Saint George S.C.

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Saint George Sports Club, is an Ethiopian football club based in Addis Ababa. They are members of the Ethiopian Football Federation natio

Video Saint George S.C.

History

The club was formed by an Ethiopian called Ayele Atnash and a Greek George Ducas in Ethiopia when Fascist Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935. Founded by Ayele Atnash and George Dukas, the club quickly became the symbol of Ethiopian nationalism and a representation of the country's quest for freedom.

Founded in the Arada area, traversed differences through football, left its own mark in the patriotic struggle, tirelessly put effort to wave the flag high, walking on glorious road yesterday and today, made it to its 82nd birthday this month. Happy Anniversary! We are thankful to be part of this family, a historic and timeless club!

St George establishment!

Ayele Atnash and George Dukas are the founders of St George club. They were at their young age when they founded the club. Although no one thought it would pass the tough era and stand as a club, these courageous men and other brave fellows who joined them and fearless fans saw it come true. Even though those men founded just a football club, after getting a strong base, it made history to Ethiopia winning the Invader Italians. This club withstood the horrible era because it was founded on the base of strong brotherhood and love more than one has for a family.

More than struggling to establish this club, Ayele Atnash and George Dukas had to endure phisical and psychological harassment from Arada security details. St George was not only constituted from different ethnic society but also from foreigners who were enticed by the love and brotherhood in the club.

We would like to bring what Ayele Atnash and George Dukas said for St George establishment!

St George was founded at Doro Manekia in George Dukas's family house. Arada Security was St George enemy. They jailed our players. They only recognized us as gangsters, not football club members. But, the brotherhood that brought us together was stronger than their threat. There was a time we used to spend the whole day trying to find a field to play on. Sometimes we get successful if we don't get chased away and had to find another, and sometimes we don't find at all and get back late in the evening.

One day we carried our goal posts to 'Filwehameda', currently found next to Custom Authorities Head Office, but they chased us away claiming it was a grass field. Then we headed to 'Aroge Kera' to 'Etege Menen' field and started playing. But the villagers chased us away. Then we went to 'Belay Zeleke' 'Zebegna Sefer' village, but Arada Security came and chased us away. But they couldn't part us as our unity grew much stronger.

One day, we set a match with Armenians and started looking for a field in the city carrying goal posts. We had to blandish the Armenians so they don't cancel while we kept being chased away from fields and kept looking telling them << no one will be there in that field>>. We did not have full squad so we told them we will play with the players we had. We found Yidnekachew while crossing Berad Mekonnen bridge. Since we knew each other going to Teferi Mekonnen School, we asked him <<Why not you help us, we are short of men?>> Although he did not plan on playing he agreed and played and we won 2-0. It was Yidnekachew who scored the goals.

Although it was by the two of us that St George was born, it was actually Yidnekachew who brought it up fighting all the challenges. He is the one to be thanked. We established St George and he introduced it to the Ethiopian people and Africa. He made us be named the first football club founders in Africa. There were other clubs established after ours but because they did not have a strong man like Yidnekachew, they did not make it.

Our club's first jersey was brown and white. We were forced into choosing this one. We had only 2 Tegera Birr, and it was not enough so we could only buy this from ' Awgustas Dus' Greek shop at Piassa. When we started getting money, we advised on it and gave the first jersey to our second team and got a new jersey that implies our unity which has Ethiopian flag on a white background. But all we did was take a picture in it as Italians came and disturbed our team before we played in it. All we could do was wear it underneath a cloth. The only way we could show our love was by playing wearing it hiding underneath when we met.

We didn't come by with money easily. George used to bring from his family claiming to buy exercise books. And we used to sing "Hoya Hoye", traditional boys' song, for the rest of it. The customary reward then was bread, not money. We collect the bread in a sack to sell it in laborers' village. After buying jersey with the money, we buy flour and brewed wheat(snack) for when there is a game. When we had to go far for a training, we used to eat those snacks. When we have a tough game, we used to eat bread and tea. But it was not from cafeterias. We used to buy sugar that would be enough for days with 2 Besa. Then the reward for buying sugar was a bag of tea. Then we bake bread with the flour we bought and make tea and eat at George's house. Then we disperse later after saying a prayer.

At that time, all St George had to its name was 2 Tegera Birr, 1 ball, goal posts and a stamp. After Italians arrived, everything went in chaos. And the main Italian base was at Arada Giorgis. And that was our meeting place. In spite of all that, since we were all around same place, we used to struggle to keep our club from dissolution wearing our jersey underneath our clothes. Then Italians took and jailed George. And Yidnekcachew went to Italy. When Italy came to conquer, everything got messed up for us. Robbery was here and there. Addis Ababa was without administration.

After George was released, we went back home. All of our holdings was robbed. Better not to mention what Italy did. They abused especially our club, they made us cry. They laughed while we walked crying. After a long time, one day, one Armenian gave a us a ball. The ball was new. We arranged a match with a team and could not wait till it was morning. St George was to have a match with a new, not yet inflated, ball.

When it was dawn, we were waiting for rental bicycle owners because they would inflate the ball for us with their pump for free. An Italian, Air Pump station owner told us << I will Pumb it for you>> and we gave him the ball. He was so evel-ish, he himself over inflated the ball with a compressor and the ball exploded on air. But he was standing laughing. He was always jealous of our love he saw when we were passing by his shop. And he got a revenge by exploding our ball. He made fun of us when we did not know what to do and when tear started dropping from our eyes. He destroyed the only possession we had.

Italians were not happy with Ethiopian people as a whole since they were not compliant as others. Since the people had love for each other, they tried to disintegrate the unity but failed. When our club got famous and became popular among the people, they started targeting us. Their treachery was never ending. Even to Ethiopian door to door hen sellers, they tell them << bring it over here>> and ask << how much is it>> and when they tell them the price they tell them to give them for a lower price they want, when the sellers persist, they break the hens' neck in front of their eyes and take them with the price they named as no one carries around a dead hen.

The club established next to ours was by Italians. They were established in 1937 G.C meaning 2 years after Italians' arrival. The first team was '6 kilo'. This club was purposely created by Italians to weaken and destroy us. They even made us change our name. This team was our enemy. They were sponsored by the nearby factory 'Cugnac Alovo', which was at 6 Kilo area. Jersey and Footwear were bought for them. They were also called 'Cenco Maje' to mean July 5. This was because Italy arrived on that day. They come with full stomach when all we had was snacks. But we would win and they beat us as usual. It never ended in peace when St George and 6 kilo played. They beat us all the time. We have the support of the people. We play good. We have respect because we win when we play against foreign communities as well as with Italians themselves. And the people used to get a revenge through us. They start beating us when we win, there was even a poem for it;

We used to sing

«???? ??? ???? ????? ??? 6 ?? ???? ???» to mean "6 kilo, although playing with their legs and kicking players with headers, they always lose" Another was;

«??? ??????? ???? ???? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????» to mean "firm as a metal steal, how are you Ayele Atnash, Arada's Tersino?"

And we had a player called Elias who later became a pilot, the people had a poem for the great pair him and Yidnekachew.

«???? ???? ???? ??????? ???????? ???? ??????» Elias on the sky, Yidnekackew on land, God created them in tribute."

The people became a threat for Italians. Everyone kept on joining the Guerrilla fighters. Then they came with a plan. they started trying to use our club to propagandize about their administration. They know the place St George has in the heart of the people. We had many followers. And the people used us to whisper about patriotism and jungle fight. One day Italians sent a message to Patriout Ras. Abebe Aregay "come and see, the people is in peace." And prepared a match at JanMeda.

The patriots were invited to watch after they constructed a tent for the people to watch the game in. After taking an Italian General as leverage not trusting the Italians, Ras. Abebe Aregay sent Demissie W/Michael to investigate the situation. Then Italians called us and warned us to finish the game in peace. Then Italians chose its club, 6 kilo to play us. They themselves started a fight right away. And we got in the fight so they know what's going on. The people cheered and whistled encouraging the fight rather than the game. Then the game was interrupted.

During the Italian invasion, every one even at the palace, was a fan of St George. Yoftahe Nigussie was our huge fan and our teacher. He fled to Sudan when Italians arrived. 3 players from our team participated in his play Afajeshigm. Before the king came back to the throne, the patriots heightened the struggle around the country. And us, St George players used to preach in bars and corners about the struggle. We used to motivate the people "Fight for your freedom, the time is coming. Recover your flag." We were giving the news that the Guerrilla fight is in its climax sneaking in every corners. Later, everyone joined the fight.

Finally, when the king returned, it was us who sang the national anthem "Ethiopia hoy des Yebelesh"(to mean, Rejoice Ethiopia) in front of the king, written by Yoftahe Nigussie and produced by Captain Nalbadin.

After the Italians were defeated, St. George briefly turned into a pictogram of identity for many Ethiopians. As there weren't other Ethiopian clubs, it had been playing against foreign clubs.

In 1947, the country's national league kicked off with three teams; St. George, Mechale and Ke'ay Bahir. The club remained within the league for twenty-five years before the Derg reorganized the football leagues, and forced all existing clubs to shut down.

Four years later, in 1976 though, it was back with a name change. St. George was named for the Addis Ababa brewery. The tag stayed for nineteen years.

Since 1999, fee-paying supporters have owned St. George. In November 2007, the club had finished raising funds and would begin construction of a new stadium. Budgeted at 312 million Birr, 80% of the cost would be covered by Sheik Mohammed Al Amoudi with the balance to be contributed by the club's supporters.

Source:- Yeferesegnochu Gets /?????? ??/

Maps Saint George S.C.

Honors

• Ethiopian Premier League: 27

1950, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1975, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

• Ethiopian Cup: 12

1952, 1953, 1957, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1993, 1999, 2009, 2011, 2016

• Ethiopian Super Cup: 16

1985, 1986, 1987,1994, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2015, 2017

• Addis Ababa City Cup: 5

2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2017

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Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League: 9 appearances

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 10 appearances

• CAF Confederation Cup: 1 appearance

2012 - First Round

• CAF Cup: 1 appearance

2002 - Second Round

• CAF Cup Winners' Cup: 3 appearances

1975 - First Round

1978 - Preliminary Round

1994 - Second Round

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Current squad

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

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Staff

Management

President

• Ato Abinet Gebremeskel

Secretary

• Neway Beyene

Director of Sport

• Kasshun Gezaw

Sports

Team Leader

• Tafess Bekele

Head Coach

• Carlos Manuel Vaz Pinto

Assistant Coach

• Fasil Tekalign

Medical Staff

• Bekele Zenebe

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References

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External links

• Latest Ethiopian Football News
• Official Web Site
• Saint George S.C. on Facebook

Source of the article : Wikipedia