AFC Leopards
Full nameAbaluhya Football Club Leopards Sports Club
Nickname(s)Ingwe (The Leopards)
Short nameAFC, Leopards
Founded12 March 1964 (1964-03-12)
GroundNyayo National Stadium
Nairobi
Capacity15,000
ChairmanDan Shikanda
Head CoachThomas Trucha
LeagueKenyan Premier League
2022–23Kenyan Premier League, 9th of 18
WebsiteClub website

Abaluhya Football Club Leopards Sports Club, officially abbreviated as AFC Leopards, or simply known as AFC, Leopards or Ingwe (Luyia for 'Leopards'), is a Kenyan association football club based in Nairobi. It currently competes in the Kenyan Premier League, the top tier of the Kenyan football league system, and was founded in 1964 by football lovers from the luhya community. With 12 top-flight league titles to their name, AFC Leopards is Kenya's third most successful club behind Tusker FC (13 titles) and Gor Mahia (18 titles), the latter with whom they regularly contest the Mashemeji Derby.[1] The team currently plays most of its home games at the Nyayo National Stadium

AFC Leopards' standing as one of the most successful clubs in the region is underlined by the fact that it has won the Kenyan Premier League 12 times. AFC Leopards has also won the Kenya Cup 10 times, and the CECAFA Club Championship 5 times.[2]

The club was formed in 1964 as Abaluhya United Football Club. In 1973 the club changed the name to Abaluhya Football Club when a number of small clubs amalgamated.[3] In 1980 the club was renamed AFC Leopards, the name it holds until present.

In 2008 they played in the Nationwide League and won the title in their zone. They returned to the Kenyan Premier League for the 2009 season in which it also won the KFF Cup.[4]

History

The 1960s

From the 1960s or even earlier; the notion and formation of various Abaluhya teams for invitational matches became the forerunner of what eventually would become Abaluhya United. On 12 March 1964, the East African Standard newspaper published a report on the birth of a new club known as Abaluhya Football Club, which resulted from the amalgamation of Marama, Samia United and Bunyore; all Nairobi based clubs that were in Division 1 of the Kenya National Football League. The amalgamation process also included lower division clubs such as Kisa, Tiriki, Bukusu Brotherhood, Busamia, Lurambi, Butsotso, Bushibungo and Eshirotsa thus building its base and establishments that would make it a success in the future. [5]

The 1970s and 80s: Legacy building and golden era

This was a period of the club’s sustained performance pushed the club to more fame. This included winning the Kenya National Football League in an unbeaten fashion and in the process becoming the first Kenyan club to do so.[6]

AFC Leopards marked the 80s by marking a period of dominance majorly in the domestic and regional scene.[7]

The 1990s and 2000s

In the 90s, achievements became less frequent, although in general the team continued to win some championships thus never suffering a considerable title drought.[8]

The beginning of dismal campaigns for the following 10 years, including relegation from the top tier.[8]

Honours

League Honours

Cup Honours

Performance in CAF competitions

African Cup of Champions Clubs/CAF Champions League

CAF Confederation Cup

  • Preliminary round exits: 2010

CAF Cup

African Cup Winners' Cup

Players

Current squad

As of 2 November 2020

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
3 DF Kenya KEN Washington Munene
5 DF Kenya KEN Tedian Esilaba
7 MF Kenya KEN Victor Otieno
8 MF Kenya KEN Brian Wanyama
11 FW Kenya KEN Hansel Ochieng
12 DF Kenya KEN Isaac Kipyegon (Captain)
13 FW Burundi BDI Bienvenue Shaka
14 MF Kenya KEN Peter Thiongo
15 DF Kenya KEN Robert Mudenyu
16 GK Kenya KEN Maxwell Mulili
17 MF Rwanda RWA Fabrice Mugheni
18 FW Kenya KEN Boniface Mukhekhe
19 MF Kenya KEN Eugene Mukangula
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 FW Kenya KEN Dan Sunguti
21 DF Kenya KEN Collins Shichenje
22 DF Kenya KEN Collins Shivachi
23 MF Kenya KEN Austin Odhiambo
24 DF Kenya KEN Omar Somobwana
25 DF Kenya KEN Lewis Bandi
25 MF Kenya KEN Clyde Senaji
26 MF Kenya KEN Marvin Nabwire
27 FW Kenya KEN Jaffery Odeny Awiti
40 MF South Sudan SSD Saad Musa
77 FW Kenya KEN Caleb Olilo
99 GK Uganda UGA Benjamin Ochan
– FW Kenya KEN Dan Sunguti
– MF Kenya KEN Sellasie Otieno (On loan from Liberty Sports Academy)
– MF Ghana GHA Gideon Waja

Out On Loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
– GK Kenya KEN Maxwell Mulili (at Zoo Kericho)
– MF Kenya KEN Dan Musamali (at Nzoia Sugar)

Footballing and medical staff

Position Name
Head coach Belgium Patrick Aussems[9]
Assistant coach Kenya Tom Juma
Goalkeeper coach Kenya Lawrence Webo
Team Manager None
Team Doctor Kenya Patrick Ngusale
Physiotherapist Kenya Bonventure Odire
Fitness coach Kenya Vincent Mbwave

Board of directors

Position Name
Chairman Kenya Dan Shikanda[10]
Secretary General Kenya Gilbert Andugu[10]
Treasurer Kenya Oliver Napali Imbenzi[10]
Committee Member Kenya Diana Obbayi[11]
Committee Member Kenya Caroline Walusaga[11]

Coaches and managers

Kenya Jonathan Niva 1966-1970
Kenya Jonathan Niva 1973-1977
Uganda Robert Kiberu 1979-1984
Austria Gerry Saurer 1984-1985
Wales Graham Williams 1986-1987
Kenya Joe Masiga 1987 (player/manager)
Ghana Charles Gyamfi 1988-1991
Netherlands Jan Koops 2012
Belgium Luc Eymael 2013
Netherlands Hendrik Pieter De Jongh 2014[12]
Croatia Zdravko Logarušić 2015
Netherlands Jan Koops 2016
Belgium Ivan Minnaert 2016
England Stewart Hall 2016-2017
Romania Dorian Marin 2017
Kenya Robert Matano 2017-2018
Argentina Rodolfo Zapata 2018
Serbia Nikola Kavazović 2018
Serbia Marko Vasiljević 2018-2019
Rwanda Andre Cassa Mbungo 2019-2020
Kenya Anthony Kimani 2020
Czech Republic Thomas Trucha 2020
Kenya Anthony Kimani† 2020-2021
Belgium Patrick Aussems 2021- Present

† Interim Manager

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kenya - List of Champions". RSSSF. Retrieved 3 April 2017.
  2. ↑ admin. "The 2000s: Little success and decline". Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  3. ↑ Daily Nation, 5 January 2004: Oyugi speaks on state of soccer
  4. ↑ Kenyafootball, 17 November 2008: AFC Leopards confirmed for 2009 Premier League Archived 16 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ admin (18 March 2019). "The 1960s: The Good Beginnings". AFC Leopards SC. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  6. ↑ admin (18 March 2019). "The 1970s: Legacy Building". AFC Leopards SC. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  7. ↑ admin (18 March 2019). "The 1980s: The Golden Era". AFC Leopards SC. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  8. 1 2 admin (18 March 2019). "The 1990s: The New Era". AFC Leopards SC. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Aussems: AFC Leopards unveil Belgian coach as they target title | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 "2022 Annual General Meeting: Club election results". AFC Leopards SC. 27 June 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  11. 1 2 AFC Leopards [@afcleopards] (16 July 2022). "With this development this is how our NEC looks like ..." (Tweet). Retrieved 17 August 2022 – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "Troubled Leopards send Dutch coach De Jongh packing". Daily Nation. Retrieved 5 June 2018.

Sources

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