Agona Swedru, March 16, GNA - The Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the Swedru Fankobaah Football Club has appealed to citizens of Agona, corporate bodies and other benevolent at home and abroad to come to the aid of the club to save it from its imminent collapse.

Formed in the early 70s, Fankobaah was one of the promising and feared teams in the country but has over the years been faced with serious financial crisis and need to call for assistance to save it. Nana Yaw Fayah, Interim Chairman of the Club told the GNA Sports at Swedru on Wednesday that the Second Division team was finding it very difficult to bear its expenses on the team due to financial constraints. He said the Club therefore needs new management to steer its affairs to ensure development of the team, adding that the Club was prepared to welcome any assistance either in kind or cash to assist in maintaining and training of players.

Nana Fayah who is also Chairman of the Central Regional branch of the Progressive Transport Owners Association (PROTOA) said the IMC has so far been unable to pay winning bonuses and other allowances to the players. He said that the club has quality players some of who are ready to excel and seek greener pastures abroad, but the IMC was trying to maintain them. The IMC Chairman appealed to the District Chief Executive for Agona, Mr Ben Mensah to use his good offices to assist the Club to be promoted to the First Division.

Mallam Abubakari Alhasan, the Team Manager said that the Club's Chief Patron, Nana Kojo Amakye, Ankobeahene of Agona Swedru is so far the sole financier of the Club and that there was the need for external assistance to help sustain the Club. He said the IMC is set to organise friendly matches to put the team in readiness before the commencement of the Second Division league which begins in June, 2006 but he was afraid they cannot honour the matches due to the financial difficulties. The Manager urged the people of Agona and its surrounding towns and villages to support Fankobaah football team to be promoted to the Premier Division so as to save them the ordeal of travelling to either Cape Coast or Accra to watch football matches.