Football club supporters all over the world take delight in bragging rights but in my estimation supporters of Accra Hearts of Oak and Kumasi Asante Kotoko are a special breed whose passion for the game and loyalty to their pet clubs put them well above ordinary mortals in terms of bragging. In fact to them their club does no wrong and they would easily contrive excuses and reasons for any mishap.

The other day when Hearts, contrary to the form guide, held Kotoko to a pulsating 3-3 draw in an outstanding league match at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, boasted that no matter their form Kotoko cannot take them for cheap. "They are lucky that goalkeeper Souleman who conceded three goals in the first half was changed otherwise it would have been a disaster in the second half" boasted a Hearts fan who firmly believes that there are always some spiritual forces surrounding matches between Kotoko and Hearts and that the goalie hardly knew what was happening around him.

The fact that Asante Kotoko after the match against Hearts went on to collect six points with victories over Tema Youth and Kessben whilst Hearts got a point by drawing with Real Tamale United and losing to Arsenals did not matter much to Hearts supporters.

“With all their top striking form they could not beat us on their home grounds” said an elated Hearts supporter “Kotoko can never be our masters” he added.

Kotoko supporters on the other hand are prepared to argue that they softened up for Hearts so that Hearts with their bad form don’t suffer relegation. “After all they help us to swell our coffers". The match in Kumasi fetched more than two hundred thousand Ghanaian cedis approximately 200,000 dollars which is a record and they should be around to give us more of those” said an ardent Kotoko supporter. This is bragging at its best.

Asante Kotoko are on top of the table with 50 points and Hearts lie 10th with 27 points,but both clubs insist on having the same bragging rights. Kotoko on Wednesday lost 1-0 to Real Tamale United in Tamale and their supporters’ ready answer to that defeat is that “the Tamale boys are our brothers and we don’t want to worsen their relegation worries”.

Hearts of Oak also dropped a valuable home point to Kpandu Heart of Lions the same day and their supporters have a quick answer: “the Kpandu boys are our name sake, we come from the same roots. It’s a family affair.

Surely when it comes to bragging rights between Kotoko and Hearts supporters you can bet you last cedi that it is going to be a ding dong affair.