By James Goro Oronge,

Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim the stadium would  roar as midfield dynamo Timothy Ayieko got  hold of the ball in the Gor  Mahia FC midfield.A sure footed player who could provide long strong passes upfront at any moment he got the ball.

Ayieko  brought economics to Kenya football by knowing exactly where to be and in a free space and had the opportunity of listening to Kogalo  fans shout his name before most opposing players attempted to approach him.

His passes were accurate and he played with elegance for his pace was slow though  he played with flair  and class and his combination with Allan Thigo, the intelligent Jerry Imbo and the classy Jackson Aluko made K’ogalo to be on top of their game during those days in the early 80’s.

Former Gor Mahia and Uganda Cranes midfielder Timothy Ayieko is no more.

Ayieko passed away on Sunday in Jinja, Uganda owing to heart complications.

The former SC Villa and Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) player underwent surgery in India earlier this year, but his condition continued to deteriorate with the onset of kidney complications.

The star midfield, born in Kenya and raised in Uganda, was one of the most celebrated Ugandan players in the 70’s and 80’s when Uganda Cranes reached the final of Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in 1978 in Ghana.

During the political turmoil in Uganda in the mid 70’s, Ayieko returned to Kenya and joined Gor Mahia in 1978 where he became one of the pillars that saw the Kenyan club win honours across the region and the continent.

Tim, as he was popularly known in Kenya, was born in Nyakach but his family relocated to Uganda in the 60’s where he was nationalized as a Ugandan.

His family in Jinja are making arrangements to bring the body for burial in Nyakach next weekend.

His daughter, Lilian Ayieko confirmed that the remains of his father are at Jinja Mortuary.