By Peter Martey Agbeko, APR
On Friday night of February 21, 2025, as I stood beside Dr. Darlington Nii Tettey Mensah (aka Capello) and other distinguished APSU awardees at the APSU @ 90 Dinner and Awards Night, receiving our certificates and medallions from Dr. Ernest Anthony Osei, the Union’s Global President, a flood of memories from our school days and beyond came rushing back.
Back in the day, my classmate, Dr. Osei, was an exceptional goalkeeper. His talent was evident even before his time at St. Augustine’s College, having made a name for himself at St. John’s Preparatory School in Accra. From his very first year at Augusco, the legendary coach, Mr. Plas Otwe (of blessed memory), recognized his potential and drafted him into the school’s football team. This formidable squad featured outstanding players such as seniors Charles Paintsil (Ogidi) of Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs fame, Andrew Sekyim Kwandoh (Tostao), Steve Amos, Kwabena Adu, and others.
Capello, on the other hand, was a lethal striker—a goal poacher par excellence. Even before joining Augusco, he had built a reputation as a football prodigy at Radiantway School in Accra. His name was synonymous with attacking brilliance, and he continued to shine on and off the pitch throughout his time at Augusco.
To this day, I remind both of them that if they hadn’t pursued careers in medicine, they could have easily played professional football at the highest level. I often compare Tony Osei to legendary goalkeepers such as Peter Shilton of England and Ghana’s own Robert Mensah, while Capello reminds me of greats like Eusébio, Ferenc Puskás, and the late Opoku Afriyie (aka Bayie). Capello is still practicing medicine, while Tony has switched to real estate and construction.
The Intense APSU ‘80 vs. APSU ‘81 Football Rivalry During our school days, whenever a match was scheduled between the 1980 and 1981 year groups, the tension was palpable. The stakes were high—bragging rights were on the line. Both teams boasted exceptionally talented players, though I would argue that APSU ‘81 had a slight edge in individual skill. However, our resilience and perseverance as the APSU ‘80 squad always leveled the playing field.
If my memory serves me right, most of our matches ended in draws, which, on hindsight, may have been a blessing in disguise, as it helped to diffuse the intense rivalry. Years after leaving school, the competitive spirit remained alive. A much-anticipated match between the two year groups was organized at the Mamprobi Indafa Park. The build-up was intense, and the game lived up to expectations. APSU ‘80 emerged victorious, winning by two goals to one.
Nearly two decades later, another encounter was arranged at the Accra High School Park. The hype surrounding the game was unparalleled. And as for who was responsible for fueling the excitement and publicity—well, I’ll leave that to your imagination!
I had the privilege of featuring in both matches, and in the Accra High School game, which also ended 2-1 in favour of APSU ‘80, I scored the winning goal. Since then, I have tactically thwarted all attempts to arrange a rematch, ensuring that our bragging rights remained intact. I am not about to take any chances against Capello’s powerful shots—he is still in formidable shape and form!
The Sports Legends Who Graced the APSU Dinner and Awards Night
At the recent APSU Dinner and Awards Night, several sporting greats from our time at Augusco were present. Among them was Ebenezer Essuman (aka Chitallo), one of the most versatile athletes of our generation. He excelled in football, high jump, and sprints, playing for Cape Coast Mysterious Dwarfs and Sekondi Eleven Wise before taking his talents to Gabon. Chitallo was the referee for our second match, while Felix Nanabayin Ayinsah (aka Dynamo) served as the match commissioner.
Also present at the event was senior Gerald Fredua-Agyemang (aka Big Ben), APSU class of 1966, a regular for Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs and the Academicals. The ever-green senior Kwabena Adu, a true all-round sportsman, was in attendance as well. He played football and hockey for Augusco, excelled in the 200-meter sprint, and was remarkably talented at anything he set his mind to. A member of APSU class of 1974, he was in Upper Six when we entered Form One.
Looking Back on My Own Sporting Journey
Reflecting on my own sporting journey, I fondly remember playing hockey for Augusco. I was drafted into the first team by Mr. Bentum in Form Two (1976), and it was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed. One day, I will share some stories about this endeavour. In a subsequent piece, I will highlight other APSUnians who attended the event that rekindled all these cherished high school memories.
