Mohammedan SC (Kolkata)
Mohammedan Sporting Club is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal, that competes in I-League, the top tier of Indian football league system. Founded in 1891, it is one of the most historic football clubs, with a support base all over the country. After gaining independence from the British rule, it became the first Indian club to win on foreign soil by lifting the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1960. Nicknamed the "Black Panthers", the club also participates in the premier division of the Calcutta Football League (CFL). In 1934, Mohammedan was the  first Indian club to win the CFL and they continued their run until the 1938 season. Before Independence, numerous triumphs against British teams earned the club huge support from all India. Mohammedan Sporting Club became the entity against British oppression and the support continued even after Independence. It also became the first Indian club to win the Durand Cup in 1940. They won the Federation Cup (India) twice in the 1983–84 and 1984–85 season. They have also competed in the I-League 2nd Division, then second tier of domestic football. History. The beginning. The club was founded as "Jubilee Club  in 1887 under the leadership of Nawab Aminul Islam. Then the name was changed into Crescent Club". Crescent club's name again changed into "Hamidia Club", and finally to "Mohamedan Sporting Club" in 1891. Khan Sahib Syed Ahmed Rashid took a very keen interest in the social and sporting life of Bengal. He was elected secretary of the Mohammedan Sporting, from 1925 to 1932. During his secretaryship, Sir John Stanely Jackson, governor of Bengal, accepted the patronage of the club. In 1930, during the Football boycott, Khan Sahib Syed Ahmed Rashid successfully organized the Monsoon League. His services were highly  appreciated by the President, Major R. B. Langden, M.C, O.B.E, and the Council of the Cricket Board of Control, for the excellent help rendered to the Board at all times. Khan Sahib Rashid successfully conducted for two years (1930–31) the Calcutta Football League as its Hony. Secretary. In March 1935, he was again unanimously elected as General Secretary, Mohammedan Sporting Club, Calcutta. In October 1935, he organized and took the football team on a successful tour to Rangoon, Mandalay, Maymo, Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Madras, Bangalore and Mysore. A big public luncheon was given in his honour at the Great Eastern  Hotel, presided over by the Honourable late Maharaja M. N. Roy of Santosh, when high tributes were paid by Sir Alfred Wetson, Honourable Khawaja Sir Nazimuddin and other leading men of Bengal for Khan Sahib's excellent services to sports and social activities in Bengal. Khan Sahib Syed Ahmed Rashid was the first Muslim to be elected on all the important sporting Associations in Bengal. i.e. the Bengal Hockey Association, The Indian Football Association, the Calcutta Football League, the Cricket Board of Control Bengal and Assam, The Indian School Cricket Committee, The Indian School Sports Association and The Bengal Gymkhana . Start of an era. Before the 1930s, Mohammedan's main success was in the Coochbehar Cup which they won in 1902, 1906 and 1909. In 1930, Mohammedan was allowed to stay in the Second Division despite finishing last, as EIR closed their club. During this time, C.A. Aziz acted promptly, concentrating on creating a strong team. The credit for turning them into a football power goes to Aziz, perhaps the first modern thinker in Indian football. Aziz, along with Aryan Club's Dukhiram Mazumdar, was one of the first native football officials who understood the importance of wearing boots. After  an encouraging show in 1930, Aziz recruited Bagan rejects Kaleh Khan and Hafiz Rahid in 1931. Players from different parts of India were slowly brought in, often in the name of religion. Bit by bit, Aziz was building an unstoppable team. The Invincibles (1934–1942). In 1933, Mohammedan qualified for the first division of Calcutta Football League for the first time in its history. Mohammedan had a truly cosmopolitan outfit, with players from different corners of India. Masum, Mahiuddin and Rahmat came from Bangalore, while Jumma Khan arrived from western borders. Under the captaincy of Khurshid Anwar, Mohammedan became the first  native club to capture the CFL title in 1934, in their very first year in top division which was a rare feat. It was what Mohun Bagan had tried to win the distinguished CFL for eighteen years and East Bengal additionally wanted for it for nine long years but they could not break the monopoly of British non-regimental groups. They became the first native club to win the CFL in 1934. They are also the only club date to have won the league title just after getting promoted to first division. From 1934 to 1938, Sporting won the league  for five consecutive times – a record bettered by only East Bengal in the 1970s. Sporting continued their winning spree in the 1940s, winning the title in 1940 and 1941. Mohammedan missed out in 1939 because they had declined to play in CFL as a sign of protest against IFA – other teams like East Bengal Club and Kalighat Club also didn't participate. However, Mohun Bagan won the league in 1939. The "Golden" players of this "Golden Era" of Mohammedan Sporting Club were; Osman, Jumma Khan (referred to as ""The Wall of Mohammedan""), Taj Mohammed, Nasim, Noor Mohammed, Sabu, Mohiuddin, Masum , Aaqeel Ali, Noor, Rahamat, Rahim, and Rashid, Syed Abdus Samad, Abbas and Rashid (Junior). By 1935, the charismatic Abbas Mirza had taken over the captain's arm-band. He would lead Mohammedan to even greater heights. That year, Mohammedan would recruit an irreplaceable player from Delhi's Crescent Club – goalkeeper Osman Jan. According to the veteran Sailen Manna, Osman was the greatest keeper he had ever seen. He was almost unbeatable in one on one situations. Full-back Taj Mohammad was feared for his hard tackles; his partnership with Jumma Khan ensured Mohammedan had a water–tight defence in that  era. Jumma Khan used to play for Sandemanians in Quetta before joining Mohammedan, and he was famous for his heading ability. Centre-half Noor Mohammad was an extremely industrious player with a strong tackle. He was complemented well by left-half Masum, who was the creative genius. In attack, the tro of Rahim, Rashid and Rahmat used to cause havoc in opponent defenses. Rehmat was the brain behind Mohammedan's attacking moves, while Rashid, with his brilliant left foot, was also good in the air. Left-out Bacchi Khan was notorious for his rough style of play. Rashid (16 goals ) was the top scorer in Calcutta Football League in 1935, while Rahim (18 goals) achieved that feat in 1938 season. Their performances in Cup competitions were no less brilliant. In 1936, Sporting became the second Indian club to win IFA Shield. In the final, they defeated Calcutta Cricket and Football Club 2–1 with goals from Rashid (Jr.) and Rahim. That year they also became the first Indian club to do the League-Shield "double". In 1941, they became the first Indian club to win two Shield titles, when they beat KOCB in the final courtesy of goals from Rashid and  Saboo. They also became the first Indian club to retain the Shield, when they saw off East Bengal's challenge in 1942 final with a goal from Noor Mohammad. Mohammedan Sporting created history in 1940 by becoming the first Indian club to win the Durand Cup' Under Masum's leadership, they defeated Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2–1 in the final. In same season they also captured the Rovers Cup by beating Bangalore Muslims 1–0, thus creating another unique record of holding both Durand and Rovers Cup in the same season, a domestic cup double. 1943–1960. In 1956, MSC went on to  win the Rovers Cup for the second time MSC beat Mohun Bagan 3–1 in the final. The Rovers win paved the way again to get back those golden era. In 1957, MSC bagged the "Double" by winning both the League and IFA Shield. In the league, MSC defeated East Bengal by a point and defeated Railway Sports 3–0 in IFA Shield final. They also became the first Indian side to win a trophy on foreign soil, the Aga Khan Gold Cup in Dhaka in 1960, beating Indonesia's Persatuan Sepakbola Makassar 4–1 in the final. Pakistani football legend Mohammad Omar  Baloch played in forefront for Mohammedan. 1961–2015. The next success came after exactly 10 years later. Mohammedan Sporting Club won the Calcutta League in 1967 without losing a single match. They were the unbeaten champion and registered their 10th league title. In 1971, Mohammedan won the IFA Shield by defeating Tollygunge Agragami 2–0 in the final. MSC won that year's IFA Shield without conceding a goal. Mohammed Sher Khan was the honorary assistant secretary of the club during 1967–80. In the 8th decade, the success came at the beginning. MSC won the Calcutta Football League in 1981 with a  point clear from Mohun Bagan. MSC were the unbeaten champion in the 1981 league and this was the third time in the history of Mohammedan Sporting. In 1983, Mohammedan won the Federation Cup for the first time by defeating Mohun Bagan 2–0, and also in 1983 Mohammedan won Peerless trophy in Calcutta by Beating Mohun Bagan 3–1 in the tie-breaker. In 1983, Mohammedan finished as runners-up in the Rovers Cup after the defeat to East Bengal 1–0 in Mumbai and became Runners-up in the DCM trophy in Delhi. In the next year in 1984, MSC won the  Federation Cup by defeating East Bengal 1–0. Also in the same year M.S.C. Won number of trophies including the consecutive Federation cup, they won Nizam Gold Cup, Sait Nagjee Trophy, Rovers Cup, Darjeeling Gold cup. In 1985, they signed Nigerian striker Chima Okorie from Chandigarh Football Club, who is considered one of the greatest foreign players in Indian football. Mohammedan participated at the 1990 Jawaharlal Nehru Centenary Club Cup in Kolkata, which is the only international club tournament held in India. Mohammedan was in Group-B and became the only Indian team to qualify for semifinals. They defeated Zambia national  team 1–0 and FC Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 1–0, before losing 2–0 to Argentine side Gimnasia Esgrima. In the semi-final, Mohammedan lost 1–0 to Paraguayan side Club Olimpia. Mohammedan qualified for the 1992–93 Asian Cup Winners' Cup and scheduled to play against Omani side Fanja SC, but they withdrew their team from the first round. After a long Trophy drought 2013–14 season Mohammedan Sporting won two giant title in Indian football, Durand Cup and IFA Shield. In the final of 2014 IFA Shield, they beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club of Bangladesh 5–4 in penalty shootout. They qualified to the 2013–14  I-League by being the runner-up in the 2013 I-League 2nd Division, but were again relegated to 2015 I-League 2nd Division, as they were placed last in the season. 2016–present. The club showed major signs of reformation in 2016, when Ghazal Uz Zafar, a Kolkata-based young businessman, took over as the General Secretary of the club. It was under his regime the club became runners-up in 2016 Calcutta Football League, after 8 long years. They also lifted the 2016 Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup for the first time since 1980, defeating Jhapa XI of  Nepal by 1–0. In 2018, they emerged as the champions of Bordoloi Trophy, defeating Oil India Limited by 3–1 margin. They have also participated in the 2018 Birat Gold Cup in Nepal but their campaign ended after losing to Sankata Boys SC by 1–0 margin. In the 2019 season, Kamran Farooque was named captain and Mohammedan appeared in the 2019 Durand Cup, but bowed out of the tournament after finishing third in Group-B. In that year, Mohammedan emerged victorious in the Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup, defeating local side Gangtok Himalayan SC 2–1. On 25 October 2020, Spaniard José  Hevia was appointed manager of Mohammedan and on 19 February 2021, he was sacked due to club's poor performance. They returned to I-League in the 2020–21 season after winning the 2019–20 I-League 2nd Division tournament, and signed Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan. They began their journey defeating debutants Sudeva Delhi FC 1–0 on 9 January 2021. Under the coaching of Sankarlal Chakraborty, they finished on 6th position with 20 points in 15 matches. Ahead of the 2021–22 I-League season on 21 May, the club appointed Russian UEFA Pro licence holder Andrey Chernyshov as their head coach. In  October 2021, they reached to the final of 130th edition of the Durand Cup but lost the title winning match 1–0 to FC Goa. On 18 November, Mohammedan clinched their 12th Calcutta Football League title after forty long years, defeating Railway FC 1–0. Crest and colours. Crest. The crest of Mohammedan Sporting Club is derived from typical Islamic iconographic symbol used in various historical contexts. It has the Star and crescent in middle, which is partially surrounded by green floral patterns. Colours. Nicknamed "Black Panthers", Mohammedan team colours are white and black. That is why Mohammedan team is popularly known  as the "White and Black brigade" ( সাদা–কালো ব্রিগেড). Slogan. ""Jan jan Mohammedan"" (Bengali: 'জান জান মহামেডান') is the slogan popular among club supporters. Stadiums. Historically, the club has used several stadiums at Kolkata, Howrah and Barasat, Kalyani including the Eden Gardens, which has been reserved for cricket since Salt Lake Stadium opened in 1984. Salt Lake Stadium. The Salt Lake Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kolkata, West Bengal. The stadium is one of the largest non-auto racing stadium in the world and the second largest in India after Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. It is currently  used for mainly football matches. The stadium was built in 1984, has got a capacity of 85,000 people. The stadium has three tiers. The stadium includes a unique running track, long jump track, electronic scoreboard, natural turf, floodlighting arrangement, air conditioned VIP rest room and Conference Hall along with Medical Room & Doping Control Room. Other features of the stadium are boxes for TV along with several platforms for TV cameras, press boxes, air conditioned player's changing rooms. The Salt Lake Stadium hosts the home games of Mohammedan Sporting in I-League, I-League 2nd Division, and previously hosted the  matches of National Football League. Mohammedan Sporting Club Ground. The Mohammedan Sporting Ground is another stadium in Kolkata, India. This stadium has natural grass turf. This stadium is associated with the club and is actually Mohammedan Sporting's home ground. The stadium lies on the Maidan (Kolkata) area on the northern side of Fort William and near to the Eden Gardens. This stadium is currently used mostly for football matches of Calcutta Football League, I-League 2nd Division, I-League U18 and AIFF U-16 Youth League. The stadium holds 15,000 people. Barasat Stadium. Barasat Stadium is also a stadium used  by Mohammedan Sporting, specially in case if the Salt Lake Stadium or Mohammedan Sporting Ground cannot be used for any reason. This stadium has artificial turf and comes with proper floodlights to support night matches. Rivalries. Founded in 1891, Mohammedan had once been one of the symbols of progressive Muslim identity, a rallying point through the tumultuous events of Independence, and the subsequent search for the self and status in an altered post-Partition landscape. Since its inception during the Victorian era, the once-imperious Mohammedan Sporting shared rivalries with clubs like Dalhousie AC, Aryan FC, Kumartuli Club and  Calcutta CFC. In the Indian Football Association (IFA)-run Calcutta Football League, currently the club shares rivalries with giants Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, popularly known as ""Mini Derby"". The club also meet them in other regional tournaments like IFA Shield, Durand Cup and these three Kolkata clubs are tagged as ""Kolkata's Big Three"" (Bengali: কলকাতার তিন প্রধান). Previous seasons. Only the seasons since the introduction of a national league in 1996 has been stated below. Other departments. Cricket. The cricket section of Mohammedan Sporting is situated at the Tent Maidan, and they practice at both Kolkata Maidan fields and  Mohammedan Sporting Ground. The men's cricket team primarily competes in the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) First Division tournament and also participate in JC Mukherjee T-20 Trophy, A. N. Ghosh Memorial Trophy, CAB One Day League and P. Sen Trophy. Clubs women's cricket team (Mohammedan SC Women) participates in the CAB run Bengal Women's T20 League. On 24 February 2022, they emerged champions in the league, defeating Rajasthan Club at the Kalyani Stadium. Futsal. Mohammedan SC participates in Futsal Club Championship, highest level of club futsal competition in India. It is currently the only club from West  Bengal to participate in the competition. Hockey. Mohammedan Sporting Club hockey section was once affiliated with Bengal Hockey Association and is currently defunct. Since the British rule in India, the club once participated in prestigious tournaments like Beighton Cup and Calcutta Hockey League. Club award. The ""Shan-e-Mohammedan"" – is the lifetime achievement award of Mohammedan Sporting Club, which is awarded annually to respect and laud indispensable contribution of football players to the club.