Early years: (1935–1961)

Bisa Gallants

At the establishment of the Roan Antelope Copper Mine in 1927, African soccer was organised on tribal lines. One such team in Roan Township was Bisa Gallants which initially comprised members of the Bisa ethnic group from Northern Zambia. It was this team that became the nucleus of the African football club that the Roan Mine Compound Manager Mr. Cecil F. Spearpoint put together to form Roan Mine team.

Birth of Roan Antelope United

The two Roan teams were instrumental in pushing for multi-racial participation in football and the promotion of a national football league. In 1961 a select side from both teams challenged an all European side Mufulira United to a friendly game and won 1–0. An African player Ginger Pensulo scored the lone goal.

In 1962 Roan Antelope United FC was born. The same year the National Football League was inaugurated with Roan's player-coach Ron Patterson as its first chairman.

At the birth of Roan Antelope United were such great African stars as Innocent ‘Mummy’ Malama, Dick Katongo, James Temani, Ginger Pensulo, Kenny Banda, Augustine ‘Baba Gasto’ Bwalya, Happy George Banda, Apro Musengule, Fix Kalunga, Laskey Mwandu, Gibson Nkumba and Samuel Yasa.¹

From Roan Antelope Callies came Ron Patterson (the first NFL chairman), Frank Petler, John Flintham, Teddy Pyle, John Dismuss and one unique big catch -Tony Castella. Castella was a former Portuguese international star that had played in the 1958 World Cup series alongside the legendary Mozambican Eusebio.²

Providing leadership was a powerful multi-racial executive committee comprising Richard Howie (President), Bob Menzies (Vice President), Alex Hendry (Chairman), Boniface Koloko (Secretary), Johnson Malama (Vice Chairman) and Edward Matale (Assistant Team Manager). Evans was Team Manager whilst Tony Castella took the double role of player coach. Also serving as a committee member was Sylvester Nkhoma, one of the charter members of Roan Mine African Football Club.³

Inaugural NFL Champions

In 1962, Roan Antelope United won the championship of the inaugural National Football League season. The 1962 title remains their only one to date.^[2]

Academy of Soccer Sciences

Roan are famed for producing great names in the history of Zambian football. The list of ex-Roan players reads like a Who's who in Zambian Soccer.

Three quarters of Zambia National team , Zambia Schools and Under 20 goalkeepers are traceable to Roan United and its reservoirs. There was Innocent ‘Mummy’ Malama , Happy Malama, Emmanuel Mwape, Vincent Chileshe, Kenny Mwape, Ghost Mulenga, Richard Mwanza, Simon Chande, Julius Chilambo, Laston Simpasa, Simon Kapende, Anderson Banda, Gibson Ngwira and Davies Phiri. Of all these the late Emmanuel Mwape still holds the record of having been voted the best goalkeeper on the continent in 1974 at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Most Zambian club success stories are linked to Roan United because of the players ‘poached’ from the club. Most them also played for Zambia. For instance Kabwe Warriors was at its best in the mid 1960s and '70s with ex-Roan stars: Sunday Kaposa, Boniface Simutowe, Godfrey Mpula, Phillip Tembo, Dyson Mugala, Francis Chilombo, Simon Kapende, Guards Sakala, Daniel Chileshe, Laskey Mwandu, Jack Chanda, Godfrey Munshya, Barry Kamfwa Kayuni, Moses Masuwa and Linos Chisanga.

Rhokana United enticed Fordson Kabole, Hudson Kamfwa Kasongo, Simon Chande, Bernard Chanda, Richard Mugala, Emmanuel Mwape and Gamma Mwelwa. Emmanuel Mwape’s young brother Kenny Mwape served at Mufulira Blackpool, Green Buffaloes, City of Lusaka and Power Dynamos. Ndola United benefited through Kaiser Kalambo, John Mapulanga, and Silas Kanchule and Elias Simbeye.

Now defunct Kabwe United owed much of their success to Fabiano Mwaba and Anderson Banda. Kitwe United lured Happy Malama, Edward ‘VC 10’ Kalale and Stephen Makungu. Bancroft (now Konkola Blades) took on Savage Bulaya, Winter Chisenga and Wink Mwape. Nchanga Rangers benefited through John Silubonde, Morris Mwansa, Vincent Chileshe and Elijah Tana. Lusaka Tigers were glad to receive Gibbon ‘King’ Nyirongo who later exported his skills to Malawi with Bata Bullets.

Giant killers Strike Rovers would take on Brannel Stewart Jambila, Lasso Laimoni, Manasseh Jumbe and goalkeeper Aaron Mwape (another young brother to Emmanuel). Vitafoam befitted through the services of Richard Mwanza, Adrian Chota, Frank Mayekela, Abraham Liyembele and Lackson Chanda. Bruster Nsama and Peter Chanda were to raise Mpelembe FC to limelight whilst Laston Simpasa served Red Arrows and Green Buffaloes as goalkeeper. At Kafue Textiles Julius Chilambo together with Bernard Chanda propelled the team to limelight in the late 1980s.