FC Kochin

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Template:Infobox football club

Football Club Kochin was an Indian association football club based in Kochi, Kerala.[1][2] In the 1990s, it was the only football club from Kerala to play in the National Football League.[3][4] FC Kochin played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi. They have also competed in Kerala Premier League under license from Kerala Football Association (KFA), until their dissolvent in 2004.[5][6]

History

Formation and journey

Football Club Kochin was founded in 1997,[7] with aims to develop the structure of association football in the state of Kerala.[8] Paul Varghese is the chief Patron behind the making of the club and K.J.Varoo was the first Manager.

File:IM..Vijayan.jpg
Former India captain I. M. Vijayan had two successful stints with FC Kochin during 1997–98 and 1999–01 seasons.[9]

M.P.Kurian was the founder cum chairman of the FC Kochin Trust and Mr. M.K.Joseph was the founder cum chairman of the FC Kochin Limited Company. These organisations played a key role behind the development of the club during the late 1990s. After the fall of Kerala Police FC, FC Kochin filled the void of Kerala Football.[10]

FC Kochin was unique because of promoting modern footballing infrastructure. It's considered as the first professional club in India, whose motto was "a new approach to the game".[10]

The development of FC Kochin lit a spark in Kerala, with the football-mad people embracing the club with open arms.[11]

Durand victory

FC Kochin began their 1997 Durand Cup campaign by beating seven times Durand champion, Border Security Force by 2Template:Endash1. In the next match, they thrashed Kolkata giant, Mohammedan Sporting by 5Template:Endash0 with Vijayan scoring his first hat-trick for Kochin followed by goals from Raman Vijayan and B.Deepu. They went into the knock-out of their first Durand Cup as group-topper which attracted many Keralites settled in the capital to watch their match. In the semifinal, they locked horns with the then best team, JCT FC.

In the final, they emerged as champions in the prestigious tournament, defeating Mohun Bagan AC under captaincy of Jo Paul Ancheri.[12] India star I. M. Vijayan also led the team later. Foreign players like Mykola Shevchenko of Ukraine,[13][14] Josiah Seton of Liberia, Obinna Winners Onyia of Benin and Ali Abubakkar of Ghana were included in the squad for both the Durand Cup and NFL of 1997.[15]

Scissors Cup

In 1997, FC Kochin participated in the Scissors Cup and reached to the final, that held in Kerala. The final, against Bahraini side West Riffa club, turned out to be a damp squib with the game abandoned due to a power cut in the stadium. The Bahraini team were adjudged winners after a coin toss.[16]

NFL 1998

In the coming years they were not able to replicate the form they showed in their first season, although they managed to come fourth in the national football league in 1998. The next three seasons saw them finishing sixth,[17] fourth and fourth again in the National Football League. This was the time when FC Kochin was coached by T.K. Chathunni, one of the best football coaches in India.[18]

Home stadium

Template:Main

File:Kaloor.jpg
The Kaloor Stadium before renovation, home of FC Kochin until 2004

FC Kochin used the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium also known as Kaloor Stadium, for their home matches in both of the National Football League (India) and Kerala Premier League.[19] The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 spectators.

File:Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi).jpg
The stadium on a matchday

Achievements

FC Kochin had contributed substantially to the advancement of Kerala football within its short span.[20][21] The most prestigious achievement for FC Kochin was winning the Durand Cup in New Delhi in 1997. In that year, they clinched Kerala State Football League title, defeating State Bank of Travancore.[22]

FC Kochin had also put up a consistent performance in the National Football League,[23] until their relegation in 2002.

Rivalries

FC Kochin shared rivalries predominantly with Kerala-based clubs Kerala Police FC, FC Kochin, Titanium XI and Quartz Calicut, whom they faced in domestic and regional tournaments.[24][25][26]

Kit manufacturers and Shirt sponsors

The official sponsors of FC Kochin[27]

Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor Back Sponsor Other sponsors
1998–2002 Reebok Kalyani Black Label Kingfisher Pepsi,[28]
Hi-Power,
Coca-Cola

Past internationals

This list comprises Indian and foreign footballers, who played for FC Kochin (between 1997 and 2004) in the National Football League of India and also represented their respective countries before or after joining the club.

Honours

League

Cup

File:Durand Cup.jpg
The Durand Cup trophy, won by FC Kochin on one occasion (in 1997).

Withdrawal

With reduced sponsorship money after declining performance, and with Indian Football Federation failing to pay the dues to the club, it faced a financial crunch.[47] Unpaid salaries and exodus of good players led to a low performance of the club in the top league. The club finished at 11th position in 2001–02 season and got relegated to Second Division. The club played Second Division twice, but failed to get promoted to Premier Division. The club could never resurrect itself after that.[48][49]

Managerial history

See also

Notes

Template:Notelist

References

  1. ↑ FC Kochin blazes new trails Rediff.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  2. ↑ FC Kochin football club archive. globalsportsarchive.com. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
  3. ↑ Glorytales of Indian Football: FC Kochin, IM Vijayan and their amazing success story. sports-nova.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  4. ↑ Coca Cola National League 98/99 Articles fckochi.tripod.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  5. ↑ A look back into the dysfunctional clubs in the past decade of Indian football. The Bridge. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  6. ↑ India 1999/00 RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  7. ↑ India - List of Foundation Dates RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  8. ↑ Indian Football: Legends from the 'football mad' state of Kerala | Goal.com. www.goal.com. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  9. ↑ Glorytales of Indian Football: FC Kochin, IM Vijayan and their amazing success story sports-nova.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 First Indian professional football club FC Kochin faces closure as players migrate. India Today. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  11. ↑ Down the memory lane: The quick rise and swift fall of FC Kochin. Goal.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  12. ↑ List of Durand Cup tournament winners and runner-ups Template:Webarchive RSSSF. Retrieved 7 May 2021
  13. ↑ Season ending Transfers 2000:. IndianFootball.de. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Shevchenko joins Churchill Brothers as coach. Times of India(13 November 2017). Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  15. ↑ FC Kochin team list. Indianfootball.de. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  16. ↑ Down the memory lane: The quick rise and swift fall of FC Kochin. Goal.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  17. ↑ India 1998/99. Rsssf.com. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  18. ↑ FC Kochin rope in coach Chathunni. Indian Express. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  19. ↑ First Soccer City in Kochi | Kochi Cochin News. Cochinsquare.com(30 April 2010). Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  20. ↑ FC Kochin official website Template:Webarchive
  21. ↑ The Club The Team. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  22. ↑ List of Champions of the Kerala State Club Football Championship Indianfootball.de. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  23. ↑ FC Kochin maintain their unbeaten run in the NFL Template:Webarchive The Hindu. Retrieved 24 March 2021
  24. ↑ Down the memory lane: The magnificent Kerala Police of the 1980-90s Goal.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021
  25. ↑ Indian Football: Legends from the 'football mad' state of Kerala | Goal.com. www.goal.com. Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  26. ↑ How Kerala shrunk football to make it its own. The Times of India(3 September 2019). Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  27. ↑ Official sponsors fckochin.in. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  28. ↑ News for the month of May: 1998 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  29. ↑ A down to earth footballer(22 November 2003). Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  30. ↑ 2008 Hogges roster. www.uslsoccer.com. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  31. ↑ Elahor, Friday. National Football Teams. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  32. ↑ Season ending transfers 1999 Template:Webarchive IndianFootball.Com
  33. ↑ SUFC rope in Wilson as team mentor(5 March 2013). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  34. ↑ Ancheri, Jo Paul. National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  35. ↑ Sunday is a double delight(March 10, 2001).
  36. ↑ The story of football{{#if:Mukherjee|, Mukherjee}. Publications Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Govt. of India(2002). ISBN 978-81-230-0782-3
  37. ↑ Isaac Tondo player profile and statistics national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 7 September 2021
  38. ↑ India - List of Kerala League Champions RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  39. ↑ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Durand Cup. Indianfootball.de. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  40. ↑ When two Durand champions got together. sportstar.thehindu.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  41. ↑ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the IFA-Shield:. indianfootball.de. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  42. ↑ India - List of IFA Shield Finals. Rsssf.com. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  43. ↑ FC Kochin. iloveindia.com. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  44. ↑ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup: Kerala indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  45. ↑ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup jctfootball.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  46. ↑ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Mcdowell's Cup. indianfootball.de. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  47. ↑ FC Kochin – An Obituary. sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  48. ↑ Lessons from the rise and fall of FC Kochi(14 June 2003). Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  49. ↑ The final whistle(6 May 2002). Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  50. ↑ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 1998 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021
  51. ↑ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 1999 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021
  52. ↑ FC Kochin rope in coach Chathunni. Indian Express. Retrieved 2014-01-28.
  53. ↑ IndianFootball.com Interview: A.M. SREEDHARAN. indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  54. ↑ Kochi to get a new professional football club newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  55. ↑ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 2001 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021

Template:Durand winners

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