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Sam Ibiam

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Sam Ibiam
Personal information
Full name Sam Henshaw Ibiam
Date of birth (1925-04-04)4 April 1925
Place of birth Nigeria
Date of death 2 December 2015(2015-12-02) (aged 90)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
Calabar XI
Port Harcourt XI
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1949–1952 Railway F.C.
Pan Bank F.C.
SCOA XI
1954–1958 Africa Great Olympics
1958–1960 Onitsha Redoutable
International career
1949–1958 Nigeria
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sam Henshaw Ibiam (4 April 1925 – 2 December 2015), popularly known as The Black Magnet during his playing days, was a Nigerian footballer who played as a goalkeeper for the pioneer Nigerian national football team who were regarded as the "1949 UK Tourists".[1] It is claimed that he conceded just five goals in his nine years of representing Nigeria till he retired from international football in 1958.[2]

Playing career

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Sam Ibiam's career came to limelight after featuring for the Port Harcourt XI team that got to the semi-finals of the old Governor's Cup from 1947 to 1949, thus leading to his call-up to represent Nigeria in the tour of the United Kingdom.[3] In recognition of his achievements, Sam Ibiam was awarded a trophy at the "First National Sports Award for Sports Heroes and Heroines of Yesteryear" in 1987.[3]

Coaching career

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After his retirement from football in 1960, Sam served as head coach for the Aba XI team before proceeding to handle the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation team from 1965 to 1967.[3]

Honours

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International

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  • Jalco Cup – 1958

Death

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Sam died on December 2, 2015, at his residence in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.[4]

References

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  1. ^ Tope Adeboboye (3 February 2010). "Pathetic: Nigeria's first goalkeeper lives in squalor in Ebonyi village". Sports World. Retrieved 4 September 2015.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Historical Pix; Meet Sam Ibiam, Nigeria's First Goalkeeper Who Once Conceded 5 Goals In 9 Years For Nigeria". National Helm. 17 April 2015. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b c Kunle Solaja (11 January 2011). "Sam Ibiam:Nigeria's first Goalkeeper". SuperSports. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  4. ^ "First Nigerian goalkeeper, Sam Ibiam, dies at 90". Vanguard Newspaper. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015.