Trades Cup Explained

Trades Cup
Organiser:	Indian Football Association (West Bengal)
Region:	India
Number Of Teams:	24
Current Champions:	Dalhousie AC
Most Successful Team:	Mohun Bagan (11 titles)

The Trades Cup (also known as the Trades Challenge Cup or IFA Trades Challenge Cup) is an Indian football tournament held in Kolkata and organised by Indian Football Association.^{[1] [2]} Incorporated in 1889, it is the second oldest football tournament in Asia and the oldest in Kolkata.^{[3] [4] [5]} It is the traditional curtain raiser for the Kolkata football season.

History

The Trades Cup was instituted in 1889 by the trading community of Calcutta and was organised by the Dalhousie AC committee.^{[6] [7]} It was the first open football tournament in India, where Indian, British, regimental and college clubs participated.^{[8] [9]}

The first Indian club to win a match against a British team was Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari's Sovabazar Club.^{[10] [11] [12] [13]} They won the opening match of the 1892 Trades Cup by defeating the East Surrey Regiment with the score of 2–1.^{[14] [15] [16]} The first Indian club to win the Trades Cup was the National Association who won the trophy in the 1900 edition. The Indian club from South Calcutta under the guidance of Manmatha Ganguly defeated the British side, Shibpur Engineering College on 11 August 1900 at the Shobhabazar Ground.^{[14] [17] [18]} Mohun Bagan completed a hat-trick of Trades Cup titles between 1906 and 1908,^[19] which enabled them to make their IFA Shield debut in 1909.^[20]

The Trades Cup was revived after not being held for 25 years in 2004 by the IFA. The tournament gives the Kolkata clubs outside the "Big Three" playing in the Premier and lower divisions the chance to field and organise their teams ahead of the start of their league season.

Results

List of Trades Cup Finals^{[21] [22]} !Year!Winners!Score!Runners-up!

1889	Dalhousie	2–1	Howrah
1890	The Buffs Regiment
1891	2nd King's Liverpool Regiment
1892	1st East Lancashire Regiment
1893	St Xavier's College
1894	Medical College
1895	Medical College
1896	Shibpur Engineering College
1897	Apprentice Engineers' Recreation Club, Jamalpore
1898	Apprentice Engineers' Recreation Club, Jamalpore
1899	Hastings FC
1900	National Association		Shibpur Engineering College
1901	Shibpur Engineering College
1902	National Association
1903	Medical College
1904	Medical College
1905	Shibpur Engineering College
1906	Mohun Bagan			^[23]
1907	Mohun Bagan	3–2	Dalhousie B
1908	Mohun Bagan
1909	Wanderers
1910	Eastern India Railway, Asansol
1911	Chandernagore FC
1912	National Association
1913	Aryan			^[24]
1914	Kumartuli
1932	Howrah Union			^[25] ^[26]
1938	Mohun Bagan			^[27]
1939	Mohun Bagan
1943	Mohun Bagan
1944	Mohun Bagan
1945	Mohun Bagan
1949	Mohun Bagan
1950	Mohun Bagan
1960	East Bengal			^[28]
1965	Mohun Bagan
1966	East Bengal
1975	East Bengal
1976	East Bengal
1979–2003	Not held
2004	Calcutta	2–1	Eastern Railway	^[29]
2005	Eastern Railway		Wari	^[30]
2006	Peerless	0–0	United	^[31]
2007	Chirag United	3–1	Eastern Railway	^[32]
2008	West Bengal Police	3–0	SAIL	^[33]
2011	Howrah Union	1–0	Food Corporation of India
2012	Janbazar SC	1–0	Howrah Union
2013	Pathachakra FC	1–0	Milan Bithee FC	^[34]
2014	Food Corporation of India	5–1	Mohammedan AC	^[35]
2015	City AC	2–1	Barisha SC
2016	Calcutta Port Trust	0–0	Wari
2017	City AC	2–1	BSS	^[36]
2018	Howrah Union		Calcutta Police	^[37]
2019	Dalhousie	2–1	Howrah Union	^[38]

See also

• History of Indian football
• Football in Kolkata
• List of oldest football competitions

Further reading

Bibliography

• Book: Mitra . Soumen . 1 January 2006 . In Search of an Identity: The History of Football in Colonial Calcutta . Dasgupta & Co. Private Ltd. . Kolkata . 978-8182110229 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021163751/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/In_Search_of_an_Identity.html?id=fZbgPgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y . 21 October 2022 .
• Book: Kapadia . Novy . 2017. Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football . Penguin Random House . 978-0-143-42641-7 .
• Book: Sen, Dwaipayan. 2013. Wiping the Stain Off the Field of Plassey: Mohun Bagan in 1911. Bandyopadhyay. Kausik. Mallick. Sabyasachi. Fringe Nations in World Soccer. Routledge. 978-1-317-99810-5.
• Book: Shreekumar, S. S. . THE BEST WAY FORWARD FOR INDIA'S FOOTBALL . 15 August 2020 . HSRA Publications . 9788194721697 . 3 February 2023 . 4 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204051238/https://www.google.com/books/edition/THE_BEST_WAY_FORWARD/KdH7DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0 . 244 .
• Book: Sen, Ronojoy. 2015. The Empire Strikes Back: The 1911 IFA Shield and Football in Calcutta. Nation at Play: A History of Sport in India. Columbia University Press. 978-0-231-16490-0.
• Book: Martinez. Dolores . Mukharji . Projit B. 2009. Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football . . 978-1-138-88353-6 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220702174505/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=nbzhAQAAQBAJ&dq=kerala+footballer+in+Burma&source=gbs_navlinks_s . 2 July 2022 .
• Book: India's Football Dream . SAGE Publications India . Sharma . Nikhil Paramjit . Gupta . Shantanu . 4 February 2019 . 4 October 2022 . 4 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221004041830/https://books.google.com/books?id=-V6HDwAAQBAJ&dq=national+association+manmatha+ganguly&source=gbs_navlinks_s . 9789353283063 .
• Dutta, P. L., Memoir of 'Father of Indian Football' Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1944) (hereafter Memoir)
• Book: Majumdar, Boria, Bandyopadhyay, Kausik . 2006 . Goalless: The Story of a Unique Footballing Nation . . 9780670058747 .
• Ghosh, Saurindra Kumar. Krira Samrat Nagendraprasad Sarbadhikary 1869–1940 (Calcutta: N. P. Sarbadhikary Memorial Committee, 1963) (hereafter Krira Samrat).
• Book: Nath, Nirmal. History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10. 2011. Readers Service. 9788187891963. https://web.archive.org/web/20220722172604/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/History_of_Indian_Football.html?id=QbUFaAEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y. 22 July 2022.
• Book: Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora. 2001. Frank Cass Publishers. London, United Kingdom. 978-0-7146-8170-2. Dineo. Paul. Mills. James. 25 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220725072732/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Soccer_in_South_Asia.html?id=71JHZiiP3hoC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y.
• Book: Mukhopadhay, Subir . সোনায় লেখা ইতিহাসে মোহনবাগান . 2018 . 978-93-850172-0-9.
• Book: Banerjee . Argha . Basu . Rupak . মোহনবাগান: সবুজ ঘাসের মেরুন গল্প . 2022. Shalidhan . 978-81-954667-0-2.
• Book: Boria. Majumdar. Kausik. Bandyopadhyay. A Social History Of Indian Football: Striving To Score. https://web.archive.org/web/20210629140637/https://books.google.com/books?id=V-sMYjZkpigC&pg=PA69. 29 June 2021. Routledge. 2006. 9780415348355.
• Book: Jaydeep. Basu. Stories from Indian Football. https://web.archive.org/web/20221011131939/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/Stories_from_Indian_Football.html?id=QeovtKLi-1sC&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y. 11 October 2022. UBS Publishers' Distributors. 2003. 9788174764546.
• Book: Kausik Bandyopadhyay . Scoring Off the Field: Football Culture in Bengal, 1911–80 . Taylor & Francis . 29 November 2020 . 9781000084054 . 1 March 2023 . 7 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307064545/https://books.google.com/books?id=uuYJEAAAQBAJ&q=Shiv+Kumar+Lal+aiff .
• Regionalism and club domination: Growth of rival centres of footballing excellence . Taylor & Francis . 6 August 2006 . 1 March 2023 . 1 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230301202832/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660970500106410?journalCode=fsas20 . Soccer & Society . 6:2–3 . 2–3 . 227–256 . 10.1080/14660970500106410 . 216862171 .

Others

• Web site: Triumphs and Disasters: The Story of Indian Football, 1889—2000. . 20 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120813081005/http://pierretristam.com/pdfs/wc10.pdf . 13 August 2012 . dead.
• From recreation to competition: Early history of Indian football . pp. 124–141. Published online: 6 Aug 2006. Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
• Web site: Sengupta. Somnath. Tactical Evolution Of Indian Football (Part One): Profiling Three Great 2-3-5 Teams. Kolkata. 29 July 2011. 2021-03-16. thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. en-US. 9 October 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211009112727/https://thehardtackle.com/2011/tactical-evolution-of-indian-football-part-one-profiling-three-great-2-3-5-teams/.
• Web site: A burnt-down football club and a 121-year-old legacy the flames couldn't touch. Manasi. Shah. telegraphindia.com. The Telegraph India. Kolkata. 19 June 2022. 15 October 2022. 26 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221026135252/https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/a-121-year-old-burnt-down-football-club-and-the-legacy-the-flames-couldnt-touch/cid/1692972.
• Web site: The passage of football in India. ifawb.org. Indian Football Association. Kolkata. 11 September 2022. 29 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210129163914/https://ifawb.org/footballs-passage/.
• Web site: বাংলা ভাগের ক্ষত কিভাবে বিষিয়ে দিল মোহনবাগান আর ইস্টবেঙ্গলকে?. How did the wound of the partition of Bengal poisoned both Mohun Bagan and East Bengal?. Ayan. Bhattacharya. 7 November 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231107163804/https://inscript.me/how-east-bengal-mohun-bagan-became-rival-history-of-west-bengal-club-football-by-ayan-bhattacharya-robibarer-royak. inscript.me. ইনস্ক্রিপ্ট বাংলা নিউজ. Kolkata. bn. 10 September 2023. 7 November 2023.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Indian Football Association inks four-year deal with Accord Sports VDK . Sportstar . 17 September 2020 . 26 September 2022 . 19 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211019002231/https://sportstar.thehindu.com/football/indian-football-association-ifa-commercial-partner-accord-sports-vdk-calcutta-football-league-ifa-shield-bengal/article32632117.ece .
2. News: Calcutta Football League: East Bengal kings of Asia's oldest league competition — full winners list . olympics.com . The Olympics Football . Nag . Utathya . 19 April 2023 . 25 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230505071647/https://olympics.com/en/news/calcutta-football-league-history-winners-list . 5 May 2023 .
3. Book: Portrait Of Indian Sport . P R Macmillan Limited, London . D'Mello . Anthony . 1959 . 186 . 5 September 2022 .
4. Web site: ইংরেজের বিপক্ষে বাঙালি ফুটবল দলের প্রথম বিজয়. The first victory of Bengali football team against Britishers. samakal.com. সমকাল বাংলা. 29 July 2022. 21 October 2022. Dhaka. Ikramujjaman. bn. https://web.archive.org/web/20220729112358/https://samakal.com/opinion/article/2207124048/%E0%A6%87%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%99%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BF-%E0%A6%AB%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A5%E0%A6%AE-%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%9F. 29 July 2022.
5. Web site: Kick, Score, Scream! The History of Football in Dhaka. Dhrubo. Alam. Dhaka. 16 July 2018. Ice Today. 6 October 2022. 1 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191101015051/http://icetoday.net/2018/07/kick-score-scream-the-history-of-football-in-dhaka/.
6. Web site: Football in Bengali culture and society: a study in the social history of football in Bengal-1911-1980 . University of Calcutta . . 35 . Bandyopadhyay . Kausik . 2008 . 10603/174532 . 7 October 2022 . 7 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221007174156/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/174532 . live .
7. Book: Mitra . Soumen . 1 January 2006 . In Search of an Identity: The History of Football in Colonial Calcutta . Dasgupta & Co. Private Ltd. . Kolkata . 978-8182110229 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021163751/https://books.google.co.in/books/about/In_Search_of_an_Identity.html?id=fZbgPgAACAAJ&redir_esc=y . 21 October 2022 .
8. Web site: 'Golondaaj' Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari: the father of Indian football. Olympics. Nag. Utathya. 3 February 2022. 26 September 2022. 6 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210806144939/https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/nagendra-prasad-sarbadhikari-father-of-indian-football. live.
9. Web site: Andrew Flint . 2015-11-11 . A Tale of One City: Kolkata . 2021-03-16 . These Football Times . en-GB . 9 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709183002/https://thesefootballtimes.co/2015/11/11/a-tale-of-one-city-kolkata/ .
10. Web site: Nagendra Prasad — The father of Indian football who removed prejudice from the sport. thebridge.in. The Bridge. 25 January 2020. 24 October 2022. Sarah. Waris. Kolkata. 24 October 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221024082132/https://thebridge.in/amp/featured/nagendra-prasad-the-father-indian-football-removed-prejudice-indian-sports/.
11. Web site: বাঙালির ফুটবল প্রেমকে উস্কে দিয়ে. By inciting Bengali's love of football. radiobanglanet.com. Radio Bangla Net. 10 October 2021. 21 October 2022. Swati. Kolkata. bn. Chatterjee. https://web.archive.org/web/20211019024354/https://radiobanglanet.com/golondaaj-dev-dhrubo-banerjee-director/. 19 October 2021.
12. Web site: The Introduction of Football in Colonial Calcutta- Part 1 . 25 March 2015 . Ankan . Banerjee . 25 March 2015 . footballcounter.com . Football Counter . Kolkata . 23 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160123195412/http://www.footballcounter.com/2015/the-introduction-of-football-in-colonial-calcutta/ .
13. Web site: Football — the passion play in Kolkata. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111155154/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/football--the-passion-play-in-kolkata/211371-55.html. dead. 11 January 2012. ibnlive.in. IBN Live. 13 December 2011. 11 August 2014.
14. Book: India's Football Dream . SAGE Publications India . Sharma . Nikhil Paramjit . Gupta . Shantanu . 4 February 2019 . 4 October 2022 . 4 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221004041830/https://books.google.com/books?id=-V6HDwAAQBAJ&dq=national+association+manmatha+ganguly&source=gbs_navlinks_s . 9789353283063 .
15. Web site: History. AIFF. 27 September 2022. 8 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200308124507/http://www.the-aiff.com/history. live.
16. Web site: Nagendra Prasad Sarbadhikari – The first visionary of Indian football. Football Paradise. Sengupta. Somnath. 25 November 2019. 26 September 2022. 22 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220922065949/https://www.footballparadise.com/nagendra-prasad-sarbadhikari-the-first-visionary-of-indian-football/. live.
17. From recreation to competition: Early history of Indian football. Soccer & Society. 6 August 2006. 6 . 2–3 . 124–141 . 10.1080/14660970500106295 . 216817948 . 26 September 2022. 9 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210709181632/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14660970500106295?journalCode=fsas20. live.
18. Web site: Football as an instrument of Nationalism in colonial Bengal- Part 2. Football Counter. Banerjee. Ankan. 15 April 2015. 26 September 2022. 16 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160216042218/http://www.footballcounter.com/2015/football-as-an-instrument-of-nationalism-in-colonial-bengal/. live.
19. Web site: Mohun Bagan: Blaze of Glory. Kapadia. Novy. 7 June 2015. indianexpress.com. The Indian Express. 4 March 2016. 22 February 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160222151228/http://indianexpress.com/article/sports/football/mohun-bagan-blaze-of-glory/.
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21. footy_chronicle. 1480487159396282368. List of Winners- Trades Cup. 10 January 2022 . 4 October 2022.
22. Web site: Hans. Schöggl. India — List of Trades Cup Winners. RSSSF. 2014. 24 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220927050302/https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/india-tradescup.html. 27 September 2022.
23. Web site: Mukherjee . Anita . MOHUN BAGAN VILLA – GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN . Breathing Roots . 10 July 2021 . 5 May 2022 . 3 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221003050014/https://breathingroots.co.in/2020/10/10/mohun-bagan-villa-gone-but-not-forgotten/ .
24. Web site: IFA TRADES CHALLENGE CUP - 2012 STARTS FROM TODAY . 11 June 2012 . 9 November 2022 . kolkatafootball.com . 22 June 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120622121900/http://www.kolkatafootballs.com/indiafootball_news_2012/june7thpart_2012.html .
25. Web site: Howrah Union — at a glance . 8 October 2022 . Howrah Union . 25 April 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080425035748/http://howrahunion.com/clubprofile.html .
26. Web site: কর্পোরেট ক্রিকেট দিয়ে হাওড়া ইউনিয়নে শতবর্ষ উৎযাপন শুরু. 21 January 2023. 26 January 2022. Kolkata. insidesports.in. ইনসাইড স্পোর্টস. bn. Howrah Union keen to start club's centenary celebration with corporate cricket tournament. https://web.archive.org/web/20230205233414/https://insidesports.in/archives/5533. 5 February 2023.
27. Web site: Era of Legends – 1930 to 1939 . 27 September 2022 . Mohun Bagan Club . 5 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220505232956/http://www.mohunbaganclub.com/history/history-1930-1939/ . live .
28. Web site: YEAR WISE TROPHY LIST. East Bengal the Real Power. 6 Jul 2021. 5 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210705192235/https://eastbengaltherealpower.com/eastbengalclub/trophy-room/.
29. Web site: Arunava. Chaudhuri. "Khadims" Traders Cup 2004. indianfootball.de. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20170718222559/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2004traderscup.html. 18 July 2017.
30. Web site: Arunava. Chaudhuri. "Khadims" Traders Cup 2005. indianfootball.de. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20170718231627/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2005traderscup.html. 18 July 2017.
31. Web site: Arunava. Chaudhuri. "Khadims" Trades Challenge Cup 2006. indianfootball.de. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20190924231232/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2006tradescup.html. 24 September 2019.
32. Web site: Arunava. Chaudhuri. "Celebration" Trades Cup 2007. indianfootball.de. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20170718222953/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2007tradescup.html. 18 July 2017.
33. Web site: Arunava. Chaudhuri. "Bengal Peerless" Trades Challenge Cup 2008. indianfootball.de. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20170718232452/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2008tradescup.html. 18 July 2017.
34. Web site: IFA Trades Challenge Cup 2013. kolkatafootball.com. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20170227235808/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_trades_cup_2013/index.html#3. 27 February 2017.
35. Web site: IFA Trades Challenge Cup 2014. kolkatafootball.com. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20190105013515/https://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_trades_cup2014/. 5 January 2019.
36. Web site: IFA Trades Challenge Cup 2017. kolkatafootball.com. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20200219173051/http://www.kolkatafootball.com/ifa_trades_cup_2017/sf_final.html. 19 February 2020.
37. Web site: IFA Trades Challenge Cup 2018. kolkatafootball.com. 27 September 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20190104093328/https://kolkatafootball.com/ifa_trades_cup_2018/score_table.html. 4 January 2019.
38. Web site: IFA Trades Challenge Cup 2019. kolkatafootball.com. 27 September 2022. 26 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210126024521/https://kolkatafootball.com/ifa_cfl_lower_divn_2019-20/trades_2019.html#trades_21st. live.