1996–97 National Football League (India)

1st season of National Football League National Football League 1996–97 17 December 1996 – 16 March 1997 JCT Mills1st NFL title1st Indian title none Asian Club Championship Churchill Brothers Bhaichung Bhutia (14 goals) JCT Mills 6–1 Mahindra(9 February 1997)Saxena Siddharth Bhutia slams 5 past Mahindras http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970210/04050793.html 19 October 2018 The Indian Express 10 February 1997 https://web.archive.org/web/19970421113016/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970210/04050793.html 21 April 1997 Mahindra 1–4 Indian Bank(13 February 1997) JCT Mills 6–1 Mahindra(9 February 1997) 1997–98 The 1996–97 National Football League, also known as the Philips National League for sponsorship reasons,India File -- Starry opening to National Soccer League http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950942.html 18 October 2018 The Indian Express 14 December 1996 https://web.archive.org/web/19970422182702/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961214/34950942.html 22 April 1997 was the inaugural season of the National Football League. The tournament began on 17 December 1996 and concluded on 16 March 1997.Menon Ravi JCT wins inaugural Philips NFL title http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650773.html 18 October 2018 The Indian Express 17 March 1997 https://web.archive.org/web/19970420235957/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650773.html 20 April 1997 Before the commencement, the All India Football Federation maintained that it would be a semi-professional tournament for the first two years.Bose Saibal National League all set for kick-off http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961217/35250552.html 18 October 2018 The Indian Express 17 December 1996 https://web.archive.org/web/19970422194435/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961217/35250552.html 22 April 1997 Philips India was the main sponsor for the tournament and a total prize money of 1.5 crore was announced; 35 lakh to the winner.Vasudevan K. V. Shattered dreams for Churchill http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650893.html 18 October 2018 The Indian Express 17 March 1997 https://web.archive.org/web/19970421000035/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970317/07650893.html 21 April 1997 Twelve teams took part in the competition, which was played in two round robin stages: a preliminary group stage featuring two groups of six teams each played in Calcutta and Goa, and a main stage featuring the top four from each group played after a gap of three weeks following the first. East Bengal were the favorites to win the competition by virtue of their victories in the Federation Cup and the Calcutta League earlier that season. However, in a closely fought second stage mostly between JCT Mills and Churchill Brothers, the former sealed the title on the final day with a win over Dempo, courtesy a hat trick by Bhaichung Bhutia. Air India's Godfrey Pereira was named the best player of the league and JCT Mills' Sukhwinder Singh, the best manager.East Bengal shoot out JCT for inaugural Super Cup triumph http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970324/08350773.html 18 October 2018 Press Trust of India The Indian Express https://web.archive.org/web/19970421030746/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970324/08350773.html 21 April 1997 JCT Mills also won the Fairplay Trophy, which carried a purse of 2.5 lakh.Fairplay bonus for JCT http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970320/07950253.html 18 October 2018 The Indian Express 20 March 1997 https://web.archive.org/web/19970421012412/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19970320/07950253.html 21 April 1997 The bottom two clubs in each group would not take part in the next edition, although Mohun Bagan would play the following season. Overview The first match of the inaugural season of the National Football League kicked off at around 5:45 p.m. (IST), an hour after the scheduled time, on 17 December 1996 between East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting at the Salt Lake Stadium in Calcutta. It was inaugurated by then India's Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda. East Bengal defeated Mohammedan Sporting 2–1 with Raman Vijayan scoring a brace for his team; the first goal coming in the 10th minute.Bose Saibal Vijayan punishes Sporting with two goals http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961218/35350442.html 19 October 2018 The Indian Express 22 April 1997 https://web.archive.org/web/19970422201749/http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/19961218/35350442.html 22 April 1997 Teams Stadia and locations India 400 right Locations of teams in the 1996–97 National Football League8px Group A8px Group B India 31.22000 75.77000 JCT Mills right India 13.08389 80.27 Indian Bank bottom India 12.966667 77.566667 ITI left India 8.4875 76.9525 Kerala Police left Yellow pog.svg India3 22.56972 88.36972 Kolkata Blue pog.svg left India3 TransparentPlaceholder.png 1 19.00 86.00 Kolkata clubs: 8px East Bengal 8px Mohammedan 8px Mohun Bagan right India3 15.49300 73.81800 Goa Blue pog.svg left India3 TransparentPlaceholder.png 1 10.00 86.00 Goa clubs: 8px Churchill Brothers 8px Dempo 8px Salgaocar right India3 18.97500 72.82583 Mumbai Blue pog.svg left India3 TransparentPlaceholder.png 1 14.00 86.00 Mumbai clubs: 8px Air India 8px Mahindra & Mahindra right Group stage Top four advance to the Championship stage. Group A main WDL Q y JCT JCT Mills EB East Bengal SAL Salgaocar IB Indian Bank MOH Mohammedan Sporting ITI Indian Telephone Industries 3 2 0 9 3 3 2 0 6 2 2 3 0 2 0 2 0 3 3 5 1 0 4 3 6 0 1 4 3 10 green3 Qualify for Championship stage QC QC QC QC red3 Eliminated NQ NQ complete rsssf.com Group B main WDL Q y DEM Dempo AI Air India CB Churchill Brothers MAH Mahindra & Mahindra MB Mohun Bagan KP Kerala Police 4 0 1 7 1 3 1 1 7 6 2 1 2 7 6 2 1 2 6 7 1 3 1 6 5 0 0 5 3 11 green3 Qualify for Championship stage QC QC QC QC red3 Eliminated NQ NQ complete rsssf.com Championship stage main WDL Q 5 y JCT JCT Mills CB Churchill Brothers EB East Bengal DEM Dempo IB Indian Bank AI Air India SAL Salgaocar MAH Mahindra & Mahindra 9 3 2 26 8 8 5 1 20 10 7 4 3 19 11 4 6 4 19 17 3 6 5 14 18 3 6 5 11 16 3 4 7 8 13 1 0 13 10 34 green1 Champions B blue1 Asian Club Championship C complete rsssf.com Philips National League champions JCT Mills 1st Season statistics Hat-tricks Player For Against Result Date Ref. Reference(s) Bhaichung Bhutia5 JCT Mills Mahindra 6–1 (H) 9 February 1997 Bhaichung Bhutia JCT Mills Dempo 4–1 (A) 16 March 1997 5 Player scored five goals Note: (H) – Home; (A) – Away 1996-97 Season Roll of Honour CompetitionWinnerDetailsNational Football LeagueJCT FC1st ChampionshipFederation CupEast BengalDefeated Dempo SC 2:1Super CupEast BengalDefeated JCT FC 0:0 (4:2 Pens)Santosh TrophyBengalDefeated Goa 1:0Governor's Gold CupAir IndiaDefeated Mohun Bagan 0:0 (4:3 Pens)96th Rover's CupSalgaocar SCDefeated Air India 1:0102nd IFA ShieldJCT FCDefeated Karkh Club (Iraq) 1:0Bordoloi TrophyMohun BaganDefeated East Bengal 2:15th Scissors CupDempo SCDefeated Indian Bank 1:0McDowell's CupMohun BaganDefeated East Bengal 2:0Airlines Gold CupAll Nepal FA XIDefeated East Bengal 2:1 References External links Philips National League at Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation Category:National Football League (India) seasons Category:1996–97 in Indian football India