1967: The abortive twenty club contest

In the wake of the new wind of freedom blowing across the country as a result of the overthrow of Dr Kwame Nkrumahs dictatorial regime, there were calls from all parts of the country to widen the scope of the league.

Almost every district wanted to have a representative in the national league. This explains why the six clubs were admitted.

It looked all the way a keen competition. But, beset with administrative problems, the tournament was terminated after the first round in March 1968. Kotoko were leading with 33 points, followed by Olympics with 29.

A consultative meeting decided that the 14 clubs, which participated in the abandoned 1966 league, should meet in a special knockout series to determine the champion club for 1967-68 season. Kotoko refused to participate in this special competition because of a controversy surrounding their abortive African Cup of Champion clubs final replay against Englebert of Zaire.

Kotoko had drawn 2-2 with Englebert in the cup final in Kinshasha in December 1967 but were declared losers through a shady toss of the coin. Kotoko protested to the AFC and a replay was fixed for Yaounde, Cameroon. But Kotoko did not turn up, apparently because they were not informed by the GFA, headed by Nana Fredua Mensah. This monumental negligence by the GFA brought a sharp rift within the football controlling body. The clubs decision therefore to quit the special K.O series did not surprise most observers.

Accra Hearts of Oak also pulled out at the semi-final stage following a GFA ruling that they should replay Dwarfs. Hearts had hitherto eliminated Dwarfs through the toss of a coin, after a 1-1 draw in the semi-finals. But the GFA upheld a protest by Dwarfs against the manner in which the toss was organized.

Prior to withdrawing from the contest Hearts became the first Ghanaian club to take a football matter to court when they sued the Central Organisation of Sports (COS) at the Accra High Court. Their argument was that the GFA had been unfair to them because they won the toss all right, according to the rules governing the competition.

Hearts took the COS to court because the organization was the central body controlling sports in the country. It was a clever move because the FIFA rules stipulate that clubs cannot take football associations to court on matters concerning football. A club could be banned for taking any football association to court.

The case was withdrawn on the advice of some elders of Accra Hearts of Oak. Incidentally, Dwarfs won the tournament through the toss of a coin, after drawing twice with Eleven Wise in the final.

In the preliminaries, Dwarfs beat Susu Biribi 4-1, Wise beat Gt. Ashanti 1-0, Hearts beat Vipers 5-1; Olympics beat B.A United 2-0; Corners beat B.A Stars 2-1 and Adansiman beat Hasaacas 1-0. Rovers had a walk-over Asante Kotoko, who boycotted the competition.

At the quarterfinal stage Dwarfs thrashed Rovers 6-1, Hearts beat Olympics 2-0 and Adansiman eliminated Corners 2-1 in a replay, after an earlier 1-1 draw. Sekondi Eleven Wise drew a bye.

In the semi-finals Hearts drew 1-1 with Dwarfs in a controversial match, which resulted in Hearts pulling out of the contest and Wise beat Adansiman 1-0.
--Kotoko Express

League Table

TEAMS         P       W        D        L        F         A        PTS
Kotoko        19     15        3        1        57        16        33
Oly           19     10        9        0        38        16        29
Dwarfs        19     11        7        1        29        12        29
Gt. Ash       19     13        3        3        42        27        29
B.A. Utd      19     11        5        3        42        15        27
Hearts        19     10        6        3        36        17        26
Sbiribi      19      9        5        5        25        21        23
Wise          19     11        0        8        32        21        22
Corners       19      8        6        5        27        23        22
Adansi        19      8        4        7        34        31        20
Hcanes       19      6        6        7        27        28        18
Vipers        19      6        6        7        32        29        17
Hasaacas      19      5        3        11        24       34        13
Standfast     19      5        3        11        24       34        13
Fankobaa      19      4        5        10        23       38        13
Mighty Eagles 19      4        4        11        27       40        12
Rovers        19      2        6        11        21       38        10
Akim Utd.     19      4        2        13        24       38        10
B.A. Stars    19      3        2        14        26       59        8
Ho Sunset     19      2        2        15        3        53        6