Can Dreams FC Emulate The Plight Of Seth Yeboah’s Dawu Youngsters?

About a month ago, to my embarrassment, I learned I have been tying my shoelaces awkwardly my whole life.

The simple reason is – as a sports journalist, I have not poured that intrinsic libation on the land that fed, nurtured, and more importantly groomed me into becoming a great walking football analyst that I am today.

The decision of newly promoted Ghana Premier League side, Dreams FC to use the Dawu Park as their home grounds for the upcoming 2015/2016 season has left me in a state of nostalgia forcing me to produce this piece in a hurry.

From the late 1970’s to the mid 1980’s Okwahu United Football Club, “The Soccer Mountaineers” as they are affectionately called had dominated, conquered, and virtually ruled club football in the Eastern Region of Ghana until Mr. Seth Yeboah, a renowned businessman from Dawu established Dawu Youngsters Football Club in 1987.

Three years after its establishment, Dawu Youngsters became a household in the region as they gain a qualification into Ghana’s top flight league in the 1990/1991 season.

Mr. Seth Yeboah chose the Koforidua Jackson Park as the team’s home venue and the people of Koforidua and its environs gave Dawu Youngsters a massive support anytime they played home.

As a lad growing up in the Aburi and Akropong Police Barracks I was privileged to follow my late father, Chief Inspector James K. Attaglo Rtd, who happened to be a friend of Seth Yeboah across the length and breadth of Ghana to watch matches of Dawu Youngsters.

Dawu Youngsters never won the league throughout their existence, but it is worth to notice here however that their first three seasons in the then very tough Ghana Premier League saw two of its players; Abdul Ibrahim Mumuni (1992/93), and the rasta-haired Laud Oscar (1993/94 season) winning the top goalscorer award.

Again, Dawu participated in the 1992 WAFU Club Championship, but unfortunately for Mr. Seth Yeboah his team was disqualified after beating Benin side Asemap FC by 4-1 on aggregate.

Dawu Youngsters may have spent just twelve years in Ghana’s top flight football, but the owner of the club, Mr. Seth Yeboah will forever be remembered for the kind of players he produced to feed the various national teams.

Some of the great names that readily come to mind are; Ibrahim Dossey, Nana Bayin Crentsil, Frederick Olenu, Abdul Ibrahim Mumuni, Laud Oscar, Essuman Dadzie, Alex Nyarko, Eugene Addo, Isaac Acquaye (Disco face), Abedi Tuga, Agyemang Duah, Ibrahim Labarah, Nii Darko Ankrah, Prince Amoako, Felix Aboagye, Yaw Sekyie, Samuel Bakai, Oppong Kyekyeku, Ali Sayeed, Siba Mumuni, amongst others.

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2016 Dreams FC played a friendly match with Accra Hearts of Oak to officially open their adopted home grounds (Dawu Park) and the fans that trooped in to catch a glimpse of the game was overwhelming to say the least.

In the end, Dreams FC lost the match played with two different sets by 4-1 on aggregates. Hearts of Oak won the first match by 2-0 and again won the second game of the afternoon by 2-1.

Before I signed off here for a cup of tea I hope Dreams FC will be able to bring back the golden stones that Mr. Seth Yeboah laid in the footballing history of the Eastern Region.

Follow Amisty on twitter @ElAmistyNobo

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