Competition for the sole qualification slot available for next season’s premier league begins Tuesday at two match centres in the capital, Accra, as four clubs step into the fray to compete for the single slot available in Zone III for next season’s premier league.
All four clubs, Seven United, Fairpoint – both from Zone 3A together - with Kade Hotspur and Zaytuna FC – from Zone 3b –drawn from Zone 3A and 3B in the Division One League have gained selection to vie for the last premiership slot on three match-days with games slated for Tuesday, Thursday and on Saturday.
The Ghana Football Association picked the 3rd and 4th placed teams on the league table from the two zones, 3A and 3B, after Nania FC, Okwawu United, Great Mariners and Mighty Jets all from the two groups were found guilty by the Disciplinary Committee of the FA for playing out mutually arranged games during the promotion league campaign.
All four clubs were found guilty by the FA’s judicial body after a long drawn out hearing held back by a series of legal suits filed by some of the clubs against the Ghana Football Association.
The four clubs – Mighty Jets, Great Mariners, Okwawu United and Nania FC appeared before the Football Association’s panel in connection with the Zone III fixture results on the final day for promotion to the premiership which produced 59 goals involving the four teams on March 28.
Nania FC topped the group after they had incredibly beaten Okwawu United 31-0.
A protracted legal battle was waged by some of the clubs against an earlier decision to reject the results, fines and the ban, a situation which caused the delay in the organisation of another league.
As the competition prepares to kick off, special regulations have been drafted for the league with all games starting at 3pm.
According to league organisers of the Division One League Board, players who were registered by all four teams for the past season – 2006/07 calendar, before the February 10 Zonal league ended are eligible to play the promotional campaign.
Also, games rained off would be replayed 24 hours after the original match date.
Match-day-one action kicks off at the El-Wak stadium grounds, where Seven United and Fairpoint would battle for the three points.
Former premiership campaigners, Kade Hotspurs, which was recently taken over by a TV entrepreneur, Talal Fatal begin their quest for a return to the elite competition at the Legon University Park where they clash with Zaytuna FC.
Much would be expected from Hotspurs, who have also appointed former Asante Kotoko coach, Ibrahim Sunday to aid their premiership campaign since the takeover, last week.