Azad Sporting Club Explained

Clubname:Azad Sporting Club
আজাদ স্পোর্টিং ক্লাব
Upright:1.3
Fullname:Azad Sporting Club
Nickname:Red and Yellows
Chrtitle:President
Chairman:Enayet Hossain
Mgrtitle:V. President
Manager:MA Mannan
Ground:Azad Sporting Club Ground, Arambagh
Pattern B1:_Roma1
Pattern So1:_hoops_red
Leftarm1:ede60e
Body1:db0202
Rightarm1:ede60e
Shorts1:ede60e
Socks1:ede60e

Azad Sporting Club (Bengali: আজাদ স্পোর্টিং ক্লাব), also referred as Azad SC, is an association football club based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The club was considered one of the pioneers of Bengali football in East Pakistan and participated in the Dhaka League until relegation in 1985. The club has been inactive in the domestic football circuit since the turn of the century.

History

Azad Sporting Club was formed in 1949 by Bengali writers and cultural organizers. Renowned artist Quamrul Hassan chose the colour and designed the club's kit. MA Kayum and Anwar Hossain were appointed as the club's president and general secretary, respectively. They entered the Dhaka Second Division League and were promoted to the First Division within two years after winning the Second Division, becoming joint champions with Fire Service SC in 1950.[1]

In 1951, the club entered the First Division, the Dhaka League, and were captained by Tofazzel Hossain. They finished runners-up in the top-tier in 1952, 1953 and 1954. The club was almost entirely made up of Bengali players, which was unlike most top-tier teams at the time who favoured Punjabi and Makrani players.

The club transformed with the appointment of general secretary Saifuddin Ahmed as they won their first and only Dhaka League title in 1958.[2] [3] With the club tied on points with Central Station & Printing Press after the initial league phase, Tajul Islam Manna scored a brace as Azad won the play-off game 3–2 to claim their maiden league title triumph. Manna was the league's top scorer that year with 25 goals. Alongside him, the other notable players in the team were captain Ranjit Das and winger SA Jamman Mukta.[4]

Their title triumph saw them participate in the first edition of the Aga Khan Gold Cup in 1958.[5] The club were tagged as Giant Killers after the Independence of Bangladesh, nonetheless, were relegated to the Second Division in 1985. Eventually, in the 1993–94 season, the club descended to the Third Division, and the following season, in 1994–95, they plummeted even further to the Pioneer Division. In 1998, their football department stopped functioning due to financial restraints.[6] [7]

Notable players

The most notable player to have represented the club is their all-time top scorer Tajul Islam Manna, who played for them from 1954 to 1963, scoring 77 league goals including 10 hat-tricks in the process.[8] The East Pakistani striker also represented the Pakistan national team in 1955, scoring the only goal of the game against India in a Non-FIFA Friendly.[9]

Other notable players include: Tarapada Roy, Ranjit Das,[10] SA Jamman Mukta,[11] Jalil Ansari,[12] Monwar Hossain Nannu, Shahidur Rahman Shantoo,[13] Anjam Hossain, Ehtesham, Habib, Salam Murshedy,[14] Mari Chowdhury,[15] Khandoker Nurunnabi,[16] Elias Hossain,[17] Md Kamruzzaman,[18] Anwar Hossain,[19] Khandoker Abul Hasan[20] and Subal Das.[21] Sheikh Monsur Ali Lalu who later played for the Shadhin Bangla football team also began his First Division career with the club.

Club members

President

No.NameFromTo
1MA Kayum 19491950
2Alhaj Moti Sardar 19511952
3AA Siddique 19531960
4SR Karim 19611962
5Kofiluddin Mahmud 19631971
6Mohazzem Hossain 19721976
719771980
8Salam Talukdar19811983
9Azhar Ali19841987
10MA Hamid19881989
11Sayeed Mohammed Anwar Hossain19921993
12Mosharaf Hossain Shajahan19941998
13Enayet Hossain2009present

General Scretary

No.NameFromTo
1Anwar Hossain 19491951
2AA Siddique 19521957
3Saifuddin Ahmed 19581989
4Kazi Anisur Rahman 19941995
5M. A. Rashid 19961999
6Reza Ali Bulu 19962001
7Mujibur Rahman2009present

Head coach

NameFromTo
Ranjit Das1975
Abdul Sadek19781979
Ehtesham19801982
Mozzamel Hossain19831983

Records and statistics

Season by season

Record as Dhaka First Division Football League member
SeasonDivisionLeagueFederation CupIndependence CupTop league scorer(s)
PlayerGoals
1973First Division2878133844229th
1974First Division1555519181610th
1975First Division30771624402114th
1976First Division1534814291015th
1977First Division153847121410th
1978First Division2461171720208th
1979First Division163679141213th
1980First Division225981420197thFirst round
1981First Division163497111017thFirst round
1982First Division1647513131510thSecond round
1983First Division1629514211311thFirst round
1984First Division19311510182014thQuarter-final
1985First Division18287121914bgcolor=red align="center" 17thDNP

Note: Azad Sporting Club competed in the Dhaka Second Division League from 1949 to 1950 and entered the First Division in 1951, however, only records after the Independence of Bangladesh are available.

Honours

Other departments

Volleyball

The club's volleyball team participates in the Premier Division Volleyball league under the Bangladesh Volleyball Federation. They were runners-up to WAPDA SC in the league during the 1975–76 season, which remains their best finish to date.[7] [23]

Field hockey

The clubs field hockey team currently plays in the Premier Division Hockey League. They are yet to win the league title although the club's hockey team has been a regular participant in the league since the independence of Bangladesh.[24] In February 2024, the club withdrew its name from the 2024 Premier Division Hockey League citing financial issues.[25]

Cricket

The club's cricket team last participated in the 2015 Dhaka Premier Division Cricket League. They have had national cricket team captains Akram Khan and Shakib Al Hasan represent them in the domestic competitions.[26]

Kabaddi

Azad Sporting Club has both men's and women's Kabaddi teams playing in the First Division Kabaddi League. In 2015, they became champions in the first open Women's Beach Kabaddi Competition, defeating Judain Janata Club by 53-51 points in the final held in Cox's Bazar.[27]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kick, Score, Scream! The History of Football in Dhaka. Dhrubo. Alam. July 16, 2018. May 20, 2023. November 1, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191101015051/http://icetoday.net/2018/07/kick-score-scream-the-history-of-football-in-dhaka/. live.
  2. Web site: সাইফুদ্দিন সাহেব: আজাদ স্পোর্টিং ক্লাবের টানা ৩১ সেক্রেটারি. Saifuddin Shaheb: Secretary of Azad Sporting Club for 31 consecutive years. bn. 14 May 2023. 1 December 2023. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/3c3IC. Krira Jagat Magazine. Facebook.
  3. Web site: রণজিৎ দাসের বাড়িতে এক বেলা. bn. September 28, 2016. Prothomalo. May 20, 2023. May 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520172806/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A3%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%8E-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE. live.
  4. Web site: How is Sylhet's 'Telegram age' goalkeeper Ranjit Das doing. Masud. Alam. April 1, 2022. Prothomalo. May 20, 2023. May 20, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520172806/https://en.prothomalo.com/sports/football/how-is-sylhets-telegram-age-goalkeeper-ranjit-das-doing. live.
  5. The competition is widely regarded as the predecessor of AFC Champions League (held for the first time in 1967), since it was the first organized international competition that involved club teams around Asia, organized by the football authorities of East Pakistan, in collaboration with Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
  6. Web site: লিমিটেড কোম্পানী হচ্ছে আজাদ স্পোর্টিং ক্লাব. bn. DailyInqilabOnline. 2023-05-20. 2023-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520172805/https://m.dailyinqilab.com/article/461467/%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A1-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC. live.
  7. Web site: আজাদ স্পোর্টিংও হচ্ছে লিমিটেড কোম্পানি. bn. www.jugantor.com. 2023-05-20. 2023-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520172805/https://www.jugantor.com/todays-paper/sports/519258/%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%93-%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A1-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF. live.
  8. Web site: চিরনিদ্রায় মান্না ঘুমিয়ে গেছেন. Manna has gone to eternal sleep. bn. 9 April 2023. 1 December 2023. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/TjjVV. Krira Jagat Magazine. Facebook.
  9. Web site: Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952-1955. www.rsssf.org. 2023-05-20. 2014-07-27. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727145000/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesb/brindies-quad.html#55. live.
  10. Web site: Rahenur. Islam. শচীন দেব বর্মণ যেন বিশ্বসেরা গোলরক্ষক দেখেছিলেন. bn. shokalshondha.com. 2024-03-07. 2024-06-20. 2024-06-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20240620081252/https://www.shokalshondha.com/ranjit-das-sylhet-goalkeeper-5-feet-4-inches-sachin-dev-burman/. live.
  11. Web site: এস এ জম্মন মুক্তা: স্বর্ণেরত্নেশোভনলোভন. SA Jamman Mukta: Lust for gold. Krira Jagat Magazine. Facebook. Dulal. Mahmud. 16 November 2007. 26 June 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240626143959/https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=460868456697122&set=pcb.460868866697081. 26 June 2024.
  12. Web site: পঞ্চাশের দশকে ঢাকার ফুটবলে রক্ষণ ভাগের দুই প্রহরীর গল্প. bn. July 2, 2022. December 1, 2023. 2 December 2023. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/WP4Sy. live. ctgsangbad24.com.
  13. Web site: '১:১ বেশি উপভোগ করতাম'. bn. Arafat. Zubaear. dhakapost.com. 2023-05-20. 2023-05-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20230506173251/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/football/180552. live.
  14. News: http://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/khalar-ghor/2015/05/15/221975. bn:আমার অর্থ অর্জন সম্মান সব কিছুর মূলে ফুটবল. Kaler Kantho. 2018-08-28. bn. 29 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221229081731/https://www.kalerkantho.com/print-edition/khalar-ghor/2015/05/15/221975. live.
  15. Web site: চিহ্লা মং মারী: এক ফুটবল যোদ্ধা. bn. 2023-05-20. 2023-01-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20230103074728/http://pavilion.com.bd:9000/user/feeds/4817/details. live. pavilion.com.bd.
  16. Web site: Nurunnabi passes away. December 9, 2016. The Daily Star. December 16, 2022. December 16, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221216170223/https://www.thedailystar.net/sports/football/nurunnabi-passes-away-1327336. live.
  17. Web site: তবু স্বপ্ন দেখেন ইলিয়াস. bn. Prothomalo. 21 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240221160310/https://www.prothomalo.com/sports/football/%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%96%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B8. live.
  18. News: https://www.kalerkantho.com/feature/khalar-ghor/2015/10/09/277000. bn:ভালোবাসার কাজটি করতে পেরেছি বলে আনন্দ ছিল অফুরান. Kaler Kantho. 2024-02-26. bn. 26 February 2024. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/bHzv8. live.
  19. Web site: ফুটবল আনোয়ার কে অনেক কিছু দিয়েছে . Football has given a lot to Anwar. bn. 22 December 2022. 1 December 2023. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/kvTEW. Krira Jagat Magazine. Facebook.
  20. Web site: খন্দকার আবদুল হাসান: একের ভিতর তিন. Khandaker Abdul Hasan: Three in one. bn. 23 June 2024. 23 June 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240623125856/https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=458904630226838&set=pcb.458905513560083. Krira Jagat Magazine. Facebook.
  21. News: Subal Das is no more. August 18, 2005. December 7, 2015. The Daily Star. June 3, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240603153346/https://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/08/18/d50818140293.htm. live.
  22. Web site: Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Sunday 16 August 1959. 8 . 2024-06-11 . British Newspaper Archive.
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  25. Web site: ফুটবলের পথে কি আজাদের হকিও!. bn. Dhaka Post. 2024-02-21. 2024-02-21. https://web.archive.org/web/20240221161217/https://www.dhakapost.com/sports/258277. live.
  26. Web site: Azad Sporting Club Team | Azad | Match, Live Score, News. ESPNcricinfo. 2023-05-20. 2023-05-20. https://web.archive.org/web/20230520172805/https://www.espncricinfo.com/team/azad-sporting-club-931458. live.
  27. Web site: মহিলা বীচ কাবাডি চ্যাম্পিয়ন আজাদ স্পোর্টিং ক্লাব. bn. The Daily Sangram. 2023-06-07. 2023-05-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20230522204916/https://dailysangram.com/?post=187247-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%9A-%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A1%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BC%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%9C%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8B%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%82-%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AC. live.