Out Of Sight: 41 Popular Football Clubs In Ghana In The Doldrums

1. Kumasi Cornerstones.
2. Sekondi Eleven Wise.
3. Bofoakwa Tano.
4. Abuakwa Susubiribi.
5. SS74.
6. Super Standfast.
7. Dunkwa Alluvial Dredgers.
8. Man U.
9. Ashanti Heroes.
10. Upper West Heroes.
11. Koforidua Mighty Sailors.
12. Winneba Advanced Stars.
11. Bekwai Neoplan stars.
12. Obuasi Adansiman.
13. Prestea Mine Stars.
14. Techiman Holy Stars.
15. Hohoe United.
16. Hohoe Hustlers.
17. Ho Voradep.
18. Apeguso Arnold Warriors.
19. Dumas Boys.
20. Okwahu United.
21. Agbozume Weavers.
22. Prisco Minis.
23. Dansoman Powerlines.
24. Tema Soccer Angels.
25. Cape Coast Venomous Vipers.
26. Assin Foso Soccer Missionaries.
27. Asamankese Soccer Millionaires.
28. Agona Swedru State Traders.
29. Agona Swedru Fankobaa.
30. Agona Swedru All Blacks.
31. Bolgatanga Mighty Rocks.
32. Tamale Roadmasters.
33. Sekondi Hasaacas.
34. Akotex.
35. Zebi FC of La.
36. Prampram Mighty Royals.
37. Kpando Heart of Lions.
38. Red Lions.
39. Willowbrook
40. Tema Ghapoha.
41. Asante Mampong Kumapim Stars.

It is interesting how some of the above-mentioned football clubs in Ghana made waves in their heydey and degenerated into oblivion.

Zebi FC of Labadi featuring players like Bobby Ansah, Charles Lennox and Nii Adu Sackey stormed the Division One League in 1986 and became the new sensation, proving a mouthful for the established sides. They were one of the resilient sides.

Okwahu United had its best season in the top flight of Ghana football in 1986. Okwahu United remained unbeaten for a long time until Kumasi Cornerstones punctured their pride with a 1-0 victory in Kumasi. The invincible Okwahu team had the regular line up of Mohammed Odoom, Kwaku Manu, Aboagye Dacosta, Godfred Arthur, Edward Opeele Aboagye, Alhaji Bello, Ibrahim Merigah, John Amponsah, Atta Kofi, Charles Antwi, Bright Owusu, Nana Yaw Amaning, Stanley Vanderpuije, Addison Menya and Jonas Boakye Yiadom.

If there was any club capable of upsetting Kumasi Asante Kotoko on any day, it was city rivals Cornerstones. It was a hard nut to crack for all teams, placing second behind Kotoko in the league of 1986. It won the West Africa Football Union competition in 1987. Corners produced some of the greatest players Ghana has ever known. Frimpong Manso, Emmanuel Ampiah, Ibrahim Gariba, Abdul Razak, Kwame Nti, Goalkeeper Sampson Appiah, Ebenezar Lomotey, Anthony Yeboah, Osei Kwadwo, Kwame Poku, Odame Ampomah, Joe Baiden, Joe Baah, Safiyanu Musah, Kojo Sumaila, Yaw Akoto, Richmond Adade etc.

With the accolade, Giants of the west, Sekondi Hasaacas was the real deal in Ghana Football. The hardest nut which could not be cracked by Hearts, Kotoko and Olympics was Sekondi Hasaacas which also presented itself as the poaching grounds for the other big clubs wanting a leap forward. Hasaacas was the ambiance between the late-1970s and mid–1980s.

It won the West Africa Football Union competition in 1984, having placed second in the league in 1983. Their line up in 1984 was Abraham Boison, George Brown, Isaac Tandoh, Isaac Eshun, Isaac Paha, Annor Walker, Alhaji Bello, James Otchere, Samuel Boateng, Kwaku Ofori, Samuel Ayipey, Emmanuel Ayitey Crankson and Asare Boateng. Following a submergence in 1985, a reconstituted Hasaacas bounced back with a sweep on the FA cup enforced by the team of Abraham Boison, Joe Reindorf, Justice Abban, Elvis Mensah, Emmanuel Quarshie, Charles Aikins, Enock Koomson, Henry Acquah, Ollabode Williams, Robert Nyarko with the substitute William Sarkodie.

Techiman Holy Stars was in the elite soccer theatre in 1986 and immediately registered a huge presence. The club beat Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko and earned the nickname the giant killers. Their key players were Emmanuel Armah Senegal and Fuseini Suleimana, both of whom joined Accra Hearts of Oak later.

Kumapim Stars sprung into the limelight with pomp and pageantry in 1986 intent on breaking the Ashanti duopoly of Kotoko and corners. It immediately assembled its camp, players like Abdul Razak, Karimu Zito, and Ofei Ansah. There were also Opoku Agyemang Aduro and Sulley Musah who brought quality to the team. Later, a certain Joe Debrah emerged from the Mampong assembly to become the star player of the 1989/90 season in Asante Kotoko jerseys.

SS74 was a club owned by the Ghana Armed Forces with the blessing of the Head of State, Gen. I K. Acheampong who actually called for its formation to contest Hearts, Olympics and Kotoko. SS74 proved its mettle in the 1970s as one of the forces to reckon with. They were no pushovers.

Undoubtedly, the club that dazzled the local scene most was Sekondi Eleven Wise. A sweet name that also found expression on the field of play, having been impacted by a training tour in Brazil. Wise were called the western show boys or the akaraka chi chaaa chooo boys. Some of the players associated with their fairytale were Mohammed Odoom, Isaac Salifu Ansah, Sulley Musah, Sam Arthur, Albert Nyarko, Sulley Mohammed, Freeman Turkson, Theophilus Boamah, Isaac Ayipey, Ebo Smith, Kofi Num, David Bolfrey, Ben Hayford, Theophilus Eshun, Sulley Muniru, Kwesi Bonsu, John Bannerman and Alhaji Bello.

Prisco Minis, Soccer Angels and Powerlines were colts teams that groomed talents who turned out to be great stars in the upper tiers, upon their promotion to some of the traditional clubs. Yaw Preko was a graduate of Powerlines and Shamo Quaye emerged from Soccer Angels. One of Ghana’s greatest footballers, Abedi Ayew Pele was a seed that germinated from the colts all the way to the summit of African and world football.