NEROCA F.C.

NEROCA Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Imphal, Manipur, India that competes in the I-League. The club made its I-League 2nd Division debut in the 2015–16 season.[1] The club won the 2016–17 I-League 2nd Division and secured promotion to the I-League. NEROCA is the only club from Northeast India to reach the final of the coveted Durand Cup.

NEROCA F.C.
Full nameNorth Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association Football Club
Nickname(s)Orange Brigade
Founded1965 (1965)
GroundKhuman Lampak Main Stadium
Capacity35,285
OwnerNEROCA Football Club Pvt. Ltd. under North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (NEROCA)
ChairmanArunkumar Thangjam
ManagerGift Raikhan
LeagueI League
6th
WebsiteClub website

History

North Eastern Re-Organising Cultural Association (NEROCA), Sangakpham Bazar, Imphal, Manipur was established in 1965 with the hope of improving quality in the field of cultural activities and sports. 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 to All Manipur Football Association (AMFA), Mapal Kangjeibung, Imphal. NEROCA has participated in the Manipur State League (MSL) since its inception and finished in second place in the 2nd MSL, 2007. In the 9th MSL, 2014, NEROCA won the Championship Trophy. With the aim of participating in the I-League (2nd Division), 2015–16 and as per the norms of All India Football Federation (AIFF), the nomenclature of NEROCA was changed to NEROCA Football Club and managed by a Private Limited Company, NEROCA Football Club Pvt. Ltd.

Crest and colours

The official colour of NEROCA is orange.

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2015—16 Glory Sports Classic Group of Hotels
2016—17 Bee Athletic
2017—18 Vector X
2018—19 Sqad Gear
2019–2020 Vicky Transform Living 3D
2020–present Ambition Sportswear[2] GMT

Stadium
Main article: Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
Full nameKhuman Lampak Main Stadium
LocationImphal, Manipur, India
OwnerManipur Football Federation
OperatorNEROCA and TRAU
CapacityFull : 42,500
SurfaceGrass
Track
Opened1999
Tenants
NEROCA (2015-Present)
TRAU (2015-Present)

Khuman Lampak Main Stadium, Imphal, Manipur is used as the home ground of NEROCA FC. Their first home match in the I-League was played on 15 December 2017 against Chennai City F.C.

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: Imphal derby and Northeast Derby (I-League)

NEROCA have participated in the Imphal derby with city rivals TRAU. The two clubs are the only two from Imphal to have played professional league football.

Senior Team Squad
As of 15 January 2021

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  IND Loitongbam Bishorjit Singh
2 DF  IND Naorem James Singh
3 DF  IND Shoaib Akhtar
4 DF  IND Longjam Gobin
5 DF  LBR Varney Kallon
6 DF  IND Akbar Khan
7 FW  IND Varun Thokchom
8 MF  IND Yumkhaibam Jiteshwor Singh
9 FW  TRI Judah Garcia
10 MF  TRI Nathaniel Garcia
11 FW  IND Khanngam Horam
12 MF  IND Benjamin Lupheng
17 MF  IND Khaimithang Lhungdim
18 FW  IND Khundom Lucky
19 FW  IND Songpu Singsit
22 GK  IND Rahul Ramchandra Yadav
No. Pos. Nation Player
23 DF  IND Kongbrailatpam Manjit Sharma
24 DF  IND Saikhom Thomas
25 DF  IND Lamjingba Mutum
26 DF  IND Wangkheimayum Olen
27 DF  IND Takhellambam Deepak
28 DF  IND Rishan Ahanthem
30 MF  IND Lungunhao Sithou
33 GK  IND Golmei Dihempu Rongmei
35 MF  IND Wexlin Shoburaj
36 MF  IND Nayan Agaewal
39 FW  IND Aryan Gupta
45 FW  IND Wakambam Michael
— MF  IND Y Sonam Chothe
— DF  IND Seikhohao Haokip

Current technical staff
Position Name
Head Coach Gift Raikhan
Assistant Coach Tomba Singh
Assistant Coach And Youth Head Coach Leishangthem Raman Singh
Team Manager Laishram Rajiv Singh
Club Physio Kshterimayum Karan Singh
Office Secretary Rojit Meitei
Media manager Tikendrajit Thokchom
General Co-ordinator L. Sidananda
Kit Manager Lairellakpam Shobha Singh

Management
Position Name
President Arunkumar Thangjam
CEO (chief executive officer)
Club Secretary Moirangthem Manimohon 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 - – 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 28 May 2017

Season Player Goals
2015–16 Ejiogu Chinedu Emmanuel 3
2016–17 Felix Chidi Odili 9
2017–18 Felix Chidi Odili 7
2018–19 Felix Chidi Odili 8

Past and present internationals

Names in bold indicate players who had international appearances for their countries while playing for NEROCA.

Head coach's record

updated on 21 June 2020

NameNationalityFromToPWDLGFGAWin%
Gift Raikhan  India 2015 2018 52 29 13 10 68 36 055.77

Manuel Retamero Fraile

  Spain 2018 2019 20 7 6 7 11 7 035.00

Gift Raikhan

  India 2019 Present 16 5 3 8 27 35 031.25

Honours

League
Runners-up (1): 2017–18
Winners (1): 2016–17
3rd (1): 2015–16

Cup
Runners-up (1): 2016[3][4]

References
  1. "I-League Core Committee Meets at AIFF Headquarters". I-League.org. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  2. "NEROCA FC announce Ambition Sportswear as the kit sponser for 2020-21 season". NEROCA FC on Twitter. Retrieved 26 September 2020.
  3. "Army Green beat Neroca FC to win Durand Cup". Times of India. 11 September 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  4. "Durand Cup Football: Army Green Crowned Champions After Shoot-Out". NDTV. 11 September 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
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