July, 3 2022.
Players of Heartland FC continue to live a life of penury, as they endure treatments not befitting even for players of an amateur club.
After Heartland's Matchday 36 encounter against Sunshine Stars on Saturday, 2nd July 2022, which the team won b 1-0, their biggest shock came after the game, where they had to trek back to the team's camp.
An official of the club said the club's official vehicle at the stadium had no diesel in it, and thus could not carry the players back to their base after the game.
This does not represent a good experience for professional players and it came on the back of the club owing the players 6 months backlog of salaries.
Heartland of Owerri, formerly known as Iwuanyanwu Nationale is no doubt a traditional club when putting the history of Nigerian football into context. However the team is battling between life and death in the murky waters of relegation. With two matches to the end of the season, having seen Heartland FC this season, it could be said that they're not a poor team, however poor funds have been their biggest baine this season.
Players like Sunday Chinedu, Aiteo Cup hero Chijoke Ejiogu, Jimoh Gbadamosi, ex Junior internationals Samuel Okon and Olufemi Thomas, et al. With all of these experienced players, one would think the team would do well in the league but as the saying goes "when smokes go up, rains come down". When motivation gets to players, results will come down, but this is not the reality for players of Heartland FC, as they live in penury. Whether they can avoid the drop at the end of the season, remains to be seen.