leg match.
1999: Emerged regular League champions but lost title to Lobi Stars of Makurdi in the inaugural Super League play-off.
2005: Finished third in Premier League and also in the Coca-Cola FA Cup with coach Stanley Eguma in charge.
2006: Imo State Government re-acquire ownership of the club on February 7 from chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, renaming it Heartland FC.[3]
2008: Finished second in Premier League by one point to Kano Pillars, earned a Champions League slot.
2009: Finished second in the 2009 CAF Champions League, losing to away goals to TP Mazembe after tying 2–2 on aggregate.
2011: The club won the Federation Cup, its first silverware since its last league win in 1993. Heartland defeated highly fancied Enyimba 1-0 thanks to a late first half goal by their captain, Chinedu Efugh.
2012: Heartland retained its 2011 cup win by defeating Lobi Stars 2-1 in the finals held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos thereby winning it again in 2012.
Relegation To NNL
Ending 18th in the 2016 Nigeria Professional Football League ensured the club went on relegation for the first time since its 40-year existence. On the final day of the season, Heartland abandoned their game against Plateau United in the 75th minute after the centre referee, Folorunsho Ajayi cancelled their goal which was to give them a 2-1 lead. Heartland was eventually penalized by the League Management for abandoning their game and 3 points and 3 goals was awarded to the home team, Plateau United. The result of this meant that MFM FC was safe would remain in the league at Heartland's expense.
They only spent a year at the second level, winning the Southern division with 61 points and 18 wins, 7 draws and 7 losses.
Achievements
- 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993.
- 1988, 2011, 2012.
- 2011, 2012.
Performance in CAF competitions
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Current squad
As of January 2018
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Team staff
Cajetan Nkwopara --------------Secretary Mobi Oparaku ---------------- Team Manager Emma U. Emelu -----------------Welfare Officer Anthony C. Okoro --------------Asst. Coordinator Nduka Ozuruigbo --------------- Finance Officer Bar. Ifeanyi Dike -----------------Legal Officer Neville Okere ----------------- ---Marketing Officer Veronica Aghalanya ------------ IT Specialist Emmanuel Ugo ----------------- Deputy Security Officer Henry Echefu -------------------- Media Officer Solomon Onu -------------------- Public Relations Officer George Iheanacho ------------ Medical Officer
Technical Crew
Ramson Madu ------------------ Chief Coach Patrick Awaja ------------------- Assistant Coach Bob Acholonu ------------------- Chief Fitness Trainer Chjarles Uzo ---------------------Head Coach Team B Longinus Duru ------------------- Goalkeeper Trainer
Former coaches
- Ossai Chukwuka
- Kelechi Emetole
Mitko Dobrev (Aug 2007 – Jan 09)
Ben Iroha (2009–??)
Lodewijk de Kruif (March 2010–??)- Samson Siasia (July 2010 – Dec 10)
- Christian Chukwu (interim) (Feb 2011 – March 11)
- Lodewijk de Kruif (2011–12)
References
- ^ http://authorityngr.com/2017/03/We-now-have-one-united-Heartland-family-says-Etuemena/
- ^ "Jubilation as promoted Heartland arrive Owerri". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2018-06-04.
- ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-05-14. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
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External links
