Tesilimi Olawale Ayinde "Teslim" Balogun (27 March 1931 – 30 July 1972) was a Nigerian football player and coach. Balogun played at both professional and international levels as a striker, before becoming Africa's first qualified professional football coach.
Educated in Port Harcourt and graduating from St. Mary's Catholic School,[3] Balogun played in his native Nigeria for a number of teams, including Apapa Bombers, Marine Athletics, UAC XI, Railways XI, Jos XI, Pan Bank Team, Dynamos Club and SCOA XI.[4] During his time in Nigeria, Balogun won the Challenge Cup a total of five times in seven finals.[4] He was the first player to have a hat-trick in the competition, in Pan Bank's 6–1 rout of Warri in 1953.[5]
After originally touring with a Nigerian select team in 1949, Balogun returned to the UK in August 1955 to sign with Peterborough United.[6] However, Balogun never made a league appearance for Peterborough,[7] and spent time with Skegness Town before signing with Queens Park Rangers, scoring 3 goals in 13 appearances in the Football League during the 1956–57 season.[8] After leaving QPR, Balogun returned to non-League football, playing with Holbeach United.
Balogun became the first African to qualify as a professional coach.[4] He was a coach for Nigeria at the 1968 Summer Olympics.[4]
Legacyedit
The Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos is named in his honour.[4] The Teslim Balogun Foundation was founded after his death to assist the families of Nigerian ex-international footballers who may have fallen on hard times.[9]
Personal lifeedit
Balogun was nicknamed "Thunder" because of his powerful shot,[10] and was also known as "Balinga" for a similar reason.[4] During his time touring schools to coach youngesters, he was nicknamed "Baba Ball."[4]
Balogun died in his sleep on 30 July 1972, at the age of 45.[4] He had eight children.[4]
Referencesedit
^Teslim Balogun at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
^"Teslim Balogun". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
^"'I Came 4,000 Miles to Score the Greatest Goal of My Life' – Tesi Balogun – Independent Rs". Independent Rs. 11 June 2015. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
^ abcdefghi"Meet Teslim". Teslim Balogun Foundation. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
^ ab"Teslim Balogun, Nigeria's first professional footballer". Retrieved 14 May 2018.
^Phil Vasili (30 May 2008). "The Occluded History of Black Footballers in Britain". Pitch Invasion. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
^"Profile". Up The Posh!. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
^. Post War English & Scottish Football League A – Z Player's Database. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
^"About". Teslim Balogun Foundation. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
^Chris Green (7 September 2003). "Leaders of the new school". The Observer. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
May 03, 2024
teslim, balogun, tesilimi, olawale, ayinde, teslim, balogun, march, 1931, july, 1972, nigerian, football, player, coach, balogun, played, both, professional, international, levels, striker, before, becoming, africa, first, qualified, professional, football, co. Tesilimi Olawale Ayinde Teslim Balogun 27 March 1931 30 July 1972 was a Nigerian football player and coach Balogun played at both professional and international levels as a striker before becoming Africa s first qualified professional football coach Teslim BalogunPersonal informationFull nameTesilimi Olawale Ayinde Balogun 1 Date of birth 1931 03 27 27 March 1931 2 Place of birthLagos NigeriaDate of death30 July 1972 1972 07 30 aged 41 Place of deathNigeriaPosition s StrikerSenior career YearsTeamApps Gls Apapa Bombers1947Marine AthleticsUAC XI1949Railways XI1951Jos XI1952Pan Bank Team1953Dynamos ClubSCOA XI1955 1956Peterborough United0 0 1956Skegness Town1956 1957Queens Park Rangers13 3 1957 1958Holbeach United1959 1961Ibadan LionsInternational career1948 1960Nigeria Club domestic league appearances and goals Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coaching career 3 Legacy 4 Personal life 5 ReferencesPlaying career editEducated in Port Harcourt and graduating from St Mary s Catholic School 3 Balogun played in his native Nigeria for a number of teams including Apapa Bombers Marine Athletics UAC XI Railways XI Jos XI Pan Bank Team Dynamos Club and SCOA XI 4 During his time in Nigeria Balogun won the Challenge Cup a total of five times in seven finals 4 He was the first player to have a hat trick in the competition in Pan Bank s 6 1 rout of Warri in 1953 5 After originally touring with a Nigerian select team in 1949 Balogun returned to the UK in August 1955 to sign with Peterborough United 6 However Balogun never made a league appearance for Peterborough 7 and spent time with Skegness Town before signing with Queens Park Rangers scoring 3 goals in 13 appearances in the Football League during the 1956 57 season 8 After leaving QPR Balogun returned to non League football playing with Holbeach United Balogun was also a member of the Nigerian national side for 12 years 5 Coaching career editBalogun became the first African to qualify as a professional coach 4 He was a coach for Nigeria at the 1968 Summer Olympics 4 Legacy editThe Teslim Balogun Stadium in the Nigerian city of Lagos is named in his honour 4 The Teslim Balogun Foundation was founded after his death to assist the families of Nigerian ex international footballers who may have fallen on hard times 9 Personal life editBalogun was nicknamed Thunder because of his powerful shot 10 and was also known as Balinga for a similar reason 4 During his time touring schools to coach youngesters he was nicknamed Baba Ball 4 Balogun died in his sleep on 30 July 1972 at the age of 45 4 He had eight children 4 References edit Teslim Balogun at the English National Football Archive subscription required Teslim Balogun Barry Hugman s Footballers Retrieved 30 April 2024 I Came 4 000 Miles to Score the Greatest Goal of My Life Tesi Balogun Independent Rs Independent Rs 11 June 2015 Retrieved 14 May 2018 a b c d e f g h i Meet Teslim Teslim Balogun Foundation Retrieved 5 November 2010 a b Teslim Balogun Nigeria s first professional footballer Retrieved 14 May 2018 Phil Vasili 30 May 2008 The Occluded History of Black Footballers in Britain Pitch Invasion Retrieved 6 November 2010 Profile Up The Posh Retrieved 6 November 2010 QUEENS PARK RANGERS 1946 47 2009 10 Post War English amp Scottish Football League A Z Player s Database Archived from the original on 19 December 2013 Retrieved 6 November 2010 About Teslim Balogun Foundation Retrieved 5 November 2010 Chris Green 7 September 2003 Leaders of the new school The Observer Retrieved 6 November 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Teslim Balogun amp oldid 1221566058, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
