By Ken Bediako
Without any prejudices to the merits or demerits of the GFA decision to severely sanction Ashanti gold FC and Inter Allies for their alleged involvement in a fixed Premier league match, it is my considered
opinion that the timing of the announcement is palpably wrong.
The 2021-22 premier league is now on the home stretch providing a lot of thrills both at the top and at the bottom. Ashgold in particular have some tricky assignments against both aspiring champions and relegation haunted clubs. If by the stroke of a pen the miners have been relegated to second division football next season willy-nilly, one wonders what will motivate them to continue to be active participants in the ongoing league. After all their fate is decided already. That is my beef.
I may have issues with what constitutes a fixed match but I would be generous enough to pat the GFA on the back for a vigorous inquiry spanning nearly 10 months that has led to this monumental punishment.
There is no denying that football is a highly unpredictable game that’s why well organised football pools rake in millions of hard cash in Europe and the Americas. It is my suggestion that in our bid to copy this lucrative pools business in Ghana, we need to be really serious and stop this amateurish and cantankerous practice of footballers deliberately scoring own goals and goalkeepers behaving like we are in a circus.
It is all well and good for the authorities to take measures to sanitise our football which is the passion of the nation but care should be taken so we don’t cut our nose to spite our face nor throw away the baby together with the water.
I would have expected the GFA to announce all those disciplinary measures against the offending clubs, individual players and officials at the close of the season. As things stand out now the vexed question of premiership relegation would have to be tactfully tackled. Now that Ashgold are going to be automatically out, shall we still have three teams relegated or two.?
At this juncture I would like to congratulate Ashgold for their unrelenting fighting spirit that gave them maximum points in their last match against Sharks. This may bring to question why their previous fixture against Kotoko was cancelled at the last hour.
The football public is aware of the strenuous effort the GFA is making to bring back the love for the game and it would be in everybody’s interest if the GFA continue to walk the straight path.
Interestingly most of the GFA decision takers are club owners as well and they know what goes into gaining entry into the premiership.
Since I am only an ordinary sportswriter I will leave all the legal implications of the GFA-Ashgold issue for those competent enough to handle.
But as a lover of sports history I am tickled by the plight of Ashgold (formerly Goldfields) and I would like to take this opportunity, to narrate the history of ” The Miners”, especially for the benefit of the younger generation
I still hold the view that it’s extremely difficult to determine what really constitutes a “fixed match” and I presume the panel must have taken a whole lot of things into consideration before arriving at this monumental judgement.
Ladies and gentlemen, here goes the life story of “The Miners” of Ghana football.
Until quite recently the name Obuasi Goldfields did not relate much to the game of football. If anything it reminds us of that precious mineral that gave this country its original name Gold Coast.
From the obscure and uncertain beginnings in January 1978, the club is now a force none can ignore. Placing third in the 1992 league, second in 1993 plus FA Cup league champions in 1994, 1995, and 1996, Goldfields have proved what sound planning can achieve.
In 1991 management contracted the world renowned English football legend, Bobby Charlton, to show them how to organise a well-bred football club. The result is that Goldfields have a well-equipped stadium, and a top class playing body. And this is a club that started from a humble beginning in 1978. It was formed in consonance with directives from the Kutu Acheampong administration to government corporations to sponsor football clubs at the national level. Management of the then Ashanti Goldfields Corporation(AGC) embraced the idea and employee footballers were selected as the nucleus of the Obuasi Goldfields football club.
Before then AGC were taking part in departmental competitions which featured mining companies in the country. The idea of forming a club to compete at the national level was sold to management by Mr Kofi Badu, then chairman of the National Sports Council in the Acheampong era.
But it was not until Mr Opoku Manu, former Adansi District Chief Executive met Mr L.A.K Quarshie and Col Yarboi, who were then in AGC management that the corporation considered raising a team to take part in national competitions. Thus was born the Obuasi Goldfields football club with the then Managing Director Mr George Cappenbell, Mr Kwashie and Col Yarboi as the giants behind it.
From January 1978 the club was given the full blessings of succeeding management’s and provided with equipment and finance. But progress was slow. It was not until 1984 that Goldfields gained admission into the national second division. Unfortunately, however they could not qualify for the middle league which is a stepping stone to division one (now premier league).
A sad memory in the history of the club occurred on June 10 1984 when a major accident on the Techiman-Kumasi highway nearly crippled the club. Most of their key players were injured. They were returning from Techiman after honouring a league match.
The club however quickly put the misfortune behind them and put up a remarkable performance in the FA cup. As if by design Goldfields went through the competition to reach the quarter finals without kicking a ball.
In the first round Goldfields had a walk over Bolga Heroes then another walkover Prestea Mine Stars and yet another walk over Berekum Wonders. All these teams surprisingly failed to turn up for their scheduled encounters against Goldfields.
Goldfields then beat Sekondi Hasaacas 3-2 in the quarter finals, eliminated B.A. United 1-0 in the semis but lost the cup final 1-0 to Asante Kotoko.
Strengthened by the FA Cup final appearance Goldfields began to play with confidence in all subsequent national competitions They qualified for the middle League the following season from where they entered division one (now premier) in 1986
The club has shown steady progress since their entry into the top class division and their annexation 0f the league title back to back in 1994,1995 and 1996 is an enviable achievement especially if you consider the fact that many of their 1986 classmates like Cornerstone, Okwawu United, Sekondi Hasaacas, Cape Coast Vipers, Sekondi Eleven Wise, Zebi, Apeguso Arnold Warriors, Ebusua Dwarfs, and Techiman Holy Stars have been missing from the premiership for a long time.
It is said that the only place a boxer can lose a fight is in the ring. Can we say this about football as well?
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
