The National Middle League for promotion of clubs from Division One League (DOL) to the Premier division kicks off next week with Ade Coker’s Ac Olympiakos firmly in contention for honours.

This follows the Ghana Football Association’s endorsement of a plea by Olympiakos to replace Mighty Jets who had withdrawn from the competition.

By GFA rules and regulations on the DOL Middle League, six teams-the winners and the runners-up-that qualify from the three zones would take part in the competition.

AC Olympiakos who missed the boat chanced upon the withdrawal of Mighty Jets who placed second and asked to be the substitute team from the zone to make up the number.

However, since it had never happened before, the DOL could not give its outright ruling and referred the issue to the GFA, which took the decision on Wednesday.

According to the GFA, it took its decision in the light of its own regulation, and since Mighty Jets were runners-up in their zone but have withdrawn from the competition, the third-placed team should replace Mighty Jets.

AC Olympiakos, which placed third in the same zone as Mighty Jets thus replace the second-place team that had withdrawn from the competition.

But whiles Olympiakos may be celebrating their victory, Mighty Jets are well aware of the consequences of the action they took. The GFA has banned them from any competitive event organised by the GFA for three years with effect from the next season. The ban, according the GFA, is in accordance with its rules and regulations.

With the GFA’s final decision out, the competition is expected to take off next Saturday, unless another case, which came up abruptly during the week in which defeated Sekondi Eleven Wise lodged a protest against Zone B victors, Prestea Mine Stars, is not immediately resolved.

And if it is, then there is certainly going to be a more stiff competition which is likely to produce a lot of thrills and excitement as the six qualified teams - Mine Stars, Mpohor Iron Fighters, B.A United, Yeji Stars, Power FC and AC Olympiakos- are all determined to make it to the premiership.

Of course, having been lucky to join the boat for promotion into the elite game AC Olympiakos may justifiably fight hard to make it to the premiership as they seem not to be affected by the perennial financial problems that force most sides to fall out at that stage.

However, the return of three former elite clubs, B.A United, Yeji Stars and Power FC should generate enough excitement for soccer fans.

Even though they could not sustain their stay in the premiership (Yeji were demoted in 1996/7, B.A United in 1999 and Power FC in 2000) these three teams know what it is to be up there, hence their strive to get back in there.

But with only two straight places available and the third to be decided in a play-off against Tema Ghapoha who escaped outright relegation from the premiership by a hair’s breath, the competition would not be for the ill-prepared.