Herbert Addo’s Wassaman United qualified for this season’s Premier League in a blaze of glory, but they face Kotoko on Sunday with history firmly against them. The Western Region team is struggling at the moment, being one of three teams in the relegation zone. It is a position they have been in before, over 40 years ago

Underachievers

In the 1963/64 top flight season, only 25 rounds of games were played due to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, for which the national team of Ghana needed time to prepare. Because of this, the bottom four clubs were not relegated. However, Asante Kotoko were recognized as 1963/64 champions, having been ahead of Hearts by eight points.

The following season, two Western Region teams were promoted from the lower divisions. They were Wassaman and Hasaacas. Due to the fact that there were eighteen teams in 1963/64 and none were relegated, there were now twenty the following season.Hasaacas made use of their promotion, remaining in the league from 1963 until 1972 when they were relegated with Venomous Vipers. For Wassaman, the end came very quick.

The very season they came into the league, their 30 matches saw them concede 122 goals in 30 games. They scored a paltry 24 goals.

Parallels Just like this weekend, Kotoko were on top of the league when they met in 1964, with Wassaman in the lower rungs. By the end of the game, Kotoko had destroyed the westerners 10-0. It could have been more, with the legendary Wilberforce Mfum particularly running riot.

When this game was played, the General Manager of today’s Wassaman side had not been born. Kurt Okraku, now 41 years, believes such stats and history have no bearing on Sunday’s game.

“We are not afraid. We know we can produce a major upset against Kotoko. Our results have not reflected the way we have played but once we don’t give up and focus we will overcome.”

Wassaman are second from bottom, with 4 points from seven matches as they face Kotoko, the league leaders with 15 points.