By Ken Bediako
From time to time it is refreshing to go into the archives and take the past, especially for the benefit of our computer age football enthusiasts. I present this week pen portraits of nine news makers of Ghana football in the 1984 season
Here we go.
SETH ABADJE the bearded chairman of Accra Hearts of Oak. He steered the club to their first league triumph since 1979 and announced his resignation at the end of the season.
OPOKU AFRIYIE former captain of Asante Kotoko bounced back from “retirement” to inspire Accra Hearts Oak to win the national league.
E A NARTEY the Sekondi Hasaacas chairman who for ten years nursed and nurtured “The Giants of the West” into one of the most consistent top division clubs in the country. He announced his retirement from “active football” in August
BUGRI NAABU the exuberant chairman of Real Tamale United FC. He announced his resignation as chairman for the third time in a year and finally quit in September. It is strongly believed in football circles that his resignation at the time when United were at their peak cost the club the league trophy.
CHARLES ALLEN KWABENA GYIMAH the shrewd financial controller of Kumasi Asante Kotoko. He masterminded the operation to recruit as many as 16 new players for the club – the biggest recruitment exercised since the formation of model club Real Republikans in 1961.
OSAM DUODU National coach who led the Black Stars to two Afcon triumphs in 1978 and 1982 was sacked by the GFA headed by Mr. Katey Caesar only ten days to Afcon 84 in Ivory Coast. The Black Stars were eliminated in the first round.
BOYE SOWAH the ex- footballer turned football administrator. The former Hearts fullback made news by successfully steering second division Zebi to first division status.
FRED ARNOLD founder/ chairman of Apeguso Arnold Warriors FC. The fourth division team he formed in 1979 blossomed into a fearsome second division side reaching the FA Cup semifinal in 1984. Warriors are now in the First Division.
OPOKU NTI footballer of the year who inspired a faded Asante Kotoko side to a major FA Cup quarter final triumph over Eleven Wise in Sekondi and then heroically left to play professional football in Switzerland.
Surely Ghana football has seen some exciting periods in the past.
Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.
