It was indeed surreal, for obvious reasons, as Abdulai Alhassan, bankroller of Ghana Premier League side Bolga All Stars, took to the pitch in their topflight fixture with Hearts of Oak on Wednesday.
Alhassan, who once played for Dutch side FC Utrecht, was a 65th minute substitute as his outfit held the Phobians to a 3-3 draw in Tamale.
A member of the Ghana Football Association Executive Committee, the 30-year-old also doubles as the Northern Regional Football Association chairman.
“I registered to play for my club when the second registration window recently opened and this is my first game,” Alhassan told Happy FM.
“I decided to play to serve as a motivation for the players. I have been a professional footballer all along.
“I started with a colt club in Tamale called Great Eagles before I joined Nania FC where I played with Andre Ayew, Lee Addy and Rahim Ayew, among others.
“I then joined Sporting Mirren before joining FC Utrecht in Netherlands.”
All Stars aside, Alhassan is also the co-founder of the renowned Tamale Utrecht Football Academy in Ghana.
“Football is something that I love and being an Executive Committee member shouldn’t stop me from doing what I love,” he added.
“It’s not my first time of playing for my club though. I used to play for my academy FC Utrecht.
“My players call me Abu when I’m on the field. When I put on the jersey, I cease to become the Executive Committee member and chairman of Bolga All Stars that I am.
“I’m now playing for passion, so I’m not playing to be scouted by another club since I’ve made my money from football already.”
All Stars are currently caught up in an early relegation fight as they sit second from bottom on the table after matchday 13.
It is only a matter of time before we can tell if Alhassan has been the missing piece for the side all this while.
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