Gad Mathews Leaves Gor Mahia After Seven Successful Years
The message was simple, raw, and final.
“Came in as a boy but left as a man,” wrote Gad Mathews on his Facebook page, confirming what many around Gor Mahia had feared: the veteran goalkeeper is leaving the record FKF Premier League champions after seven trophy-laden years.
No transfer saga. No drawn-out negotiations in public. Just a heartfelt farewell from a man who grew into one of K'Ogalo’s modern pillars.
A Goodbye Wrapped in Gratitude
Mathews’ post read like a love letter to a club that shaped his career and character.
“Saying goodbye is never easy, but I couldn't be more excited for your next adventure as a club,” he said, before turning to the memories that defined his time in green and white. “Thank you for the unforgettable memories and for being such a great home in the past seven years. The atmosphere may change, but our bond won't. All the best Mahia... And to the fans, you made me feel at home.”
It was emotional, but not sentimental for sentiment’s sake. It sounded like closure.
Gor Mahia responded in kind, confirming his exit at the conclusion of his contract and paying tribute to a goalkeeper who has been at the heart of their recent dominance.
“Goalkeeper Gad Mathews departs the club following the conclusion of his contract; we extend our deepest gratitude to Gad for his dedicated service and professionalism. His contributions have been invaluable to our success journey. We wish him nothing but success in his future endeavours. Thank you, Gad and all the best!”
For a position often judged in moments of crisis, the respect on both sides spoke volumes.
From Kisumu to K'Ogalo’s No. 1
Mathews arrived at Gor Mahia from Kisumu All Stars ahead of the 2019–2020 season. At the time, he was seen as a promising addition, another young goalkeeper stepping into a pressure cooker.
He didn’t stay “promising” for long.
He quickly cemented himself as first-choice, displacing rivals and anchoring a back line that would carry Gor through multiple title pushes. His presence was not just about reflex saves or clean sheets. It was about command. About a voice that organised defenders. About a temperament that calmed a stadium.
Over the years, that consistency became a foundation. Managers changed. Squads turned over. The league grew more competitive. Mathews stayed.
Titles, Clean Sheets, and Defining Nights
The honours tell their own story.
During his time at Gor Mahia, Mathews lifted three FKF Premier League titles, including the club’s record 22nd crown in the recently concluded 2025–2026 campaign. In a league where margins are narrowing, that kind of sustained success is rarely accidental.
Individually, his standout season came in 2022–2023, when he claimed the FKF Premier League Golden Glove. Seventeen clean sheets, a tally he shared with Humphrey Katasi, then of Nzoia Sugar. Week after week, he turned tight games into routine wins, nervous finishes into professional shutouts.
But if there is one night that will forever bind him to the Gor Mahia faithful, it is the 2021 Mozzart Bet Cup final against arch-rivals AFC Leopards.
Penalty shootouts create heroes and villains. Mathews chose his side early.
He made two crucial saves as Gor Mahia stormed to a 4–1 victory in the shootout, securing the trophy and etching another chapter into the club’s rivalry with Leopards. That performance earned him the tournament’s best goalkeeper award and, more importantly, a permanent place in K'Ogalo folklore.
Those are the moments that outlive contracts.
End of an Era, Start of a Rebuild
With Mathews’ departure, Gor Mahia lose more than a shot-stopper. They lose a leader in the dressing room, a steadying influence in high-stakes fixtures, and a player who understood what it meant to wear the shirt through good times and turbulence.
The club, though, has not stood still.
Even as they bid farewell, Gor have already moved to reinforce their goalkeeping department for the 2026–2027 season. In a twist of fate, they have brought in none other than Humphrey Katasi — the man who shared that Golden Glove with Mathews in 2022–2023 — from AFC Leopards. Alongside him arrives National Super League Golden Glove winner Michael Onyango.
Two decorated keepers, both hungry, both stepping into a goal framed by high expectations and recent history.
The gloves Mathews leaves behind are heavy with medals and memories. Now the question is simple and ruthless, as football always is: who will be brave enough to fill them?
