Mahindra United FC
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football club
Mahindra United Football Club (formerly known as Mahindra & Mahindra)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> was an Indian professional football club based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Founded in 1962, the club competed in the I-League,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> then the top tier of the Indian football league system, before closing down at the end of 2009–10 season.<ref name="footballkerala">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=MUFC0709>Template:Cite web</ref> Affiliated with Mumbai Football Association, the club participated in both the National Football League,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and MDFA Elite League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Nicknamed "Jeepmen",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the club was popularly referred as India's MU after the English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="financial express">Template:Cite web</ref> It was one of the most popular football clubs in the country and was known for its consistent good performance in the last four decades of its existence.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club had won many major tournaments in India,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and also clinched an international tournament, 2003 POMIS Cup in the Maldives.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
History
Formation and journey
The club was founded in 1962 as the "Mahindra & Mahindra Allied Sports Club" under the patronage of Mahindra Group.<ref name="financial express"/> Being predominantly a corporate sporting entity,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Citation needed they secured admission into Bombay's Harwood League in 1964 and won their first title in 1970. Players like renowned goalkeeper E.N. Sudhir appeared with the club at that time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club later lifted its first knock-out tournament, Bandodkar Gold Trophy in 1980.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club later became Durand Cup champion in 1998,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> under coaching of legendary football manager Syed Shahid Hakim,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and went on to clinch the title again in 2001–02.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In leagues of Mumbai
Since their inception, Mahindra became a member of Western India Football Association (WIFA) and later in 1983, became affiliated with Mumbai District Football Association (formerly BDFA). They participated in later editions of Bombay Harwood League alongside Maharashtra Football League, and won the Harwood League four times in 1970, 1982, 1984 and 1985.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=RSSSF>Template:Cite web</ref>
Mahindra later participated in W.I.F.A. Super Division from 1990 to 1999 and clinched WIFA title in 1995.
They later participated in MDFA Elite Division and lifted trophies consecutively from 2000 to 2004 and 2006 to 2009.<ref name=RSSSF/>
NFL and other domestic competitions
From 2002 to 2003, Czech coach Karel Stromšík managed the club in the National Football League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the summer of 2006, it was renamed Mahindra United. The shirt colour was also changed from orange to red.
The team played its NFL home matches at the Cooperage Ground in Mumbai,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="JCTwin">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="begin">Template:Cite news</ref> but due to the bad state of the stadium, as of February 7, 2006, they had to play almost all of their NFL games at away venues.
Mahindra were crowned champions of NFL Premier Division for the first time in the club's history in the 2005–06 season, with two games to spare.<ref name="rediff">Template:Cite web</ref> They followed it up by beating their arch-rivals, Air India for the first time in the season. They are also two-time winners of the Indian Federation Cup, having won the title in 2003 and 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Mahindra United lift Federation Cup. [1]. The Times of India. Retrieved 20 July 2021.</ref><ref name=fedcup>India – List of Federation Cup Winners. Template:Webarchive. RSSSF.com.</ref> The win in 2005 ensured that Mahindra became the first club in the history of Indian football to win both the Federation Cup and National Football League in the same season.<ref name="iloveindia1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ileague">Template:Cite web</ref> They did however lose the NFL Super Cup to East Bengal by a margin of 1–2.
Later years
In the 2006 edition of IFA Shield, Mahindra United emerged as champions, defeating Mohun Bagan AC by 1–0 in Kolkata.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They also participated in the 2006 Federation Cup and achieved third place, defeating Dempo SC 4–2 in the penalty-shootout.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the 2008 edition of IFA Shield, they defeated the South African side Santos FC by 3–1 to win the title.
Head coach of the team was Derrick Pereira. Players like Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Manjit Singh and Surojit Bose have been associated with the team. The club also tried forming under-15 and under-19 teams in order to nurture the young talent in the country.<ref name="iloveindia1"/>
Stadium
Mahindra United mainly used Cooperage Football Ground.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is located in Nariman Point, Mumbai,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The stadium hosted home matches of both the National Football League and I-League, alongside MDFA Elite League; It had a seating capacity of nearly 12,000 spectators.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Rivalry
During their existence and playing days, Mahindra United shared rivalry in the NFL, predominantly with fellow Mumbai-based club Air India.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Disbanding the club
In 2010, it was announced that the club will be disbanded after the end of the 2009–10 I-League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The decision was a major blow for football in Mumbai,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and financial reasons were one of the main factors behind it.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Alan Durante, the chairman of Mahindra United, who had been with the team since 1991 and under whom Mahindra have won almost everything in Indian football, said it wasn't about costs.
Ruzbeh Irani, executive vice-president of the club, said: "It was in line with our group's philosophy and shift, from taking part in professional sport to developing it. We feel we can make much difference to sport in India at the school level in football, instead of running a professional team."<ref>Mahindra United to be disbanded – Owners shift focus to the grassroot level; Coach david Booth shocked. Template:Webarchive. The Telegraph India. Retrieved 7 May 2021.</ref> Due to the dysfunction of Mahindra United, the All India Football Federation allowed AIFF XI to take part in I-League directly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Achievements
Overall
Mahindra United had won almost all the major competitions in India until its dissolution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club was one-time winner of the National Football League.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It was also the first team from Maharashtra to win the Harwood League and Nadkarni Cup three times in a row, and also first team from the state to compete in domestic highest division.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The club has also been two-time winner of IFA Shield and Federation Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> There are several other championships like Mammen Mappillai Cup, Rovers Cup, Chief Minister's Cup and Super Cup where Mahindra United has registered victories.<ref name="iloveindia1"/>
On an international level, Mahindra United achieved success through lifting the 2003 POMIS Cup trophy in the Maldives, beating Club Valencia 3–1.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>2003 POMIS Cup Maldives Template:Webarchive. RSSSF. Retrieved 10 October 2021.</ref> They also became the first Indian club to reach the quarter-finals of the 2007 AFC Cup, but their journey ended with an aggregate 4–5 defeat to Lebanese side Al-Najmeh SC.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2003, Debjit Ghosh of Mahindra United, won the IndianFootball.com 'player of the Year' award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ranking
Mahindra United emerged as the top ranked Indian team, and 464th universally, in the international rankings of clubs during the first ten years of the 21st century (2001–2010), issued by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics in 2011.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Individual
In three consecutive seasons, Indian players (while representing Mahindra United) have been awarded the AIFF Player of the Year: S Venkatesh in 2004, Climax Lawrence in 2005, and Surkumar Singh in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Honours
Invitational
- Template:Flagicon POMIS Cup<ref group="note">The POMIS Cup (President of Maldives Invitational Soccer Cup), an international club football tournament incorporated in 1987, is the only international club tournament held in the Maldives, organized by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM).</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Champions (1): 2003<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Continental
- AFC Cup
- Quarter-final (1): 2007<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Domestic
- National Football League
- Champions (1): 2005–06<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Third place (2): 2003–04, 2006–07
- Durand Cup
- Champions (3): 1998,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2001–02,<ref>
- Template:Cite web
- Template:Cite web</ref> 2008<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>List of Durand Cup tournament winners and runner-ups. Template:Webarchive. RSSSF. Retrieved 7 May 2021.</ref>
- Runners-up (3): 1990, 2000, 2007<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Federation Cup<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Champions (2): 2003, 2005<ref name=Fed>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (3): 1991, 1993,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 2007
- Indian Super Cup
- Champions (1): 2003<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (1): 2006<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- IFA Shield<ref group="note">Fourth oldest football tournament, organized by the IFA (W.B.), and played between the local clubs of West Bengal and other invited ones.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Champions (2): 2006,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2008<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Rovers Cup
- Champions (1): 1993<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (2): 1970–71, 1990<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Mumbai Harwood League (MDFA Elite Division)
- Champions (13): 1970, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1995, 2000,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Nadkarni Cup
- Champions (3): 1986, 2001, 2002<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (4): 1968, 1971, 1974, 2005
- Mammen Mappillai Trophy
- Champions (1): 1999<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bandodkar Gold Trophy
- Champions (1): 1980<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (1): 1988
- Sait Nagjee Trophy
- Runners-up (1): 1975<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Others
- Chief Ministers Cup
- Champions (1): 1998<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Performance in AFC competitions
- AFC Cup: 3 appearances<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="AFC">Template:Cite web</ref>
Continental record
| Season | Competition | Round | Country | Club | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Template:Flagicon | Dhofar | 2–1 | 2–4 |
| Template:Flagicon | Al-Wahda | 0–0 | 1–5 | |||
| 2006 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Template:Flagicon | Al Ahed | 2–1 | 2–2 |
| Template:Flagicon | Brothers Union | 1–0 | 2–2 | |||
| Template:Flagicon | Al-Muharraq | 0–1 | 1–1 | |||
| 2007 | AFC Cup | Group stage | Template:Flagicon | Singapore Armed Forces | 0–1 | 2–0 |
| Template:Flagicon | New Radiant | 1–0 | 2–0 | |||
| Template:Flagicon | Happy Valley AA | 3–1 | 1–2 | |||
| Quarter-final | Template:Flagicon | Al-Najmeh | 1–2 | 3–3 |
Notable players
For all former or notable Mahindra United players with a Wikipedia article, see: Mahindra United FC players.
Foreign players
The following players of Mahindra United either represented their respective countries in senior/youth international level or appeared with the club in top-tier domestic league of India.
- Template:Flagicon Narendra Man Singh (1986–1989)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Monwar Hossain Munna (1997–1998)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Sameer Jameel (1999–2000)<ref name="1999–2000">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Bassam Al-Khatib (1999–2000)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Davood Hosseini (2000–2001)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Hari Khadka (2001)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon Gilmar Tadeu da Silva (2001–2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Bal Gopal Maharjan (2001–2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Sergey Andreyev (2001–2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Štrandel Petr (2002–2003)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Odartey Lawson (2002–2004)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Felix Aboagye (2003–2004)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Raphaël Patron Akakpo (2003–2005)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Charles Asamoah (2004–2005)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon José Ramirez Barreto (2005–2006)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Yusif Yakubu (2005–2008)<ref name="aiff">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Mbaka Dady (2006–2007)<ref name="WorldFootball">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Tony Menezes (2006–2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Filipe Azevedo (2006–2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Andrews Pomeyie Mensah (2006–2008)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Caswain Mason (2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Edson Dico Minga (2007)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Douhou Pierre (2007–2009)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Lamine Tamba (2007–2010)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Bello Razaq (2008)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Svetozar Mijin (2009)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Personnel history
Final staff
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Template:Flagicon David Booth |
| Assistant coach | Template:Flagicon Arshad Hussain |
| Team manager | Template:Flagicon Henry Menezes |
| Physio | Template:Flagicon Sandeep Kurale |
| Medical head | Template:Flagicon N. N. Shingornikar |
Youth teams
Mahindra United under-19
In an attempt to nurture young talent and promote football in Mumbai, Mahindra United fielded an under-19 team from 2003.<ref name="Mahindra to shut down">Template:Cite web</ref> The team was managed by Santosh Kashyap,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and performed extremely well in the National Football League (Under-19) and reached the semi-finals, beating teams like Churchill Brothers and Salgaocar.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Mahindra United participated in U19 I-League, held since 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Under-15 and 17
Spurred by the success of its U-19 team, Mahindra United fielded both U-15 and U-17 teams from 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The U-15 team played Manchester United Premier Cup Asian Qualifiers held at Kolkata, where top NFL clubs also participated.
Youth setup has also participated in the Manchester United Premier Cup in 2010.<ref name="Lajong Signs">Template:Cite news</ref>
Honours
- Manchester United Premier Cup: India
- Runners-up (2): 2006–07,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 2007–08<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Managerial history
- Template:Flagicon Dereyk D'Souza (1981–1982)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Syed Shahid Hakim (1998–1999)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Harish Rao (1999–2000), (2001–2002)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Shabbir Ali (2000–2001)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Karel Stromšík (2002–2003)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Dave Booth (2003–2004),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (2009–2010)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Syed Nayeemuddin (2004–2005)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Template:Flagicon Derrick Pereira (2005–2009)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Team records
Notable wins against foreign teams
| Competition | Round | Year | Opposition | Score | Venue | City | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POMIS Cup | Semi-finals | 2003 | Template:Flagicon Victory | 2–1 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium | Malé | <ref name="Maldives">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| POMIS Cup | Final | 2003 | Template:Flagicon Club Valencia | 3–1 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium | Malé | <ref name="Maldives"/> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2004 | Template:Flagicon Dhofar | 2–1 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Margao | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2006 | Template:Flagicon Al Ahed | 2–1 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Margao | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2006 | Template:Flagicon Brothers Union | 1–0 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Margao | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| IFA Shield | Semi-finals | 2006 | Template:Flagicon Shenzhen Kingway | 1–0 | Salt Lake Stadium | Kolkata | <ref> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2007 | Template:Flagicon Singapore Armed Forces | 2–0 | Choa Chu Kang Stadium | Choa Chu Kang | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2007 | Template:Flagicon Happy Valley | 3–1 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium | Margao | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| AFC Cup | Group stage | 2007 | Template:Flagicon New Radiant | 2–0 | Rasmee Dhandu Stadium | Malé | <ref name="AFC"/> |
| IFA Shield | Final | 2008 | Template:Flagicon Santos | 3–1 | Salt Lake Stadium | Kolkata | <ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
Other department
Field hockey
The club had its field hockey team that participated in both the Beighton Cup and Bombay Gold Cup.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Two of the club's notable players are Sameer Dad – who represented India at the 1998 Asian Games and 1998 Men's Hockey World Cup,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Baljit Singh Dhillon – who appeared at the Summer Olympics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Honours
- Bombay Gold Cup<ref name="bgc">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Runners-up (4): 1974, 1976, 1982, 1986
- Guru Tegh Bahadur Gold Cup<ref name="bgc"/>
- Champions (1): 1980
See also
- Indian football clubs in Asian competitions
- Sports in Maharashtra
- List of football clubs in Mumbai
- Defunct football clubs in India
Footnotes
References
General sources
Bibliography
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Further reading
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External links
- Mahindra United FC at Global Sports Archive
- Mahindra United FC at WorldFootball
- Mahindra United FC at flashscore.in
Template:I-League Champions Template:Durand Cup winners Template:Mahindra Group Template:Football in Maharashtra Template:Maharashtra Sports
- Pages with broken file links
- Association football clubs established in 1962
- Association football clubs disestablished in 2010
- Mahindra Group
- Defunct football clubs in India
- I-League clubs
- Works football clubs in India
- 1962 establishments in Maharashtra
- 2010 disestablishments in India
- Sport in Maharashtra
- Football clubs in Mumbai
- Mahindra United FC