The experts say history does repeat itself in football and that is the reason why the Ghana Football Association should take precautionary measures to avoid a repetition of the bizarre end experienced in the national premier league 16 years ago. The 1992 league in question, like the current one started brilliantly but three final round matches spoiled the beauty of an otherwise exciting tournament.

The 2007/2008 league is ending this weekend (Sunday July 6) and some of the fixtures involving relegation threatened clubs have the same ingredients that conspired to give the 1992 a bad reputation. Top of the list is the match between Dansoman based Zaytuna and Real Tamale United This is an explosive pairing and both clubs need the points like mad. Whilst the Tamale team, 11th in the league table with 35 points, need only a draw to escape relegation Zaytuna, third from the bottom with 33 points, would have to win to make their stay in the top division a reality. You cannot have a more controversial match than this.

There is already some controversy surrounding the venue of the match. The Coronation Park at Sunyani is a neutral ground instead of the original Dansoman home venue for Zaytuna who are serving a home ban for crowd violence. Indeed a couple of days ago Zaytuna had been touted as firm candidates for relegation but they gratuitously earned three points courtesy a protest against Real Sportive for fielding an unqualified player in their match played on June 18 which Zaytuna lost 1-0. This has boosted their morale and they are bent on giving the Tamale wizards a tough time. Their demand for fair officiating is in the right direction but it is unsporting to introduce tribal sentiments in the selection of match officials. One does not necessarily have to be from the Northern region to be a supporter of Real Tamale United and they should avoid that bad habit of picking and choosing where match officials should hail from. FIFA frowns on this and wants respect given to match officials.

The points awarded on a silver platter to Zaytuna have put Real Sportive in a tight corner as their points build-up have whittled to 30.but they are lucky to face a side not in any critical need for points. No wonder their match against undisputed league runners up Kpandu Heart of Lions at El Wak Stadium is being touted as a fixture that could lack its competitive elements.

In contrast good old campaigners Sekondi Hasaacas , 4th from bottom, with 34 points are not all that safe from relegation and they need victory over Kessben to make assurance doubly sure of premier division football next season.

As stated earlier these fixtures reminds one of a similar scenario in the 1992 season At this stage 16 years ago, Real Tamale United, on the brink of relegation surprisingly thrashed relegation doomed Kumasi Cornerstone 5-0 in Tamale which ignited a rigmarole. The directors of Cornerstone came out publicly to declare that it had no knowledge of the team traveling to Tamale to honour the match. A statement issued by the directors after the match said the entire playing body had in the week prior to the match boycotted training .A decision had therefore been taken not to honour the match because it was obvious "we could not raise a formidable team"

The statement alleged that Alhaji Karim Grunsah, a long time supporter of Corners, went round and managed to gather some reserve players of the club to play the match without the knowledge of the board. The directors then appealed to the Football Association to declare the result of the match null and void .The Football Association however maintained the results It was a real controversial issue and opinions were varied.

The snag was that Cornerstones were then firmly in the relegation zone with Akwatia Diamond Stars and Real Tamale United needed a good win to pip Okwahu United and Voradep by superior goal aggregate and that what they did.

If Cornerstone had failed to honour the match Real Tamale United would have been credited with the points all right plus two goals but they needed more goals. The talk in town was that some interested factions had to stop the Kumasi team from honouring the match in order to ditch Real Tamale United that had to ensure that the match was played presumably on their terms. In a later development the Football Association fined the directors of Cornerstones jointly and severally for their complicity in the whole murky affair.

Two other final round matches in 1992 were tainted. The Afienya- Great Olympics encounter at Accra stadium was so drab that on three occasions the fans registered their protest by capturing the ball when it was kicked to touch. Midway through the second half Referee A.K Edusah had to call the players to the centre of the pitch and order them to be serious. As expected it was goalless .Both teams were out of the relegation zone and there was virtually nothing at stake It is hoped Sunday’s match between crest fallen city rivals Hearts of Oak and Great Olympics doesn’t fall into this category. Hearts are in the middle of the pack and Olympics are bottom of the table and fans are asking why they should pay to see a corpse hanged for the second time.

Another final fixture in 1992 that raised eyebrows and needs recalling was between Mampong Ashanti Kumapim Stars and Accra Hearts of Oak which could not be honoured because Hearts (in white) refused to change their jerseys which clashed with those of Kumapim

Hearts insisted that, according to the laws, the home team should change. Referee L.T.K. Amoako however ruled that Hearts should rather change because they failed to attend the pre-match conference where things would have been sorted out. Hearts stubbornly stuck to their decision and went to the pitch at 3.40pm. Kumapim had been on the pitch since 2.54 pm. In such stalemate the referee called off the match at 4.20 pm

Some of the fans went wild. Hearts later reported that four of their players suffered slight injuries from missiles thrown by angry fans. The GFA declared Hearts losers and fined them 100,000 cedis with 50,000 cedis going to Kumapim for expenses

Admittedly Ghana football has come a long way since those heady days of indiscipline and it is good that the Football Association is taking measures to ensure that this season’s marathon competition which started on Dec 2nd 2007 will see a successful end .on Sunday July 6th 2008. It is a healthy exercise that the authorities plan to assemble a team of observers at all the controversial venues especially Sunyani where there will be close circuit television cameras to record all contentious episodes.

Well done Ghana Football Association. We cant afford to have a bizarre end to such an exciting season.