FC Kochin

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FC Kochin
Fc kochin.png
Full nameFootball Club Kochin[1]
Nickname(s)The Elephants[2]
Founded1997; 24 years ago (1997)
Dissolved2004; 17 years ago (2004)
GroundJawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi, Kerala
Capacity60,000
LeagueNational Football League[3]
WebsiteClub website

Football Club Kochin was an Indian association football club based in Kochi, Kerala.[4][5] In the 1990s, it was the only football club from Kerala to play in the National Football League.[6][7] 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.[8][9]

History[]

Formation and journey[]

Football Club Kochin was founded in 1997,[10] with aims to develop the structure of association football in the state of Kerala.[11] Paul Varghese is the chief Patron behind the making of the club and K.J.Varoo was the first Manager.

Former India captain I. M. Vijayan had two successful stints with FC Kochin during 1997–98 and 1999–01 seasons.[12]

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.[13]

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".[13]

The development of FC Kochin lit a spark in Kerala, with the football-mad people embracing the club with open arms.[14]

Durand victory[]

FC Kochin began their 1997 Durand Cup campaign by beating seven times Durand champion, Border Security Force by 2–1. In the next match, they thrashed Kolkata giant, Mohammedan Sporting by 5–0 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.[15] India star I. M. Vijayan also led the team later. Foreign players like Mykola Shevchenko of Ukraine,[16][17] 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.[18]

Scissors Cup[]

In 1997, FC Kochin participated in the 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.[19]

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,[20] 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.[21]

Home stadium[]

Main article: Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Kochi)
The Kaloor Stadium, 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.[22] The stadium has a capacity of 60,000 spectators.

The stadium on a matchday

Achievements[]

FC Kochin had contributed substantially to the advancement of Kerala football within its short span.[23][24] 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.[25]

FC Kochin had also put up a consistent performance in the National Football League,[26] 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.[27][28][29]

Kit manufacturers and Shirt sponsors[]

The official sponsors of FC Kochin[30]

Period Kit Manufacturer Shirt Sponsor Back Sponsor Other sponsors
1998–2002 Reebok Kalyani Black Label Kingfisher Pepsi,[31]
Hi-Power,
Coca-Cola

Past internationals[]

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

Honours[]

League[]

1st place, gold medalist(s) Champions (2): 1998–99, 1999–00[13]
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up (1): 2003–04[41]

Cup[]

The Durand Cup trophy, won by FC Kochin for one time (in 1997)
Simple cup icon.svg Champions (1): 1997[42][43]
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up (1): 1997[44][45]
Simple cup icon.svg Champions (1): 1997
  • All India Central Revenue Cup
Simple cup icon.svg Champions (1): 1999
  • Central Railway Open
Simple cup icon.svg Champions (1): 1997[46]
  • Scissors Cup
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up (1): 1997[47][48]
  • Mcdowell's Cup
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Runners-up (1): 1997[49]

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.[50] 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.[51][52]

Managerial history[]

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Fourth oldest club competition, organized by the IFA (W.B.) and played between local clubs of West Bengal and other invited ones.

References[]

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  3. ^ "Tollygunge scrape past F C Kochin". Sports.ndtv.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  4. ^ FC Kochin blazes new trails Rediff.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
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  7. ^ Coca Cola National League 98/99 Articles fckochi.tripod.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  8. ^ "A look back into the dysfunctional clubs in the past decade of Indian football". The Bridge. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  9. ^ India 1999/00 RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  10. ^ India - List of Foundation Dates RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021
  11. ^ "Indian Football: Legends from the 'football mad' state of Kerala | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  12. ^ Glorytales of Indian Football: FC Kochin, IM Vijayan and their amazing success story sports-nova.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c "First Indian professional football club FC Kochin faces closure as players migrate". India Today. Archived from the original on 6 September 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
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  16. ^ "Playing days". IndianFootball.de.
  17. ^ "Shevchenko joins Churchill Brothers as coach". Times of India. 13 November 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
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  20. ^ "India 1998/99". Rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2009. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
  21. ^ "FC Kochin rope in coach Chathunni". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
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  23. ^ [1] Archived 2 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "The Club The Team". Archived from the original on 22 June 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
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  26. ^ FC Kochin maintain their unbeaten run in the NFL Archived 14 July 2021 at the Wayback Machine The Hindu. Retrieved 24 March 2021
  27. ^ Down the memory lane: The magnificent Kerala Police of the 1980-90s Goal.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021
  28. ^ "Indian Football: Legends from the 'football mad' state of Kerala | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  29. ^ Rayson P. Tennyson (3 September 2019). "How Kerala shrunk football to make it its own". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  30. ^ Official sponsors fckochin.in. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  31. ^ http://www.indianfootball.de/news/m199805.html News for the month of May: 1998] indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  32. ^ "A down to earth footballer". Sportstar. 22 November 2003. Archived from the original on 15 September 2013. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
  33. ^ "2008 Hogges roster". www.uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
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  36. ^ "SUFC rope in Wilson as team mentor". Deccan Herald. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  37. ^ "Ancheri, Jo Paul". National-Football-Teams. Archived from the original on 18 April 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
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  45. ^ "India - List of IFA Shield Finals". Rsssf.com. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
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  47. ^ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup: Kerala indianfootball.de. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  48. ^ List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Scissors Cup jctfootball.com. Retrieved 15 August 2021
  49. ^ "List of Winners/Runners-Up of the Mcdowell's Cup". indianfootball.de. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  50. ^ "FC Kochin – An Obituary". sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
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  52. ^ "The final whistle". India Today. 6 May 2002. Archived from the original on 17 July 2014. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  53. ^ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 1998 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021
  54. ^ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 1999 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021
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  58. ^ Season Ending Transfers In Indian Football: 2001 indianfootball.de. Retrieved 29 July 2021

External links[]

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