Kerala United FC

Last updated

Kerala United
Official logo of Kerala United FC.svg
Full nameKerala United Football Club [1]
Nickname(s) The Hornbills
Short nameKUFC
Founded
  • 1976;48 years ago (1976)
    (as Calicut Quartz FC)
  • 2020;4 years ago (2020)
    (rebranded as Kerala United FC)
Ground Payyanad Stadium
Capacity30,000
Owner Abdullah Bin Mosaad Al Saud
Head coachSaheed Ramon
League I-League 2
Kerala Women's League
Active departments of Kerala United FC
Football pictogram.svg Football pictogram.svg
Football (Men's)Football (Women's)

Kerala United Football Club (formerly Quartz Soccer Club) is an Indian professional football club based in Malappuram, Kerala, that competes in the Kerala Premier League, a state-level football league organized by the Kerala Football Association. It is currently the fifth tier of the Indian football league system. [2] [3]

Contents

Founded in 1976 as Calicut Quartz, the club was an amateur and academy side during its early years. [4] In December 2011, they announced intention to turn professional and participated in 2012 I-League 2nd Division, which was then the second tier of Indian club football. [5] The club spent a season in the second division during 2011–12 and later played in the Kerala Premier League. In 2017–18 Kerala Premier League season, they finished as runners-up. [6] [7]

In 2020, the club underwent a substantial change in ownership as the "United World Group" assumed control. This marked the beginning of a new chapter for the club, accompanied by a rebranding of the club as Kerala United FC. [8] [9] The club initially began their training at Seethi Haji Stadium at Edavanna. Later moved to Malappuram District Sports Complex, which is widely known as Payyanad Stadium. [2]

History

Founded in 1976 as Quartz Football Club [10] in Kozhikode, Kerala and since has been growing up step by step from district to state to national level. [11] [12] The Quartz Academy was incorporated in 2009. In December 2011, they were officially certified by the All India Football Federation to participate in the I-League 2nd Division. For the first time in 2012 I-League 2nd Division, Quartz FC participated but failed to make an impression. They only got one point in the group stage thereby failing to get promotion.

In 2012–13 season, Quartz FC signed I-League players like Rino Anto, Sabas Saleel, K. Noushad, Manoj Manoharan, Sherin Sam, Kamardeep Singh, Suji Kumar, J. Prasad, P.M. Britto, Salil Usman and Ajmaluddin. Club also signed the top-scorer and player of the tournament at the 2012 Santosh Trophy V.V. Farhad. They appointed Assistant coach Bino George of Chirag United Club Kerala. [13] Later withdrew from the 2013 I-League 2nd Division due to financial instability.

Club managed to win Kozhikode District League back to back in 2011 and 2012. Later in 2013–14, Quartz played with their academy side in the very first edition of Kerala Premier League. After making a late entry in 2017–18 Kerala Premier League season, [14] [15] the club finished as runners-up after losing to Gokulam Kerala in final. [16] They had withdrawn from two editions of Kerala Premier League (2016–17, 2018–19) due to financial issues. [17]

"Kerala is known to be the heart of Indian football and when it comes to passion and support, no fan base in India comes close to their love for the beautiful game. Our focus will be on cementing and strengthening the foundations of the club, building an academy and developing homegrown players."

Abdullah Al-Ghamdi, CEO of United World Group, after the takeover and rebranding of Kerala United FC. [18]

In November 2020, English Premier League Club Sheffield United have taken over Calicut Quartz and rebranded it as Kerala United FC. United World Group, the umbrella firm holding Sheffield, said in a statement that it envisages to make Kerala United a competitive, community-focused football club playing at the highest level possible in Indian football. [19]

P. Haridas, who owned Calicut Quartz FC, is also the president of the Kozhikode District Football Association (KDFA), said a Premier League club coming to the state will bring major changes to Kerala football. Company director Akshay Das said: "We're looking for an overall development in the state, especially in Malabar."

As Kerala United, they participated in the 2020–21 Kerala Premier League and qualified for the knockout stages after finishing second in the Group-B with 12 points. In the semi-finals, regular time couldn't separate Gokulam Kerala and Kerala United, match ending goalless. They lost 4–2 on penalties at the Thrissur Municipal Corporation Stadium. [20] [21] In that season, they participated in Independence Day Cup in Assam and finished as runners-up, losing to Assam State Electricity Board SC by 4–3 in penalties. [22] In October 2022, Nigerian-born naturalized Indian manager Saheed Ramon was appointed head coach. [23] In 2023, they participated in Stafford Challenge Cup in Bangalore. [24] [25] Kerala United won their first ever Kerala Premier League title in 2022–23, defeating Gokulam Kerala B in final. [26] In August 2023, Kerala United gained I-League 3 spot, ahead of the beginning of its inaugural season. [27] [28] [29] In that tournament, the club finished in fourth place in final round play-off, missed the opportunity of qualifying to I-League 2. [30] [31] [32] [33]

Club crest and kits

Great hornbill, the official state bird of Kerala, from which the crest of Kerala United has derived. Great Hornbill Goa.jpg
Great hornbill, the official state bird of Kerala, from which the crest of Kerala United has derived.

The United World Group had unveiled the crest after rebranding the club which features the Great Hornbill, the official state bird of Kerala. The club is also nicknamed after the bird as "The Hornbills". [34]

The primary colour of team is purple which dominates their home kit, with the hornbill crest in the right side, white shorts and white socks.

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

PeriodKit ManufacturerShirt Sponsor
2011–2013Star Impact
2013–2014Ramco
2017–2018 Nivia ICL Fincorp
2018–2020Ramco [35]
2020–2021KESPO [36] Micro Health Laboratories
2021–2022SEGA
2022–present Erreà

Kit evolution

Kit left arm.svg
Kit body vneck.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
2020–21
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body vneck.png
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
Kit socks long.svg
2021–22

Stadium

Former venues

Since 1977, Kerala United FC played its home matches at the EMS Stadium in Kozhikode. [37]

EMS Stadium on a matchday Kozhikode EMS Stadium.jpg
EMS Stadium on a matchday
A view of Seethi Haji Football Ground Seethi Haji Stadium.jpg
A view of Seethi Haji Football Ground

In 2021, Kerala United FC shifted their base from Kozhikode to Malappuram district Seethi Haji Stadium, located in Edavanna, as their training ground. [38] [39]

Current venue

A view of Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, Manjeri Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium.jpg
A view of Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium, Manjeri

The club plays its home games at the Payyanad Stadium in nearby town called Manjeri. [2]

Support and rivalry

Rivalries

During their time at Kozhikode as Calicut Quartz FC, they had a rivalry with former National Football League side FC Kochin. [40] [41] They also enjoyed an on field rivalry with another Kozhikode based side Gokulam Kerala FC. [42] The first Kozhikode Derby match between the two teams took place in the final of 2017–18 Kerala Premier League, where Calicut Quartz FC beat Gokulam Kerala FC beat 3–2. [43] Upon change of ownership, team shifted its base from Kozhikode to Malappuram District which introduced a new Malabar Derby in Kerala Premier League. First match after acquisition was in 2020–21 Kerala Premier League semifinals, where two teams locked horns. The match ended as a goalless draw even after full time. Gokulam won 4–2 on penalties. [44]

Statistics

CompetitionPlayedKerala United winsDrawsGokulam winsKerala United goalsGokulam goals
Kerala Premier League 411236
Total411236

Results

NoDateCompetitionVenueScoreKerala United FC scorers/red cards Gokulam Kerala scorers/red cardsAttendance
419 April 2021 2020–21 Kerala Premier League Maharaja's College Stadium, Ernakulam 0–0Closed Doors
33 June 2018 2017–18 Kerala Premier League Municipal Corporation Stadium, Thrissur 0–2Soccerball shade.svg Brian Umony, Soccerball shade.svg Arjun Jayaraj
210 May 2018 2017–18 Kerala Premier League EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode 0–2Soccerball shade.svg Mohamed Salah, Soccerball shade.svg Usman Ashik
125 April 2018 2017–18 Kerala Premier League EMS Corporation Stadium, Kozhikode 3–2Soccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svgSoccerball shade.svg Emmanuel AidooSoccerball shade.svg Sushanth Mathew, Soccerball shade.svg Mama

Honours

CompetitionKerala UnitedGokulam
Kerala Premier League 12 [45] [46]
I-League 2nd Division 00
I-League 02 [47]
Super Cup (India) 00
Total14

Players

First-team squad

As of 21 December 2023

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

No.Pos.NationPlayer
1 GK Flag of India.svg  IND Sidharth Rajeevan
2 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Shibin Saad
3 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Umar Mukthar
4 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Muhammed Noufal (captain )
5 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Craig Mangkhanlian
6 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Rudrarajsinh Jadeja
7 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Lalsiem chongoloi
8 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Muheeb
9 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Aswin PK
10 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Vanlalmalsawma
11 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Rizwan Shoukath
12 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Aditya Chahar
13 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Lenin Mithran
14 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Lalsawmpuia
15 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Sreejith Kallingal
17 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Riswanali Edakkavil
No.Pos.NationPlayer
18 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Lalramzauva Khiangte
19 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Abdhu Raheem
20 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Sangeeth Satheesh
21 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Thufail K
22 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Ali Safwan
23 GK Flag of India.svg  IND Bappa Mondal
24 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Manabir Basumatary
27 DF Flag of India.svg  IND Nithin Madhu
28 FW Flag of India.svg  IND Chabungbam Linky Meitei
29 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Muhammed Riyas
31 GK Flag of India.svg  IND Mohammed Sinan
33 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Abdul Basil
38 MF Flag of India.svg  IND Mohamed Musharaf
43 GK Flag of India.svg  IND Shubham Roy
49 FW Flag of India.svg  IND William Lalnunfela

Notable players

Had international caps for their respective countries whilst playing for Kerala United FC:

Personnel

Youth academy

PositionName
Head of grassroots development Flag of India.svg Shajirudheen Koppilan
Head of youth development Flag of India.svg Suneer VP
Team manager Flag of India.svg Alfin K Joseph

Corporate hierarchy

PositionName
Chief executive officer Flag of India.svg Shabeer Mannaril [51]
Managing director Flag of India.svg Zakariya Koduvery [51]

Statistics and records

Season statistics

As of 21 March 2023
Season KPL I-League 3 I-League 2nd Division
2011–12 Group stage
2012—13DNQ
2013—14Group stageDNQ
2014—15DNPDNQ
2015—16DNPDNQ
2016—17Pulled Out from the LeagueDNQ
2017—18Runner-UpDNP
2018–19DNPDNQ
2019–20DNPDNP
2020–21 Semi-final DNQ
2021–22 Group stage Group stage
2022–23 Champions DNQ
2023–24 Champions Play Offs DNQ

Head coaching record

As of 08 February 2024
NameNationalityFromToPWDLGFGAWin%Ref.
Frank BranerFlag of Germany.svg  Germany 1 January 201228 May 20127016429000.00 [52]
Bino George Flag of India.svg  India 29 May 201229 December 2012000000!
Carlton Chapman Flag of India.svg  India 28 May 201712 October 2020106132120060.00 [53]
Shajirudheen KoppilanFlag of India.svg  India 15 January 20214 July 20216411165066.67 [54]
Bino George Flag of India.svg  India 16 August 20211 July 2022139223111069.23 [55]
Saheed RamonFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 3 November 20223521777837060.00 [56]

Affiliated clubs

The following clubs are currently affiliated with KUFC:

Other department

Kerala United Women's

Kerala United (Women's) player in action during a state league match in 2022 20220801154030 IMG 0322.jpg
Kerala United (Women's) player in action during a state league match in 2022
Kerala United (Women's) players in 2022 Badushafahadphotography.jpg
Kerala United (Women's) players in 2022

The women's football section of Kerala United is currently competing in Kerala Women's League. [59] [60] [61] They also took part in preliminary round of the Indian Women's League in 2016. [62] [63]

Honours

Domestic tournaments

League

Cup

See also

Related Research Articles

The EMS Stadium, located in Kozhikode, Kerala, India, is a multi-purpose stadium primarily used for football matches. The stadium most recently was home to the I-League team Gokulam Kerala FC, as well as their IWL women's team. Built in 1977, the stadium hosts 50,000 spectators. It is named after the first Chief Minister of Kerala E. M. S. Namboodiripad. The stadium has played host to several important football tournaments, such as Super Cup, Santhosh Trophy, and Sait Nagjee Football tournament. Gokulam Kerala has been playing their home matches at the EMS Stadium since 2017 and has had a successful run at the stadium winning their first I-League home match against East Bengal FC with a score of 2–1. The stadium is considered a historic and important venue for football in the region.

Many sports are played by the people in Kerala including both traditional sports and sports from other countries. Association football is the most popular sport in Kerala, followed by cricket. Kerala Blasters are the most supported football club in the whole state and participates in the Indian super league the top tier of Indian football. Whereas Gokulam Kerala FC a club which plays in the I-league derives most of its support from the Malabar region. However, larger numbers of Keralites also follow sports such as volleyball, hockey, badminton, and kabaddi. There are many large stadiums in Kerala across different cities. Trivandrum city has various sports venues such as Trivandrum International Stadium, Jimmy George Indoor Stadium, University Stadium (Thiruvananthapuram), Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium and Central Stadium whereas Kochi city has stadiums such as Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium (Kochi) and Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium. An international astro turf hockey stadium is located at Kollam city. Other major stadiums are EMS Stadium in Kozhikode, Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium in Manjeri, Kannur Indoor Stadium in Kannur, Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Kollam and many more. All these stadiums attest to the mass appeal of such sports among Keralites.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Golden Threads FC</span> Indian semi-professional association football club based in Kochi

Golden Threads Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Kochi, Kerala, that plays in Kerala Premier League, the top division football league in the state of Kerala. They have also played in the I-League Second Division.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium</span> Football stadium in Kerala, India

Malappuram District Sports Complex Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kerala, India, located about 7 km from Manjeri and 12 km from Malappuram. The stadium has a capacity of 30,000 spectators. Opened in 2013, it is part of the Malappuram District Sports Complex & Football Academy, under the management of Malappuram District Sports Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerala Premier League</span> Indian football league in the state of Kerala

The Kerala Premier League is a state-level football league organized by the Kerala Football Association and played in the state of Kerala, India. Founded in 1998, the Kerala Football League was the first football league in Kerala, and was rebranded in 2013 as the Kerala Premier League. For sponsorship reasons it is officially known as the Scoreline Kerala Premier League. It is planned to run parallel to the Kerala Super League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016–17 Kerala Premier League</span> 4th season of Kerala Premier League

The 2016–17 Kerala Premier League Season was the fourth season of the Kerala Premier League. Unlike last 3 seasons, the season featured 11 teams which were divided into 2 groups with Group A having 5 and Group B having 6 teams and wes played on a home-and-away format with half of the teams being private clubs. Later Quartz SC announced its withdrawal from the league making the number of teams 10. The season kicked off on 8 April 2017. KSEB beat FC Thrissur in the finals to clinch their maiden Kerala Premier League title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gokulam Kerala FC</span> Indian association football club based in Kozhikode

Gokulam Kerala Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Kozhikode, Kerala. Founded in 2017, the club competes in the I-League, the second tier of Indian football league system. They won the 2020–21 I-League title to become the first club from Kerala to do so, and became the first team to defend the league title in 2021–22. Gokulam is also the first and so far the only club from the state to qualify for a continental competition, AFC Cup, in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerala Blasters FC Reserves and Academy</span> Reserve and youth teams of Kerala Blasters

Kerala Blasters Football Club Reserves and Academy, also known as Kerala Blasters B, are the reserve team and academy of the Kochi based Indian Super League club Kerala Blasters. The reserve team of the Blasters most recently competes in the Kerala Premier League, the top division of Kerala football and the RF Development League. The club's youth system consists of three teams, Under-17, Under-15 and Under-13 age groups that competes in their respective age divisions of the Ernakulam District Youth League. The youth teams of the Blasters has previously played in the Elite League, the top tier of the youth football system in India.

The 2017–18 Kerala Premier League Season was the fifth season of the Kerala Premier League. The season featured 10 teams which was divided into 2 groups with each having 5 and is played on a home-and-away format. The season kicked off on 7 April 2018.

Jestin George is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Bengaluru United.

The 2018–19 Kerala Premier League Season was the sixth season of the Kerala Premier League. The season featured 11 teams which was divided into 2 groups and is played on a home-and-away format. The season kicked off on 16 December 2018. Kozhikode Quartz, SBI Kerala and Trikaripur withdrawn from the league due to financial problems.

Saliou Guindo is a Malian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Maccabi Petah Tikva and the Mali national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gokulam Kerala FC (women)</span> Indian womens association football team

Gokulam Kerala FC Women is an Indian women's football section of Gokulam Kerala FC. They participated in Indian Women's League (IWL), the premier women's football league in India. They won the first IWL In 2019–20. They then retained the title in 2021–22 and 2022–23. In 2021, they became the first club to represent India in AFC Women's Club Championship.

The 2019–20 Kerala Premier League Season was the seventh season of the Kerala Premier League. The season featured 10 teams which was divided into 2 groups and were played on a home-and-away format. The season kicked off on 15 December 2019. Former participants Kozhikode Quartz FC, SBI Kerala, RFC Kochi, FC Thrissur withdrew from the league due to financial problems. Meanwhile, Kannur City FC withdrew mid-way throughout the tournament due to some technical issues. Kerala Blasters FC beat Gokulam Kerala F.C. in the finals and lifted their first KPL Title.

Jishnu Balakrishnan is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Kerala Premier League club Kerala United.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–21 Kerala Premier League</span> 8th season of Kerala Premier League

The 2020–21 Kerala Premier League season was the eighth season of the Kerala Premier League. The season featured 12 teams which was divided into 2 groups and were played on a home-and-away format. The season was originally scheduled to start in 2020, but was postponed to 2021 due to Covid-19 Pandemic. It began on 6 March 2021 across two centralised venues in Thrissur and Kochi. This season, Kerala Football Association decided to add two more participants into the league. KSEB and BASCO were the new entrants into the league.

The 2021–22 Kerala Premier League was the ninth season of the Kerala Premier League. The season featured 24 teams and was played on multiple venues. This season Kerala Football Association decided to add 12 more participants into the league.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in Kerala</span> Overview of football in Kerala

Football is one of the most popular sports in Kerala. It was introduced to the land of Kerala during the pre-independence period by British officers of the Malabar Special Police (MSP) in the 20th century. MSP was camped in Malappuram and soon the natives began adopting the sport, which was mostly played in post-harvest paddy fields. Kerala enjoyed a golden age from 1985 to 1995 by making it to Santhosh Trophy finals seven times consecutively, and football became an iconic sport ever since in the south Indian state. FIFA released the film Maitanam - The Story of Football in Kerala, quoting: Football in the Indian state of Kerala runs through the fabric of its society, where football is life and life is football.

The 2023–24 Kerala Premier League was the eleventh season of the Kerala Premier League, which is the highest level of the State league system and fifth of the overall Indian football league system.

The 11th Scoreline Kerala Premier league started at the Kottappadi Stadium, Malappuram, on November 25. Twenty teams, divided into two groups, in action in the league and the two three from each pool will enter the Super Six stage which will be held in Kannur early next year. The fixtures were announced on 18 November 2023.

References

Cited sources

  1. "Kerala United FC: Calicut club renamed after United World Group takeover". Khel Now. 21 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Newsroom. "KUFC announces Manjeri Payyanad Stadium as their home stadium | Fanport English". Archived from the original on 19 August 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. Rayan, Stan (19 November 2022). "Kerala Premier League to begin on November 24". thehindu.com. Kochi: The Hindu. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  4. Kumar, Ajith (26 September 2012). "Quartz SC goes on signing spree". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  5. "Football: Quartz Raises hope". Deccan Chronicle. 1 January 2012. Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  6. "KPL 2018–19 Matches". KFA. Archived from the original on 16 December 2018. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  7. India – List of Kerala League Champions. Archived 17 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine . RSSSF. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  8. Muralidharan, Ashwin. "Indian football: Kerala's football passion gets the Sheffield United seal of 'approval'! | Goal.com". goal.com. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  9. "Sheffield Calicut Quartz' new owner, Kerala United name". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 21 November 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  10. Schöggl, Hans. "India – List of Foundation Dates". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  11. Ajgoankar, Ashlesh (18 January 2013). "Indian Football: Can Kerala Produce Next I.M. Vijayan?". www.thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  12. "United World Group, Owners of Sheffield United, Buy Kerala-Based Football Club". 90min.com. Archived from the original on 7 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  13. Kumar P K, Ajith (26 September 2012). "Quartz SC goes on signing spree". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 December 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  14. P Tennyson, Rayson. "Kerala Premier League: KSEB, AG's Office pull out citing financial constraints". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. TNN. Archived from the original on 23 July 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  15. Rayan, Stan. "Lack of funds forces KSEB to pull out of KPL". thehindo.com. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  16. Dey, Sayak Dipta. "Gokulam Kerala ease past Quartz FC to clinch the Kerala Premier League Title". sportskeeda.com. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  17. Rayson P. Tennyson (4 February 2019). "Quartz FC pull out of KPL, again | Football News — Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 29 September 2021. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  18. "Sheffield Calicut Quartz' new owner, Kerala United name". New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  19. "Sheffield United owners seal takeover of India club Calicut Quartz and rename it Kerala United". examinerlive.co.uk. 20 November 2020. Archived from the original on 27 December 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  20. "KPL: Gokulam Kerala to meet KSEB in final". www.onmanorama.com/sports. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  21. "Kerala Premier League 2021: Gokulam Kerala defeat KSEB to be crowned champions". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  22. "ASEBSC win Independence Cup title defeating Kerala United Football Club". www.sentinelassam.com. The Sentinel Assam. 11 December 2021. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  23. Rayan, Stan (17 March 2023). "Saheed Ramon close to clearing his first big test in Kerala". thehindu.com. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 17 March 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  24. "THE HISTORY: STAFFORD CHALLENGE CUP – KARNATAKA". ksfa.in. Bengaluru: Karnataka State Football Association. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 26 November 2022.
  25. "Stafford Challenge Cup: A Brief History of Time". theawayend.co. The Away End. 23 February 2023. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 24 February 2023.
  26. 1 2 "Kerala Premier League: Kerala United crowned champions". onmanorama.com. Wayanad. 19 March 2023. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  27. "Major AIFF Decisions: 15 Clubs Nominated In 3rd Division; Youth Quota In I League Teams". thefangarage.com. 22 August 2023. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  28. "AIFF League Committee: Youth quota for I-League, State FAs nominate 3rd Division League clubs". The Away End. 22 August 2023. Archived from the original on 8 November 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  29. Lopes, Flavio (25 September 2023). "THIRD DIVISION: Dempo to play at home, Sporting away". timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Panaji: The Times of India. TNN. Archived from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  30. "I-League 3 2023/24 — Final Standings (Play-off's)". the-aiff.com. All India Football Federation. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  31. "Sporting Clube de Goa crowned I-League 3 champions". navhindtimes.in. Vasco: The Navahind Times. 31 December 2023. Archived from the original on 31 December 2023. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  32. Rodrigues, Augusto (31 December 2023). "YEAR ENDER 2023: Goan football on comeback trail". gomantaktimes.com. Panaji: Gomantak Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  33. "Climax lauds Sporting Clube for winning I-League 3 Playoffs". thegoan.net. Margao: The Goan Everyday. 1 January 2024. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  34. "Kerala United FC appoint Bino George as new head coach". Khel Now. 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  35. "KFA Announces Kerala Premier League". Football News India. Archived from the original on 17 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
  36. "Kerala premier league football championship kickoff in March - Malayalam MyKhel". malayalam.mykhel.com (in Malayalam). 8 February 2021. Archived from the original on 15 April 2021. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  37. "football in Calicut". Kozhikode.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  38. Staff Reporter (15 January 2021). "United World's soccer team begins training". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  39. Kerala United FC at Seethi Haji Stadium in Edavanna Archived 15 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine Facebook.com. Retrieved 15 April 2021
  40. Nisanth V Easwar (12 May 2020). "Down the memory lane: The magnificent Kerala Police of the 1980-90s". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  41. Ashwin Muralidharan (13 May 2020). "Indian Football: Legends from the 'football mad' state of Kerala | Goal.com". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  42. "football in Calicut". Kozhikode.com. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  43. "Welcome to Kerala Football Association". Kerala FA. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  44. "KPL: Gokulam Kerala to meet KSEB in final". OnManorama. Archived from the original on 29 June 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  45. "Kerala Premier League: Gokulam Kerala defeat Quartz to be crowned champions | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  46. "Kerala Premier League 2021: Gokulam Kerala defeat KSEB to be crowned champions | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  47. "I-League 2020-21: Gokulam Kerala crowned champions". ESPN. 27 March 2021. Archived from the original on 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  48. "RoundGlass Punjab FC rope in defender Rino Anto on a one-year deal". Khel Now. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  49. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Basnet, Biren". national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  50. Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Dawa, Lungtok". national-football-teams.com. National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  51. 1 2 Staff Reporter (15 January 2021). "United World's soccer team begins training". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  52. "Quartz is all set for its maiden foray". sportstar.thehindu.com. Sportstar. Archived from the original on 4 October 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  53. "Former India football captain Carlton Chapman passes away". economictimes.com. The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  54. "Manager profile: Shajirudheen Koppilan". todoporelfutbol.es (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  55. "Kerala United FC appoint Bino George as Head Coach | The Final Whistle". 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  56. "KERALA UNITED SIGNS FORMER MOHAMMEDAN SPORTS HEAD COACH SAHEED RAMON". kufc.co.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2022. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  57. Muralidharan, Ashwin (12 October 2020). "Indian football: Kerala's football passion gets the Sheffield United seal of 'approval'!". www.goal.com. Goal. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  58. EPL side Sheffield United owners seal takeover of Indian club Calicut Quartz and rename it Kerala United FC Archived 17 April 2021 at the Wayback Machine spotik.in. Retrieved 15 April 2021
  59. "Kerala Women's League". The Away End. Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  60. Thoyakkat, Harigovind. "KFA launches official logo for Kerala Women's League 2021-22". Khel Now. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  61. Kerala Football Association [@keralafa] (9 August 2022). "𝗥𝗮𝗺𝗰𝗼 𝗞𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻'𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮-𝟮𝟯 🏆 𝟭𝟬 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝟭 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 #RamcoKWL 🏆 https://t.co/bHU3oK518f" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 9 August 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022 via Twitter.
  62. "Royal Wahingdoh Women's Football Team to take part in first Indian Women's League prelim round". thenortheasttoday.com. Shillong: The North East Today. 16 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  63. "Women's I-League: Royal Wahingdoh FC destroyed 9–0 by Bodyline FC". Scroll.in. Odisha. 19 October 2016. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
  64. "Kerala United retain KPL crown with three goals in injury time". Kannur: ON Manorama News. 11 February 2024. Archived from the original on 12 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  65. "Kerala Premier League 2017–18 (As Quartz) Final". keralafa.com. Kerala Football Association. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  66. Schöggl, Hans. "India - List of Kerala League Champions". RSSSF . Archived from the original on 17 August 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  67. "Kerala United FC finishes as runners-up of the 2021 Independence Day Cup". Twitter (Kerala United FC official). Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  68. "Assam: Bodousa cup Football Tournament concludes — Chowna Mein attended the closing ceremony and witnessed the final match". arunachal24.in. Tinsukia: Arunachal Pradesh News. 19 December 2021. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2021.

Bibliography

Further reading