Former Ghana international and Hearts of Oak player Thomas Quaye has died at the age of 57.
Quaye's demise occurred on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at the 37 Military Hospital after battling a cerebrovascular accident for several months, as confirmed by his family.
Thomas, who played for several other Ghana Premier Leage clubs, started his mainstream football career at Ken Harrison at Mamprobi and progressed through the State Transport Company Soccer Team to Tejitex and subsequently to Hearts of Oak’s juvenile side Auroras FC.
He made his debut and solitary appearance for Accra Hearts of Oak club in 1987 with the likes of Benjamin Adjei, Shamo Quaye, Ebenezer Dugbatey, Joe Addo, Samuel Ablade Kumah, and Ezekiel Alamu of the famous Accra Hearts of Oak’s Musical Youth of the late 1980’s which won the Ghana First Division League in 1989/90 season.
He also played with the likes of Yaw Preko, Sam Johnson ‘Foyoo’, Opoku Agyemang ‘Oduro’, Emmanuel Armah ‘Senegal’, Emmanuel Quarshie, Henry Acquah and Stephen Appiah at Accra Hearts of Oak.
The Ex-footballer, widely considered one of the greatest Ghanaian Premier League defenders of all time, also played for Dawu Youngsters from 1990 to 1994 and Real Tamale United from 1997 to 1999.
His dependability and consistency, earned him stints with the national under 17 team (Black Starlets) , under 20 team (Black Satellites) and the senior team (Black Stars) in 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively.
He retired in the year 2002, as a professional player in United Arab Emirates after several injuries.
His coaching career took off after securing the Basic Certificate (2000 & 2005), Intermediate Certificate (2006) and the U.E.FA Certificate (2006) from the National Sports Council and the Ghana Football Association, all after his retirement from football.
He coached among others, the Universal F.C, the Five Star FC, Subway FC, Third World FC, Fire Rehoboth FC and Fire Service FC, and actively served under the Sports Department of the Ghana National Fire Service until his unfortunate demise.
Thomas left behind a wife Margaret and five children: Thomas, Frank, Bernard, Kevin and Karen.