FOOTBALL HISTORY: THE FIRST NORTHERN CLUB TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GHANA PREMIER LEAGUE
In 1970 National Premier League, that was the season that saw the introduction of a lower league comprising eight zone making up 15 club one round for the Upper League.
North/Upper was zone eight comprising of Tamale Savannah Stars, Tamale Gbewaa, Bolga Aston Villa, Bolga Manoeuvres and Bawku Highlanders. The league clubs considered that new system cumbersome and there was constant friction between clubs and Athourity.
Groupings of 1970 lower league
After only five matches, the National League clubs Association (NLCA) indicated to clubs that the league was not in the interest of the club and hence it should be stoped. The leadership however did not listen to the call and continued the program to the end.
Two winners from each of the seven zones together with one winner from North/Upper zone were the teams that qualified for the novelty Upper League. Gbewaa was the only club that qualified from the North/Upper zone and represented Northern Region for the first time in the Premier League (Upper League).
When the League started, Gbewaa lost 12 of the matches played and Drew only 2. This was the best season for Accra Great Olympics who won the league for the first time pipping local rivals Accra Hearts of Oak with only one point 23-22.
The league table of 1970
The clubs that participated in the league that year were, Olympics, Hearts, B A United, Wise, Susu Biribi, Bofoakwa, Hassacas, Dwarfs, Conners, Rovers, Kotoko, All Blacks, Eagles, Sunset and Gbewaa.
Gbewaa football club of today
Gbewaa is the first Northern club to participate in Ghana’s top elite football league.
Credit to: Issahaku Alhassan Dagbambi Naa
By: Musah Abdul-Rahim
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