1964 to the end of 1966. When Phil Woosnam, coach of Atlanta Chiefs in the newly introduced Professional Soccer League in America came to Zambia for the second time in December 1966, he approached Mwikuta, Mwila and Kapengwe on behalf of Chiefs. Mwikuta's deal was rushed through club, National Football League (NFL) and Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) executives in less than a week. Woosnam made the most attractive offer made to Zambian players at the time: close to £200 per month plus bonuses, with one-year contracts upon successful conclusion of a two-month trial. Mwikuta accepted the offer and promised to return to Zambia to pass on what he would learn to the younger generation. In fact, he had been saving up for a trip to Britain later in the year where he hoped to see some top class European football and all of a sudden, he found himself with an all expenses paid trip and the chance of a lifetime. After clarification of FIFA's recognition of the American league, Mwikuta left for Atlanta with Kapengwe, Mwila and Chief's scout Doug Sammons on 22 February 1967, becoming the first Zambian players to play professional soccer abroad. Mwikuta impressed Chiefs' coaching staff with his fitness, often waiting for the rest of the players to catch up during training runs. Chief's assistant coach Vic Crowe once told him "We will have to start you running an hour ahead of time so that everyone is even when training begins." He missed some early season games for illness and the last few with an ankle injury, playing 22 games for Chiefs and scoring one goal against Toronto. At the end of the season, Kapengwe and Mwila were re-signed so Mwikuta again left Zambia on 22 December 1967 for the US, sponsoring himself for a course in physical education and soccer coaching because he realised that Zambia badly needed professional coaches. In Atlanta, he found that the youngsters soccer skills far behind their Zambian age-mates so he starting coaching. "In my country, kids begin to play soccer at the age of five," he told his American friends. It pained him to see kids idling about, when they could do something in their spare time – like play soccer – but he also saw there was need for qualified help. He postponed formal coursework and got a hands-on sporting job with the city of Atlanta Recreation