Express FC

Express Football Club

Full name	Express Football Club
Nickname(s)	"Red Eagles" "Square Pass" "Mukwano Gwa'bangi"
Founded	1957
Ground	Muteesa II Stadium Kampala, Uganda
Ground Capacity	20,202
Chairman	Florence Nakiwala Kiyingi[1]
League	Azam Uganda Premier League
2014–15	8th
Website	Club home page
Home colours

Express Football Club, abbreviated as Express, is a Ugandan football club from Kampala, the largest city and capital of Uganda. The club play their home games at the Muteesa II Wankulukuku Stadium.^[2]

History

Express FC is popularly referred to by the club fans as the Red Eagles and has also been known as the Express Sports Club.^[2] The club is the oldest premier football club in Uganda, having been founded in October 1957 by managers of the Uganda Express Newspapers. The main architect of the club's foundation was Jolly Joe Kiwanuka, the owner of the newspaper, who was ably supported by Paul Ssengendo, Hannington Kiwanuka, Dr. Banabas Kiwanuka, Gaster Nsubuga and Bishop Dr. Dunstan Nsubuga.^[3][4]

Express joined the Kampala and District Football League (KDFL) and by 1964 had become a leading force in the competition by winning Division One championship, with the club's leading scorer Ali Kitonsa netting 54 goals in 18 appearances. In 1968–69 the club participated in the inaugural season of the National League First Division, finishing in fourth position.

The Red Eagles won their first Uganda National League championship title in 1974 and repeated the feat the following season in 1975. In the 1977 season Express defeated the Army side Simba FC 2–0 in a crucial league match and were subsequently banned for allegedly being involving in anti-government activities, by the Governor of the Central Province, Col. Abdallah Nasur, who was unhappy about his side's loss. In 1979 the ban was lifted after the regime of Idi Amin had ended and Express returned to the National League for the 1980 season.^[5]

The Red Eagles brief interlude from National League football had lasting consequences as it gave rise to the development of its youth side Nakivubo Boys. All officials of Express turned to Nakivubo Boys and engineered their new team to become a footballing force in Uganda. Nakivubo Boys changed its name to Nakivubo Villa and then later changed its name to Sports Club Villa.^[3][4]

It was not until the 1993 season that Express won the Super League championship and there followed the most successful period in the club's history with further league titles in 1995 and 1996. Then a match fixing scandal involving Express' arch rival Villa interrupted this successful period. The scandal climaxed in 2002–03 season. and at the end of this season seriously tainting Ugandan football with Villa scoring 22 goals past Akol FC and then going on to take league title on goal difference from Express.^[6]

Over the last ten years the club's league performance has diminished although in 2011–12 the Red Eagles secured the Super League championship title once more by finishing one point above Bunamwaya SC. The following season in 2012–13 the club finished in 11th place, their lowest top tier position.

In contrast to their league performances, Express have been the most successful club in the Ugandan Cup winning the competition on 10 occasions in 1985, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002–03, 2006 and 2006–07. They have also made numerous appearances in African cup competitions, including one appearance in the CAF Champions League, six appearances in the African Cup of Champions Clubs, two appearances in the CAF Confederation Cup, two appearances in the CAF Cup and five appearances in the CAF Cup Winners' Cup. In 1995 the Red Eagles reached the semi-finals of the African Cup of Champions Clubs before going out 2–1 on aggregate to South African club, Orlando Pirates, the eventual champions. In addition the club has twice finished runners-up in the CECAFA Clubs Cup, the regional club competition covering East and Central Africa, in 1994 and 1995. Another success was winning the East African Hedex Super Cup in 2001–02.

The Red Eagles were the first Ugandan club to use football boots and since the club was revived in 1979 they have ever been relegated from the top tier league. They are the only Super League side that has never featured in the promotional mini leagues. Hassan Mubiru finished the club and league's top scorer for three consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2003.

In total Express FC has won six league championships and ten Uganda Cup titles with the 'double' (league & cup winners) being achieved in 1995.

Record in the top tier

^[7]

African cups history

Season	Competition	Round	Club	1st Leg	2nd Leg	Aggregate
1975	African Cup of Champions Clubs	First round	Horsed FC	1–0	0–0	1–0
		Second round	Ghazl Al-Mehalla	1–1	0–1	1–2
1976	African Cup of Champions Clubs	First round	Caïman Douala	1–0	0–1	1–1 (4–3 p.)
		Second round	Enugu Rangers	0–0	2–2	2–2 (ag.)
1986	African Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Al-Ahly	0–2	1–0	1–2
1989	African Cup of Champions Clubs	First round	Mbabane Highlanders FC	4–0	1–2	5–2
		Second round	Zimbabwe Saints FC	1–0	0–1	1–1 (3–4 p.)
1992	African Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Al-Merreikh	0–1	1–1	1–2
1993	African Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Al-Merreikh	0–3	2–0	2–3
1994	African Cup of Champions Clubs	First round	Zamalek SC	disqualified	disqualified	w/o
1995	African Cup of Champions Clubs	First round	Force Nationale Securité	2–0	7–0	9–0
		Second round	Aigle Nkongsamba	3–0	0–1	3–1
		Quarter-finals	Dynamos	0–1	2–1	2–2 (ag.)
		Semi-finals	Orlando Pirates	0–1	1–1	1–2
1996	African Cup of Champions Clubs	Preliminary round	Sunrise Flacq United	1–0	1–3	2–3
1997	CAF Champions League	Preliminary round	Young Africans	0–0	1–0	1–0
		First round	CAPS United	2–5	4–2	6–7
1998	African Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Al-Mourada	0–0	1–0	1–0
		Second round	Espérance	1–0	0–2	1–2
1999	CAF Cup	First round	Medlaw Megbi	0–1	6–0	6–1
		Second round	Etoile du Sahel	2–2	0–2	2–4
2002	African Cup Winners' Cup	First round	Ghazl Al-Mehalla	2–1	1–2	3–3 (1–4 p.)
2003	CAF Cup	First round	Green Buffaloes	1–2	1–1	2–3
2004	CAF Confederation Cup	Preliminary round	Ethiopian Bunna	2–1	0–0	2–1
		First round	Lobi Stars	1–1	0–3	1–4
2008	CAF Confederation Cup	Preliminary round	AS Inter Star	1–0	0–1	1–1 (5–4 p.)
		First round	AS Vita Club	0–0	0–0	0–0 (2–4 p.)

^[8][9]

Achievements

• Ugandan Premier League: 6

1974, 1975, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2011–12.

• Ugandan Cup: 10

1985, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2002–03, 2006, 2006–07.

• East African Hedex Super Cup: 1

2001–02.

Performance in CAF competitions

• CAF Champions League: 1 appearance

1997 – First Round

• African Cup of Champions Clubs: 6 appearances

• CAF Confederation Cup: 2 appearances

• CAF Cup: 2 appearances

• African Cup Winners' Cup: 5 appearances

Current squad

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Kiggundu Ali 2 DF Kazibwe Ismail 3 DF Kazibwe Ismail 4 DF Bob Kasozi 5 MF Masabe Micheal 6 MF Mulumba Ceaser 7 DF Lukwiya Rogers 8 MF Willy Kavuma 10 MF Lutalo Hamza 11 FW Mukasa Musa 12 MF Makanga John 13 GK Mutumba Ivan 14 MF Kayizzi Vincent

No. Position Player 15 DF Katongole Henry 16 MF Lwesibawa Godfrey 17 MF Luzige Sula 18 MF Katongole Sula 19 FW Kalanda Frank 20 MF Kyambadde Allan 21 FW Ndugwa Karim 22 FW Busingye Derrick 23 MF Wasswa Hassan 24 MF Semanda Charles 25 MF Baingana Bonny 29 MF Tony Odur

Head coach

• Wasswa Bbosa

Managerial history

As of 14 February 2014

Since the formation of the club a total of 44 men have been appointed as head coach of Express..^[10] The coaches that have served Express are detailed below:

^[10][11]

References

External links

• Uganda – List of Champions – RSSSF (Hans Schöggl)
• Uganda – List of Cup Finals – RSSSF (Mikael Jönsson, Ian King and Hans Schöggl)
• Ugandan Football League Tables – League321.com
• Express Football Club Website (Internet Archive)