1960s
Whilst many of our peers cannot get a hang of it, Sports Club Villa has a special knack for benchmarking on monumental occasions. This was the case back in 2000. As the world ushered in the second millennium with much fanfare, we were preparing to celebrate our silver jubilee in the most fitting manner – winning on the pitch.
And we did just that by cantering to a league and cup double under the tutelage of the legendary Paul Hasule.
This was a proud moment for a club that started out in the humblest of ways back in 1975. To trace SC Villa’s roots, you have to go back to the 1960s. A cluster of youth under a loose umbrella body called Muzanganda pitched camp at Nakivubo Settlement Primary School where, besides lending their art to all sorts of handiwork, they would take part in a raft of sporting activities.
Predictably, football was one of the sporting activities. A slew of talented youngsters from remote Kampala backwaters like Kisenyi, Katwe, and Ndeeba were part of this footballing fabric that took on the label of Nakivubo Boys FC.
So talented were the lads that turned out for Nakivubo Boys FC that they captured the imagination of some Kampala-based businessmen who generously offered funds to prop the outfit. But whilst the financial assistance of the aforesaid businessmen was a big shot in the arm, their volatility left Nakivubo Boys prone to all sorts of imaginable problems.
A permanent proprietor needed, and he came in the shape of Joseph Kiwanuka Aliddeki. Fondly known as Jolly Joe, Kiwanuka was the founder and chief financier of Express Football Club. Jolly Joe was hankering for a youth side for Express FC, and he duly found one in Nakivubo Boys.
This ingenious move paid dividends with Nakivubo Boys feeding Express with up-and-coming players like Sam ‘Kapera’ Tamale, Badru Kakembo, Wilson Nsobya, George Mukasa, Godfrey Kisitu, Yusuf Kabona, Moses Matovu, Fred Sekasi, Fred Lukwago and Timothy Ayiekoh among others.
With Express continually plundering players from Nakivubo Boys, and no structures put in place for the latter to continue harnessing players from Kampala’s remote footballing backwaters, something was bound to be amiss. The remnants from Nakivubo Boys who didn’t make the Express grade deciphered this and hastily opted to form their own club. That club would be called Bata FC.
1970s
The brainchild of Edward Luyimbazi Mugalu, an erstwhile Nakivubo Boys defender, Bata FC hit the skids when it failed in its bid to secure sponsorship from Bata Shoe Company. It risked folding if it didn’t quickly secure a financier. After failing to talk his employers at Bata to bankroll the team, Luyimbazi succeeded in his attempt of asking Express to open the financial tap. The team would drop its Bata name for Nakivubo Boys. That was in 1975. Nakivubo Boys was reborn. Enjoying its new lease of life, Nakivubo Boys named its first executive. The executive punctuated with many Express-leaning personalities included: Kezekiah Segwanga Musisi (Patron), Daniel Musoke Kiwalabye (Chairman), Magid Bossa (Vice Chairman), Edward Luyimbazi (Secretary), Edward Kaweesa (Treasurer), Fred Sebatta (Assistant Treasurer), Eriab Kamya (Team Manager), Ahmed Seguya (former NRA Amy Commander Asst. Manager), Fred Kawuma (committee member), Dan Lule (committee member), Mzee George Sebuliba (committee member) and Joseph Kabundi (coach/player).
SC Villa as we know it today had well and truly been born. Our initial crop of players included: Moses Kaggwa, Kitatta Semakula, Taib Sentongo, Abbey Settuba, Kamya Abdul, George Kasozi, Joseph Kabundi (player/coach), Mutyaba and Bumbakali. They were joined by Shaban Mwinda, Sula Sentamu, Vincent Lubega, Hajji Kalema and several others.
It didn’t take long for Nakivubo Boys to imprint a mark on Ugandan football. Successes were scored both on and off the pitch in 1977 when as well as gaining promotion to the second division (now called the Big League) businessman George Faison Ddamulira was named Patron.
Also, in February of 1977, acting in his self appointed portfolio of Disciplinary Officer for sport, infamous governor Lt. Col Nasur Abdullah slapped a ban on Express. This ban precipitated the return of six ‘prodigal sons’ (Badru Kakembo, Fred Sekasi, Fred Lukwago, Ismael Kirungi and Kennedy Mutanda and tactician Charles Jaggwe) to Nakivubo Boys.
With such firepower, Nakivubo Boys strolled to the first division (now called the Super League) at the end of 1978. With topflight football guaranteed, Nakivubo Boys moved quickly to make Nsambya Railways ground (modern day Villa Park) as its ancestral home. Previously, Nakivubo Settlement, Nakivubo Blue and Cricket Ground (Clock Tower) had been home to Nakivubo Boys.
The year 1979 not only saw Nakivubo Boys play topflight football, but also announced Patrick Kawooya arrival to mainstream Ugandan club football management. Kawooya, who at the time of Express’s ban was the club’s treasurer, took over the reins of chairman at Nakivubo Boys. His first major decision was to turn down a proposed merger with Express in favour of an amalgamation with Volcano FC. This amalgamation brought players like Sam ‘Kapera’ Tamale, Wilson Nsobya, Badru Kakembo, Edward Sekisaka and Edward Semanda (RIP) to Nsambya Railways ground.
1980s
Working with a team comprising George Damulira as Patron, Fred Kawuma as his deputy, Edward Luyimbazi the Secretary, Eriab Kamya the team manager and veteran player Badru Kakembo as captain, Kawooya meticulously went about his work of rebranding Nakivubo Boys. The journey from boys to men had been straddle, and some changes needed to be instituted.
Kawooya christened Nakivubo Boys Sports Club Villa. By extension, SC Villa’s new playground at Nsambya would be called Villa Park. Also, SC Villa would assume the ‘Jogoo’ nickname because, in Kawooya’s assessment, the club was independent and no longer under the control of another club (i.e. Express).
Sadly, SC Villa didn’t register results that would boggle Kawooya’s mind in the 1979 and 1980 seasons. This impelled Kawooya to go on a spending spree that brought star attractions like Paul Hasule (Heroes), Jimmy Kirunda (KCC), Fred Serwadda (UCB), Sam Mubiru (Maroons), Godfrey Kisitu (Simba), Rogers Semere (Coffee), Dan Lutalo (UCB), Jamil Kasirye (KCC), John Jjumba (Coffee), Moses Ndaula (Coffee) and coach George Mukasa (City Cubs) to Villa Park before the 1981 season.
As well as luring star players, Kawooya sought to rid the maladministration at Villa Park by recruiting time tested administrators and business gurus such as Balamaze Lwanga (Vice Chairman Technical), Bob Kabuye, Hajji Ramadhan Kisambira, Joe Muganzi, Ephraim Kizito, and Abolt Sebuliba among others.
Clearly, SC Villa was ready to take on Uganda’s crème de la crème. We did just that when we won the 10-team 1982 Super League undefeated.
Villa, under Kawooya, was not only setting the standard on the pitch, but also off it. Many football aficionados christened Villa abambazi (the smart ones) thanks to our players sporting jerseys with their names emblazoned as well as smart blazers that gave many a player something off a sharp look post match.
Kawooya’s bottomless pockets assembled a ‘World XI’ at Villa Park before the 1983 season with some of the box office purchases including KCC hitman Davis Kamoga, keeper Edward Nansamba (UCB), Ronald Vvubya (Lufula), Geoffrey Higenyi (Nytil) and Sunday Mokili (Tobacco). These joined established aces like Jamil Kasirye, John Jumba, Dan Lutalo, Jimmy Kirunda, Geoffrey Kisitu, Shaban Mwinda, Moses Ndaula, Rogers Nsubuga, Fred Serwadda and Rogers Semere.
Yet instead of vanquishing all and sundry, coach George Mukasa failed to steer us to the Promised Land. We were eliminated from the 1983 Cecafa Club Championship at the semi-final stage by Malawi’s Admarch Tigers. Back home, our fortunes were no better as KCC beat us to the league title. We extracted a slice of revenge when we edged KCC 1-0 to lift the Uganda Cup, but, clearly, Kawooya wasn’t a happy man. Mukasa was quick to resign before he was sent to the guillotine.
Kawooya would go for experience by handing David Otti the coaching reins before the 1984 season. Otti did just enough to win the league title, but missed out on a Double when KCC bundled us out of the Uganda Cup at the semi-final stage.
The year 1985 saw us sign a landmark sponsorship deal with AGIP. But that was as far as the good news went. A deplorable showing at the Cecafa Club Championship cost Otti his job. Timothy Ayieko stepped in to steady the ship, but he too pulled up short as we endured our first trophyless season in three years.
But not all was lost. By turning to youngsters like Majid Musisi (Pepsi Cola), Sula Kato (Masaka Union) and William Nkemba (St. Mary’s Kisubi), Villa was sagely building a strong foundation for future feats.
With Polly Ouma at the helm and Ayieko acting as his sidekick, Villa won the first-ever league and cup Double in Ugandan football. We were regional champions the next year in 1987. As well as comfortably winning the league that year, it took an almighty effort from KCC in the Uganda Cup final to stop us from winning an unprecedented treble.
Kawooya, though, still wanted Villa to push the envelope. He recruited British tactician Geoff Hudson with his eye set on conquering the continent. Under Hudson, Villa swept the major domestic titles in 1988 and 1989.
1990s
Besides shifting home ground from Nakivubo Stadium to Masaka Recreation Ground, Villa won a record seventh league title in 1990s. But a 3-0 loss to KCC in the Uganda cup final left a nauseating taste in the mouth. This was our heaviest defeat since a surprise 4-1 loss to Masaka Union in 1983.
KCC were fast turning into Villa’s nemeses in cup finals. But our battles with the Yellow Lads – as KCC is known – were teleported to new frontiers when we flexed muscle for Sam Mukasa who was at the time a student at St. Henry Kitovu. We had lured Mukasa to Villa Park but failed to secure him a licence from Fufa.
We would go on to have more run-ins with Fufa after the local football governing body slapped a one-year ban on our talismanic skipper Hasule for roughing up referee Fred Wanyama. Hasule’s ban was later lifted and Mukasa got the licence, but this didn’t stop KCC from winning the league title.
Our attack on the continental front produced some good news as we enjoyed a fairytale run that ushered us into the African Club Championship (modern day Caf Champions League) final. Sadly, we lost the final 7-2 to Tunisian behemoths Club Africain.
Angered by a trophyless 1991 season, Kawooya popped eyes when he refused to renew Hudson’s contract and elevated Ayieko to the hot seat. Ayieko guided us to league success in 1992, but gut-wrenchingly played the bridesmaids’ role on the continent after Nigeria’s Shooting Stars upstaged us in the final of the then newly inaugurated Caf Cup.
We not only made news in 1992 by winning the league and finishing second in the Caf Cup, but also for selling prolific striker Magid Musisi to France’s Stade Rennes for $ 120,000. This money was expected to bolster our coffers and summarily our profile, but instead opened a Pandora’s Box. Kawooya accused of running Villa in an ironclad fashion after he refused to disclose the details in Musisi’s contract. These simmering tensions poured into the 1993 season when Vice Chairman (Administration) Alex Kiseego (RIP) and committee member Omar Ahmed ‘Mandela’ accused Kawooya of running Villa like a roadside kiosk.
Kawooya, however, stood his ground. It took an unfortunate incident to loosen his grip on Villa. In September of 1993, as Villa prepared to host Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosa in the first leg of the Africa Club Championship, Kawooya suffered a stroke and was rushed to Mulago Hospital. Kawooya was discharged from hospital a month later, but he was a totally different man. He wasn’t alone because Villa was also a different team. Our dominance had long been watered down, and we could only watch as Express and KCC won the 1993 league and Kakungulu cups respectively.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Hasule announced his retirement from football round about the same time.
The rot needed to be arrested, and we sought to do just that during the general assembly on December 19, 1993. Before the general assembly, it was tentatively agreed that Kawooya be stripped of the vast powers he enjoyed. He would be given the ceremonial position of Patron, but come D-day Kawooya was a no-show. As such, the mantle of club chairman was given to businessman Franco ‘Capo’ Mugabe.
Mugabe set to decentralise the power at Villa Park. He also appointed Hasule on the technical bench. Mugabe also used part of the money Villa got from the sale of Musisi – $80,000 to be precise – to settle outstanding debts as well as purchase land in Luwafu-Makindye where we built a house that accommodates eleven players to this day.
Kawooya, who had stepped aside and followed the proceedings from a distance, broke his silence on March 6, 1994 by launching a new club called Villa International. Kawooya wooed two key Villa players, Steven Bogere and Adam Semugabi; former team manager, Eriab Kamya and vocal supporter Siraje Mbuga.
This, thankfully, didn’t weaken us as we recaptured the league title in 1994. It was good to see Villa International gain promotion to the Super League in 1995, but flabbergasting to see Kawooya pass away on December 31, 1995. Predictably, Villa International was relegated in 1996. It folded a few years later.
2000s
In 1997, Mugabe was re-elected and pledged to return the club to the summit. We recruited Hasule from Simba FC as head-coach in February of 1998. Hasule would set the ball rolling by winning back-to-back league titles (as well as Doubles in 1998 and 2000) from 1998 until 2001 when he was sacked.
Tired of the local laurels, the club leadership wanted to build a strong and professional side which could compete favourably on the continent. To achieve this, we hired Serbian tactician Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic at the dawn of 2002.
Micho won the double in his maiden year at Villa Park. He then retained the league in 2003 and won the Cecafa Club Championship as well. When the Serb quit Villa in July of 2004, Sam Timbe took over the reins and led us to our 16th league title. Timbe also won the 2005 CECAFA title, remarkably, without conceding a goal. Andy Mwesigwa captained this Villa outfit that relied on Bernard Mwalala’s goals to land the top regional gong.
Timbe’s tenure was surprisingly cut short following the failure to retain the league title in 2005. We would endure a four-year trophyless spell before we beat URA FC in the 2009 Kakungulu Cup final.
Currently, the Villa board is headed by renowned city lawyer Fred Muwema and the dugout is manned by Serbian tactician Srdjan Zivojnov.