NEROCA FC

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NEROCA FC
Official NEROCA FC Logo.png
Full nameNorth Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association Football Club[1]
Nickname(s)Orange Brigade[2]
Founded1965; 57 years ago (1965)
GroundKhuman Lampak Main Stadium
Capacity35,285
OwnerNorth Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (NEROCA)
ChairmanArunkumar Thangjam
Head coachKhogen Singh[3]
LeagueManipur State League
I-League
2020–21I-League, 11th of 11
WebsiteClub website
Away colours
Current season

NEROCA Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Imphal, Manipur, that competes in the I-League, first tier of Indian football.[4][5] The club made its I-League 2nd Division debut in the 2015–16 season.[6] The club won the 2016–17 I-League 2nd Division and secured promotion to the I-League.[7] NEROCA is the only club from Northeast India to reach the final of the coveted Durand Cup. The club also competes in the Manipur State League.[8][9][10]

History[]

Formation and early years[]

North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association[11] (NEROCA)[12] was established in 1965[13][14] with the hope of improving quality in the field of cultural activities and sports in the Indian state of Manipur. It was registered under the Manipur State co-operative Society Registration Act bearing registration No. 1016 of 1972. NEROCA is a registered football club of Imphal East District Football Association and affiliated with All Manipur Football Association (AMFA).[15] NEROCA has participated in the Manipur State League (MSL),[16][17] since its inception and finished second-placed in the MSL 2007.[18]

2014–present[]

In the 9th season of Manipur State League (2014), NEROCA won the championship trophy.[19] With the aim of participating in the I-League 2nd Division from 2015–16. As per the norms of All India Football Federation (AIFF), the nomenclature of NEROCA was changed to NEROCA Football Club.

NEROCA competed in the 2015–16[20] and 2016–17 I-League 2nd Division seasons.[21] They emerged as champions of the 2016–17 season with 26 points in 10 matches from the Final Round. They qualified for the 2017–18 season of the I-League.[22]

The biggest achievement of NEROCA is emerging as the runners-up in the 2017–18 I-League.[23] Under the coaching of Gift Raikhan,[24] they finished campaign with 32 points from 18 matches.[25] In that season, NEROCA brought Vector X as their official shirt sponsor.[26]

In the 2020–21 I-League, NEROCA finished bottom of the Relegation Stage and got formally relegated, but were reinstated by AIFF after viewing the situation of Covid-19 pandemic.[27][28]

On 4 July 2021, NEROCA signed Khogen Singh as their head coach for the 2021–22 I-League season,[3] and began the league journey with a 3–2 win against Sreenidi Deccan on 27 December 2021.[29]

Crest and colours[]

The official colour of NEROCA is orange and green.[30] In team crest, there is map of Manipur in background and an anchor of sailing boat in foreground.[31]

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors[]

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2015—2016 Glory Sports Classic Group of Hotels[32]
2016—2017 Bee Athletic
2017—2018 Vector X[26]
2018—2019 Sqad Gear
2019–2020 Vicky Transform Living 3D
2020–2021 Ambition Sportswear[33] GMT[34]
2021–present Nivia Sports Vintel Infracom Pvt. Ltd.

Stadium[]

Main article: Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
Khuman Lampak Stadium on a matchday

Khuman Lampak Main Stadium in Imphal, Manipur, is used as the home ground of NEROCA Football Club for all their home matches in both the domestic and regional leagues.[35][36] Opened in 1999, the stadium is owned by All Manipur Football Association and has a capacity of 35,285 spectators. Their first home match in the I-League was played on 15 December 2017 against Chennai City FC.[37]

Support and rivalry[]

Supporters[]

NEROCA had the 2nd highest average attendance for the 2018–19 I League season. In the 2017–18 season, NEROCA had the highest attendance in the I-League.

Rivalries[]

See also: and Northeast Derby (I-League)

NEROCA have participated in the Imphal Derby[38] with city rivals TRAU.[39] The two clubs are the only two from Imphal to have played professional league football.[40]

In the Northeast Derby (I-League), they have a rivalry with Mizoram-based club Aizawl FC.[41]

Players[]

First-team squad[]

As of 1 February 2022

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK India IND Prateek Kumar Singh
2 DF India IND Thokchom Singh
3 DF India IND Lallenmang Sitlhou
4 DF India IND Wangkhei Singh
5 DF India IND Md Abdul Salam
6 DF India IND Manjit Sharma
7 FW Spain ESP Sergio Mendigutxia
8 MF India IND Jiteshwor Singh
9 MF India IND Vicky Meitei
10 MF Spain ESP Juan Mera
11 FW India IND Sweden Fernandes (on loan from Hyderabad)
12 MF India IND Benjamin Lupheng
13 GK India IND Shubham Dhas (Captain)
14 MF India IND Hrishikesh Namboothiri
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 MF India IND Khaimin Lhungdim
16 FW Lebanon LBN Mohamad Kdouh
19 FW India IND Peter Haokip
20 MF India IND Thokchom Singh
22 FW India IND Deepak Ravi Pal
23 DF Ghana GHA Ben Quansah
24 FW India IND Madan Saiprasad Ghogale
25 MF India IND Jonychand Singh
26 DF India IND Moirangthem Dhananjoy Singh
27 MF India IND Ayush Kumar Singh
34 DF India IND Apeaksh Shajith
35 MF India IND Vishnu Uppalapu Sri
— MF India IND Pukhrambam Manisana
— FW India IND Inban Udhyanidhi

On loan[]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
11 FW India IND Sweden Fernandes (on loan from Hyderabad)

Personnel[]

Current technical staff[]

As of 1 August 2021
Position Name
Head coach India Khogen Singh[42]
Assistant coach India Sapam Premkanta Singh
Secretary India Leimapokpam
Goalkeeping coach India Sapam Premkanta Singh
Team manager India Laishram Rajiv Singh
Physio India Kshterimayum Karan Singh
Kit manager India Lairellakpam Shobha Singh

Team records[]

Season Div. Tms. Pos. Average attendance Federation Cup/Super Cup Durand Cup AFC CL AFC Cup
2015–16 I-League 2nd 10 3 – DNP DNP DNP DNP
2016–17 I-League 2nd 12 1 8,438 DNP Runners-up DNP DNP
2017–18 I-League 10 2 21,382 Quarter-finals DNP DNP DNP
2018–19 I-League 11 6 19,139 – DNP DNP DNP
2019–20 I-League 11 9 13,202 – DNP DNP DNP
2020–21 I-League 11 11 – DNP DNP DNP
Key
  • Tms. = Number of teams
  • Pos. = Position in league
  • Attendance/G = Average league attendance

Overall records[]

updated on 28 May 2017

Season Domestic Asia
Division P W D L GF GA P W D L GF GA
2015–16 2 18 8 5 5 20 16 Not qualified
2016–17 2 16 12 3 1 28 7 Not qualified
2017–18 1 18 9 5 4 20 13 Not qualified
2018–19 1 20 7 6 7 27 26 -
2019–20 1 20 -

Top scorer[]

updated on 16 August 2021

Season Player Goals
2015–16 Nigeria Ejiogu Emmanuel 3
2016–17 Nigeria Felix Chidi Odili 9
2017–18 Nigeria Felix Chidi Odili 7
2018–19 Nigeria Felix Chidi Odili 8
2019–20 Ghana Philip Adjah 9
2020–21 Trinidad and Tobago Judah García 4

Past and present internationals[]

See also: Category:NEROCA FC players
  • The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed, represented their countries before or after playing for NEROCA FC.[43]

India[]

Asia[]

Managerial record[]

Information correct after match played on 7 March 2022. Only competitive matches are counted.

Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA Win%
Gift Raikhan  India 1 July 2015 30 April 2018 44 26 10 8 61 31 059.09

Manuel Retamero

 Spain 7 June 2018[59] 11 March 2019[60] 20 7 5 8 27 26 035.00

Gift Raikhan

 India 4 September 2019[61] 31 May 2021 31 7 6 18 41 57 022.58

Khogen Singh

 India 5 July 2021[62] present 3 2 1 0 5 2 066.67

Honours[]

League[]

Cup[]

See also[]

References[]

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External links[]

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