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John Attu Mensah was a Ghanaian professional footballer who played as a winger for the Ghana national team. He is the father of Ghanaian international John Mensah.

Club career

Mensah played for Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs in the 1960s, he later played for Accra Great Olympics in the late 1960s. On 28 July 1969, during an club international match against Great Olympics and Palmeiras during the training tour in Ghana, Attu played the full match and made the assist to Saul Mettle's goal, the equalizer which gave Olympics a draw at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Mensah (a left-half of Hearts of Oak and the holder of 23 international caps) moved to England in 1964, to study accountancy. On 19th August 1964, he played for a Charlton Athletic XI away to Newmarket Town in a pre-season friendly. He scored Charlton's first goal, as they recovered from 1-0 down, to win 4-1. He impressed Newmarket to such an extent, that three days later he was making his debut for them in a 2-2 draw with visiting Stowmarket in the Eastern Counties League Cup. His first goals for Newmarket came in the next match (also in the League Cup), a 2-1 home victory over Soham Town Rangers.

Mensah later made the switch to Soham Town Rangers. He was recorded as their goalscoring centre-forward in a 3-1 loss at Wisbech Town in the East Anglian Cup on 7th September 1966.

He was reportedly the first black person to play for Cambridge United. He later featured for Norwich City, before returning to Ghana in 1969 and retiring in the late 1970s.

International career

At the international level, he played for the Ghana senior team in the 1950s to 1960s winning over 20 International caps for Ghana. He played alongside players like Aggrey Fynn, Dogo Moro, Baba Yara, C.K. Gyamfi (captain) and Edward Acquah.

Personal life

John Attu Mensah is the father of former Ghanaian international defender and captain John Mensah. Mensah died in June 2021 in the United Kingdom after a short illness.

References

1. The Legon Observer. Legon Society on National Affairs. 1969.
2. ^ "GFA commiserates with family of late John Mensah". www.ghanafa.org. Ghana Football Association. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 2021-09-01.
3. Bediako, Ken (1967-08-05). Tsedze, Oscar (ed.). Daily Graphic: Issue 5240, August 5 1967. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
4. Ofori, Nelson (1969-07-21). Agyeman, Eddie (ed.). Oly Win; Daily Graphic: Issue 5,848 July 21 1969. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
5. Vordzogbe, Jean (1970-07-20). Aidoo, George (ed.). Kotoko trash Rangers 6-1; Daily Graphic: Issue 6157, July 20 1970. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Communications Group. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
6. Gyan-Budu, Kojo (2008). Soccer History: The Missing Link. Otubua Publications.
7. Ken, Bediako (1969-07-28). Ofori, Henry (ed.). Olympics draw with Palmeiras. Accra: Graphic Communications Group. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
8. "Ghana soccer international". Hull Daily Mail. 18 June 1964.
9. "Youthful Charlton beat Town". Newmarket Journal. 27 August 1964.
10. "Few watch Town start campaign". Newmarket Journal. 27 August 1964.
11. "Last-minute winner for Town against Rangers". Newmarket Journal. 3 September 1964.
12. "Gallant Soham". Newmarket Journal. 15 September 1966.
13. "Atu Mensah for Kotoko". Daily graphic. No. 5747. Accra. 24 March 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 6 October 2024.

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