Football in Ghana which in the not too distant past used to be city based is gradually spreading to the hinterland and this is good for the sport. The just ended middle league that picked the top three for the premier league revealed an interesting trend. Teams from Brong Ahafo are making a great impact.

Since Berekum Arsenals entered the premier division in 2005, they have inspired a lot of their compatriots, no wonder Bechem Chelsea followed suit in the 2008 season. Both teams have stoically braved the storms of premier division football and the good news for the region is that another strong team Aduana Stars from Dormaa Ahenkro on the Ghana- Cote d’Ivoire border has qualified for next season’s premier league giving the Brong Ahafo Region a very strong representation in the league.

Indeed, this is the first time Brong Ahafo have three teams in the top division since Brong Ahafo United first tasted top division football in the 1961-62.season. United placed a respectable third position after veteran campaigners Hearts and Kotoko. This may be the reason in forming another regional team Brong Ahafo Stars the following season to join the league.

B.A.United was powerful force and their tough playing tactics earned them the appellation “apostles of power soccer”. Amazing dribbler Agyeman Gyau, founding player of BA United had been drafted to join model club Real Republikans but the team still remained strong and in 1966 were topping the league table after 22 matches when the competition was stopped following a military coup in Ghana.

Brong Ahafo Stars metamorphosed into Bofoakwa Tano in 1968 and for a long spell their twin strikers Kwasi Owusu and Dan Owusu, became the darling of football fans for their amazing scoring ability.

Unfortunately, the fortunes of these two great BA teams began to dwindle and they took turns to face relegation in and out till 1985 when both United and Bofoakwa were demoted that season.

Luckily a team from the region, Techiman Holy Stars and three others, Cape Coast Vipers, Obuasi Goldfields and Cape Coast Dwarfs were invited into the league as a compromise following a court case initiated by Vipers which had threatened to disrupt the competition.

It is too bad that Holy Stars could not survive the intense heat in the premier league and have since sunk into oblivion. But there is now a three pronged attack from Berekum Arsenals, Bechem Chelsea and Aduana Stars who are going to put the Brong Ahafo region into the limelight like Greater Accra did in 1987 with four solid teams namely Hearts of Oak, Great Olympics, Standfast and Zebi or akin to the 1979 league which was dominated by factory clubs.

The 1979 league had six factory clubs- Dumas of Ghana Textiles Printing Co; Juantex of Juapong Textiles, GIHOC Stars of Nsawam Cannery, Gold Stars from Prestea Gold Mines, Akotex from Akosombo Textiles Co and Complex Stars from Team Food Complex Co.

These interesting changes coming in the wake of the league’s 50th anniversary depicts how far the nation has come in her football development. It is hoped that football development would cease to be an urban affair and the grassroots approach would continue to be pursued.

At this juncture, I would like to welcome into the premiership the unsung New Edubiase who will be tasting premier football for the first time. Many of such new entrants in the past hardly had any secure pitches for their matches and crowd indiscipline is very common. Once upon a time, we had Fosu Soccer Missionaries not too far away from New Edubiase and their home matches especially against the perceived big clubs always ended in confusion It is hoped the organizers would put measures to avert such misadventures showing their ugly heads again.

I cannot end this piece without giving Accra Great Olympics a big welcome back to their natural habitat after two seasons in exile. This great club formed in 1954 as a breakaway side from Accra Standfast, were one of the eight founding clubs of the national league in 1958. Ironically, Olympics went into relegation on their 50th birthday in the 2004 season. They however bounced back a year later but it was short-lived. It is hoped the so called “Wonder Club” have done their home work well and all the hard work done by chief patron Amarkai Amarteifio and his lieutenants to bring them up the ladder would not be in vain.

From all indications, the new season starting in October would be exciting and fans should be able to have their money’s worth. We should all bear in mind FIFA’s advice that all leagues should be completed to give enough time for World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.