FC Kochin
Football Club Kochin was an Indian association football club based in Kochi, Kerala and widely regarded as the first professional football club in India. In the 1990s, it was the only football club from Kerala to play in the National Football League. FC Kochin played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor, Kochi.
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| Full name | Football Club Kochin | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Elephants | ||
| Founded | 1990 | ||
| Dissolved | 2004 | ||
| Ground | Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium, Kochi | ||
| Capacity | 60,000 | ||
| Website | Club website | ||
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Home Stadium
Ground Name: Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium also known as Kaloor Stadium.
Achievements
FC Kochin had contributed substantially to the advancement of Kerala football within its short span.[1][2] The most prestigious achievement for FC Kochin was winning the Durand Cup in New Delhi in 1997. FC Kochin had also put up a consistent performance in the National Football League till relegation in 2002.
Kit manufacturers and Shirt sponsors
| Period | Kit Manufacturer | Shirt Sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 1998–2002 | Reebok | Kalyani Black Label |
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.[3] 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.[4][5]
References
- Archived 2 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- "The Club The Team". Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- "FC Kochin – An Obituary". sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- "Lessons from the rise and fall of FC Kochi". Times of India. 14 June 2003. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
- "The final whistle". India Today. 6 May 2002. Retrieved 23 May 2016.