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{{Short description|1st season of National Football League}}
{{Infobox football league season
| competition = [[National Football League (India)|National Football League]]
| season = 1996–97
| dates = {{nobreak|17 December 1996 – 16 March 1997}}
| winners = [[JCT F.C.|JCT Mills]] 1st NFL title 1st [[List of Indian football champions|Indian title]]
| relegated = NA
| continentalcup1 = [[1996–97 Asian Club Championship|Asian Club Championship]]
| continentalcup1 qualifiers = JCT Mills
| league topscorer = [[Bhaichung Bhutia]] (14 goals)<ref name="JCTwin"/>
| biggest home win = JCT Mills 6–1 [[Mahindra United F.C.|Mahindra FC]] {{small|(9 February 1997)}}<ref name="Bhutia5">{{cite news |last1=Saxena |first1=Siddharth |title=Bhutia slams 5 past Mahindras |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970210/04050793.html |access-date=19 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=10 February 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970421113016/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970210/04050793.html |archive-date=21 April 1997}}</ref>
| biggest away win = Mahindra 1–4 Indian Bank {{small|(13 February 1997)}}
| highest scoring = JCT Mills 6–1 Mahindra FC {{small|(9 February 1997)}}
| total goals =
| average goals =
| longest wins =
| longest unbeaten =
| longest losses =
| highest attendance =
| lowest attendance =
| average attendance =
| prevseason =
| nextseason = [[1997–98 National Football League (India)|1997–98]]
}}

The '''1996–97 National Football League''', also known as the '''Philips National League''' for sponsorship reasons,<ref>{{cite news |title=India File -- Starry opening to National Soccer League |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950942.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=14 December 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970422182702/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950942.html |archive-date=22 April 1997}}</ref> was the inaugural season of the [[National Football League (India)|National Football League]]. The tournament began on 17 December 1996 and concluded on 16 March 1997.<ref name="JCTwin">{{cite news |last1=Menon |first1=Ravi |title=JCT wins inaugural Philips NFL title |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650773.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=17 March 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970420235957/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650773.html |archive-date=20 April 1997}}</ref> Before the commencement, the [[All India Football Federation]] maintained that it would be a semi-professional tournament for the first two years.<ref name="begin">{{cite news |last1=Bose |first1=Saibal |title=National League all set for kick-off |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961217/35250552.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=17 December 1996 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970422194435/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961217/35250552.html |archive-date=22 April 1997}}</ref>

[[Philips]] India was the main sponsor for the tournament and a total prize money of {{INR}}1.5 [[crore]] was announced; {{INR}}35 [[lakh]] to the winner.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vasudevan |first1=K. V. |title=Shattered dreams for Churchill |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650893.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=17 March 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970421000035/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650893.html |archive-date=21 April 1997}}</ref> Twelve teams took part in the competition, which was played in two [[Round-robin scheduling|round robin]] stages: a preliminary group stage featuring two groups of six teams each played in [[Calcutta]] and [[Goa]], and a main stage featuring the top four from each group played after a gap of three weeks following the first. [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] were the favorites to win the competition by virtue of their victories in the [[1996 Indian Federation Cup|Federation Cup]] and the [[Calcutta Football League|Calcutta League]] earlier that season.<ref name="begin"/> However, in a closely fought second stage mostly between [[JCT F.C.|JCT Mills]] and [[Churchill Brothers S.C.|Churchill Brothers]], the former sealed the title on the final day with a win over [[Dempo S.C.|Dempo]], courtesy a hat trick by [[Bhaichung Bhutia]].<ref name="JCTwin"/> Air India's [[Godfrey Pereira]] was named the best player of the league and JCT Mills' [[Sukhwinder Singh (football manager)|Sukhwinder Singh]], the best manager.<ref>{{cite news |title=East Bengal shoot out JCT for inaugural Super Cup triumph |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970324/08350773.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |agency=Press Trust of India |publisher=The Indian Express |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970421030746/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970324/08350773.html |archive-date=21 April 1997}}</ref> JCT Mills also won the Fairplay Trophy, which carried a purse of {{INR}}2.5 lakh.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fairplay bonus for JCT |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970320/07950253.html |access-date=18 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=20 March 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970421012412/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970320/07950253.html |archive-date=21 April 1997}}</ref>

The bottom two clubs in each group would not take part in the next edition, although [[Mohun Bagan]] would play the following season.

== Overview ==
The first match of the inaugural season of the National Football League kicked off at around 5:45 p.m. ([[Indian Standard Time|IST]]), an hour after the scheduled time,<ref name="begin"/> on 17 December 1996 between [[East Bengal F.C.|East Bengal]] and [[Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata)|Mohammedan Sporting]] at the [[Salt Lake Stadium]] in [[Calcutta]]. It was inaugurated by then India's Prime Minister [[H. D. Deve Gowda]]. East Bengal defeated Mohammedan Sporting 2–1 with [[Raman Vijayan]] scoring a brace for his team; the first goal coming in the 10th minute.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bose |first1=Saibal |title=Vijayan punishes Sporting with two goals |url=http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961218/35350442.html |accessdate=19 October 2018 |work=The Indian Express |date=22 April 1997 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19970422201749/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961218/35350442.html |archivedate=22 April 1997}}</ref>

==Teams==

===Stadia and locations===

{{Location map+ |India |width=400 |float=right |caption=Locations of teams in the 1996–97 National Football League |places=
{{Location map~ |India |lat=15.49300 |long=73.81800 |label= [[Goa]]|position=left }}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=31.22000|long=75.77000 |label=[[Phagwara]]}}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=22.56972 |long=88.36972 |label=[[Kolkata]]|position=right}}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=18.97500|long=72.82583 |label= [[Mumbai]]|position=left}}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=13.08389|long=80.27 |label= [[Chennai]] |position=right}}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=12.966667 |long=77.566667 |label= [[Bangalore]] |position=left}}
{{Location map~ |India |lat=8.4875|long=76.9525 |label= [[Tiruvananthapuram]] |position=below}}
}}

==Group stage==
*Top four advance to the Championship stage.
*

===Group A===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=Q
|sortable_table=y

|team1=JCT|name_JCT=[[JCT F.C.|JCT Mills]]
|team2=EB |name_EB =[[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
|team3=SAL|name_SAL=[[Salgaocar SC]]
|team4=IB |name_IB =[[Indian Bank Recreational Club|Indian Bank]]
|team5=MOH|name_MOH=[[Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata)|Mohammedan SC]]
|team6=ITI|name_ITI=[[Indian Telephone Industries Ltd. Football Team|ITI]]
|win_JCT=3|draw_JCT=2|loss_JCT=0|gf_JCT=9|ga_JCT=3
|win_EB =3|draw_EB =2|loss_EB =0|gf_EB =6|ga_EB =2
|win_SAL=2|draw_SAL=3|loss_SAL=0|gf_SAL=2|ga_SAL=0
|win_IB =2|draw_IB =0|loss_IB =3|gf_IB =3|ga_IB =5
|win_MOH=1|draw_MOH=0|loss_MOH=4|gf_MOH=3|ga_MOH=6
|win_ITI=0|draw_ITI=1|loss_ITI=4|gf_ITI=3|ga_ITI=10

|col_QC=green3|text_QC=Qualify for Championship stage
|result1=QC|result2=QC|result3=QC|result4=QC
|col_NQ=red3|text_NQ=Eliminated
|result5=NQ|result6=NQ
|update=complete|source=[http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india97.html#nfl1 rsssf.com]
}}

===Group B===
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=Q
|sortable_table=y

|team1=DEM|name_DEM=[[Dempo SC]]
|team2=AI |name_AI =[[Air India (football club)|Air India]]
|team3=CB |name_CB =[[Churchill Brothers SC]]
|team4=MAH|name_MAH=[[Mahindra United]]
|team5=MB |name_MB =[[Mohun Bagan]]
|team6=KP |name_KP =[[Kerala Police Football Team|Kerala Police]]
|win_DEM=4|draw_DEM=0|loss_DEM=1|gf_DEM=7|ga_DEM=1
|win_AI =3|draw_AI =1|loss_AI =1|gf_AI =7|ga_AI =6
|win_CB =2|draw_CB =1|loss_CB =2|gf_CB =7|ga_CB =6
|win_MAH=2|draw_MAH=1|loss_MAH=2|gf_MAH=6|ga_MAH=7
|win_MB =1|draw_MB =3|loss_MB =1|gf_MB =6|ga_MB =5
|win_KP =0|draw_KP =0|loss_KP =5|gf_KP =3|ga_KP =11

|col_QC=green3|text_QC=Qualify for Championship stage
|result1=QC|result2=QC|result3=QC|result4=QC
|col_NQ=red3|text_NQ=Eliminated
|result5=NQ|result6=NQ
|update=complete|source=[http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india97.html#nfl1 rsssf.com]
}}

==Championship stage==
{{#invoke:sports table|main|style=WDL
|res_col_header=Q
|show_limit=5
|sortable_table=y

|team1=JCT|name_JCT=[[JCT F.C.|JCT Mills]]
|team2=CB |name_CB =[[Churchill Brothers SC]]
|team3=EB |name_EB =[[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
|team4=DEM|name_DEM=[[Dempo SC]]
|team5=IB |name_IB =[[Indian Bank Recreational Club|Indian Bank]]
|team6=AI |name_AI =[[Air India (football club)|Air India]]
|team7=SAL|name_SAL=[[Salgaocar SC]]
|team8=MAH|name_MAH=[[Mahindra United]]
|win_JCT=9|draw_JCT=3|loss_JCT=2|gf_JCT=26|ga_JCT=8
|win_CB =8|draw_CB =5|loss_CB =1|gf_CB =20|ga_CB =10
|win_EB =7|draw_EB =4|loss_EB =3|gf_EB =19|ga_EB =11
|win_DEM=4|draw_DEM=6|loss_DEM=4|gf_DEM=19|ga_DEM=17
|win_IB =3|draw_IB =6|loss_IB =5|gf_IB =14|ga_IB =18
|win_AI =3|draw_AI =6|loss_AI =5|gf_AI =11|ga_AI =16
|win_SAL=3|draw_SAL=4|loss_SAL=7|gf_SAL=8|ga_SAL=13
|win_MAH=1|draw_MAH=0|loss_MAH=13|gf_MAH=10|ga_MAH=34

|col_C=green1|text_C=Champions
|result1=C
|update=complete|source=[http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india97.html#nfl1 rsssf.com]
}}

{{winners||Philips National League Champions|[[JCT FC]]|1st}}

== Season statistics ==

===Hat-tricks===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Player !! For !! Against !! style="text-align:center"| Result !! Date !! {{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference(s)}}
|-
| [[Bhaichung Bhutia]]5 || JCT Mills || Mahindra FC || 6–1 (H) || 9 February 1997 || <ref name="Bhutia5"/>
|-
| Bhaichung Bhutia || JCT Mills || Dempo || 4–1 (A) || 16 March 1997 || <ref name="JCTwin"/>
|}
5 Player scored five goals
:'''Note:''' (H) – Home; (A) – Away

==1996-97 Season Roll of Honour==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Competition
!Winner
!Details
|-
|National Football League
|[[JCT FC]]
|1st Championship
|-
|[[Federation Cup (India)|Federation Cup]]
|[[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
|Defeated [[Dempo SC]] 2:1
|-
|Super Cup
|[[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
|Defeated [[JCT FC]] 0:0 (4:2 Pens)
|-
|[[Santosh Trophy]]
|[[East Bengal Club|Bengal]]
|Defeated Goa 1:0
|-
|Governor's Gold Cup
|[[Air India (football club)|Air India]]
|Defeated [[Mohun Bagan]] 0:0 (4:3 Pens)
|-
|96th Rover's Cup
|[[Salgaocar SC]]
|Defeated [[Air India (football club)|Air India]] 1:0
|-
|102nd [[IFA Shield]]
|[[JCT FC]]
|Defeated Karkh Club (Iraq) 1:0
|-
|[[Bordoloi Trophy]]
|[[Mohun Bagan]]
|Defeated [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]] 2:1
|-
|5th Scissors Cup
|[[Dempo SC]]
|Defeated [[Indian Bank Recreational Club|Indian Bank]] 1:0
|-
|McDowell's Cup
|[[Mohun Bagan]]
|Defeated [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]] 2:0
|-
|Airlines Gold Cup
|[[All Nepal Football Association|All Nepal FA XI]]
|Defeated [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]] 2:1
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/india97.html#nfl1 Philips National League] at [[Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation]]

{{National Football League seasons (India)}}
{{I-League seasons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1996-97 Indian National Football League}}

{{#seo:
|keywords=National Football League (India) seasons, 1996–97 in Indian football
|description=
}}

[[Category:National Football League (India) seasons]]
[[Category:1996–97 in Indian football]]
[[Category:1996–97 in Asian association football leagues|India]]

1996 97 National Football League India - Revision history

MetaBOT at 15:51, 8 July 2023