Peerless SC
Peerless Sports Club (Bengali: পিয়ারলেস স্পোর্টস ক্লাব) (formerly known as Peerless FC), or simply Peerless, is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1993, the club is owned by Peerless Group and currently competes in the Calcutta Premier Division A. The club had refused to take part in the I-League 2nd Division owing to financial matters. After the three Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, Peerless is considered as the strongest side from the city of joy.
 | |||
| Full name | Peerless Sports Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Short name | PSC | ||
| Founded | 1993[1] | ||
| Ground | Various | ||
| Owner | Bengal Peerless Housing Devpt | ||
| Chairman | Patit Paban Ray[2] | ||
| Head coach | Hemanta Dora | ||
| League | CFL Premier Division | ||
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| |||
Peerless Sports Club[3][4] (Bengali: পিয়ারলেস স্পোর্টস ক্লাব) (formerly known as Peerless FC), or simply Peerless, is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal.[5] Founded in 1993,[6] the club is owned by Peerless Group and currently competes in the Calcutta Premier Division A.[7][8][9][10][11]
The club had refused to take part in the I-League 2nd Division owing to financial matters. After the three Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, Peerless is considered as the strongest side from the city of joy.[12]
History
[edit]Peerless as a club began their journey from Kolkata Maidan, the home of Kolkata football. The club is founded in 1993 and owned by its parent organization Peerless Group, a business conglomerate in Kolkata.[13]
Earlier in the 90s, the club competed in the Calcutta Premier League second division. Former India international Shabbir Ali was in charge of the club and under his coaching, Peerless promoted itself from the first division to the CFL Super Division in 1993–94 season.[14][15][16][17]
In 2018, the club signed Trinidad and Tobago international Anthony Wolfe ahead of their CFL season.[18] Thus he became the club's first and only footballer who has appeared in the FIFA World Cup.[19][20] In 2019, Peerless created history after winning the 2019–20 Calcutta Premier Division,[21] defeating their archrivals; three Kolkata giants. The club managed by Jahar Das, emerged as the first small club since 1958 to win the Calcutta Football League.[22] In that season, they reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 IFA Shield.[23]
As defending champion, Peerless began their 2021–22 Calcutta Premier Division journey on 17 August, defeating Kidderpore FC 4–1.[24][25] They reached the knock-out stages after finishing as Group-B topper but lost 4–0 to Railway FC in the quarter-finals. In June 2022, the club roped in Soren Dutta as head coach and Iranian former footballer Jamshid Nassiri as technical director.[26] In July, they participated in Naihati Gold Cup and their campaign ended with a 0–0 (5–4) defeat to United SC in semi-finals. In September, the club fought in group stages of the Calcutta Premier Division but failed to reach the "super six" round.[27]
In June 2023, the Indian Football Association (IFA) announced the merger of both Premier Division A and B of the Calcutta Football League, ahead of its 125th edition, in which Peerless was allowed to compete in Group I.[28][29][30]
Ownership and finances
[edit]Peerless Sports Club (formed in 1993) is currently owned by Peerless Group, its major holding company is Peerless General Finance & Investment Co Ltd, which is India's Registered Residuary non-banking Company.[31] It has subsidiaries like Peerless Hospital, Bengal Peerless (real estate), Kaizen Holidays and others.
Patit Paban Ray, a board member of Bengal Peerless Housing Development Co Ltd, is currently the chairman of Peerless Club.[32]
Stadium
[edit]
Peerless plays most of their home matches of Calcutta Football League Premier Division A at both the Barasat Stadium and Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.[33]
Honours
[edit]
League
[edit]- Calcutta Premier Division A
- CFL Second Division
- Champions (1): 1993[38]
Cup
[edit]- Trades Cup[39]
- Winners (1): 2006[40]
- All Airlines Gold Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1998[41]
Peerless SC scripted history in 2020, as they became the only club outside Kolkata's "Big Three" (Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal FC, and Mohammedan Sporting) to win the Championship in 61 years; Eastern Railway did the same back in 1958.[42][43]
Players
[edit]First-team squad
[edit]- As of 27 June 2023
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Notable players
[edit]For all current and former notable Peerless SC players with a Wikipedia article, see: Peerless SC players.
World Cup player
[edit]
Anthony Wolfe (2018, 2019–2020, 2021–2022)[44][45][46]
Managerial history
[edit] |
| Name | Nationality | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shabbir Ali |  India |
1993–1995 | [14] |
| Biswajit Bhattacharya | India |
2018–2019 | [47][48] |
| Jahar Das | India |
2019–2021 | [49][50] |
| Subrata Bhattacharya jr. | India |
2021–2022 | [51] |
| Soren Dutta | India |
2022–2023 | [26] |
| Hemanta Dora | India |
2023–present | [26] |
See also
[edit]- Calcutta Football League
- Football in Kolkata
- List of football clubs in Kolkata
- List of football clubs in India
References
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- ^ "ইতিহাসের চ্যাম্পিয়নই লিগে খেলতে দ্বিধায়". eisamay.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "IFAWB Clubs: Men's Division (CFL PREMIER DIVISION)". ifawb.org. Indian Football Association. Archived from the original on 9 October 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
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- ^ "IFA CFL Calcutta Premier League teams 2017". kolkatafootball.com. Kolkata Football. Archived from the original on 4 September 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
- ^ "India — List of Calcutta/Kolkata League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Md. Sp. held by Peerless". telegraphindia.com. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
- ^ "Peerless wins Calcutta Football League title as East Bengal presents a 'no-show'". sportstar.thehindu.com. 3 October 2019. Archived from the original on 28 March 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "Peerless in Kolkata: How a Small, Hungry Football Club Snatched Bragging Rights From the Big Two". newsclick.in. 7 October 2019. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ Abhishek Ganguly (6 December 2020). "Comfortable win for Mohammedan Sporting in IFA Shield opener". Football News. Times of India. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "Peerless SC Become 1st Team in 61 Years to win Calcutta Football League Outside 'Big Three'". news18.com. 3 October 2019. Archived from the original on 4 October 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ "৬১ বছর পর তিন প্রধান ম্লান". amp.dw.com. Archived from the original on 14 October 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ a b Chaudhuri, Arunava. "Indian Football "HALL OF FAME"". indianfootball.de. Archived from the original on 29 January 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Jahar Das — The man behind Peerless FC's historic Calcutta Football League glory". thebridge.in. 2 October 2019. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- ^ Das, Rudra Narayan (29 November 2011). "Player Biography : Shabbir Ali – Only Footballer To Win Dhyan Chand Award". indianfooty.net. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 23 August 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
- ^ Barua, Suhrid (24 September 2013). "Former India football captain Shabbir Ali suffers massive heart attack". sportskeeda.com. Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "Anthony Wolfe (Trinidad and Tobago) club transfers". National Football Teams. Archived from the original on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
- ^ "Wolfe nets winner". The Telegraph India. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ "Anthony Wolfe's stunning goal hands Peerless full points against Mohammedan Sporting". Xtratime.in. 30 August 2018. Archived from the original on 22 April 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
- ^ প্রতিবেদন, নিজস্ব (22 January 2020). "পিয়ারলেসকে লিগ জিতিয়ে ইস্টবেঙ্গলে ফিরছেন আনসুমানা ক্রোমা". anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Anandabazar Patrika. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ "we have proved. Kromah leaded [sic] the team from the front :Jahar Das ,Peerless coach". Kolkata Today. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ Soham Mukherjee (10 November 2020). "IFA Shield 2020: 12 teams to participate including Mohammedan Sporting and Gokulam Kerala FC; All you need to know". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 10 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
- ^ CFL: Big win for Peerless SC against Kidderpore Archived 2021-08-18 at the Wayback Machine The Telegraph. Retrieved 18 August 2021
- ^ Peerless begin title defense with win against Kidderpore Archived 2021-08-18 at the Wayback Machine Sportskeeda.com. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
- ^ a b c 24x7, Sports Desk (17 July 2022). "Peerless: জয়ের সরণীতে রয়েছে জামশিদ নাসিরির পিয়ারলেস". kolkata24x7.in (in Bengali). Kolkata, West Bengal: কলকাতা 24×7. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Singha, Sulaya (10 September 2022). "এক ম্যাচ বাকি থাকতেই গ্রুপ চ্যাম্পিয়ন হয়ে কলকাতা লিগের সুপার সিক্সে ভবানীপুর ক্লাব" [Bhawanipore Club became the group champion in Super Six of Calcutta League with one match left]. sangbadpratidin.in. Kolkata: Sangbad Pratidin Digital. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Calcutta Football League (CFL) goes bigger than ever for its historic 125th season". thefangarage.com. Kolkata: The Fan Garage. 5 June 2023. Archived from the original on 6 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Chakraborty, Sanghamitra (5 June 2023). "Calcutta Football League: মোহনবাগান-মহমেডানের গ্রুপে অভিষেকের ক্লাব, ইস্টবেঙ্গলের গ্রুপে ভবানীপুর" [Calcutta Football League: Debutant club in Mohun Bagan-Mohammedan group, Bhavanipur in East Bengal group]. TV9 Bangla (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ Biswas, Koushik (5 June 2023). "Calcutta Football League : বাজল কলকাতা ফুটবল লিগের ঘণ্টা, কঠিন গ্রুপে মোহনবাগান" [Calcutta Football League: Bell of Calcutta Football League rings, Mohun Bagan in tough group]. Ei Samay (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Non-finance business to drive growth of Peerless Group". The Hindu. 28 October 2017. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ Patit Paban Ray Board Member, Bengal Peerless Housing Devpt. bloomberg.com. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ^ "Calcutta Football League: Peerless continues to top league standings". sportstar.thehindu.com. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ "CALCUTTA PREMIER DIVISION A 2019/20". Indianfooty.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
- ^ "India — List of Calcutta/Kolkata League Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ^ "Calcutta Football League 2018-19". kolkatafootball.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava; Jönsson, Mikael; Bobrowsky, Josef (13 February 2014). "India 1996/97 – List of Champions: Calcutta Super Division League". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022.
- ^ Bobrowsky, Josef; King, Ian (6 December 2006). "India 1993 – Regional Leagues: Calcutta Premier League". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
- ^ Schöggl, Hans (2014). "India — List of Trades Cup Winners". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ Chaudhuri, Arunava. "2006/07 Season in Indian Football". indianfootball.de. Indian Football Network. Archived from the original on 23 November 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
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- ^ Nag, Utathya (19 April 2023). "Calcutta Football League: East Bengal kings of Asia's oldest league competition — full winners list". olympics.com. The Olympics Football. Archived from the original on 5 May 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
- ^ "জহর দাসের বাড়ি" [The House of Jahar Das]. eisamay.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: এই সময় সংবাদপত্র. 16 May 2016. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
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- ^ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: Trinidad & Tobago". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 24 March 2008.
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- ^ "Kolkata Football Academy — Our Coaches: Jahar Das (Vice President and Head of Youth Development AFC 'A' Licence and Goalz Coaching)". kolkatafootballacademy.com. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
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Further reading
[edit]Bibliography
- Kapadia, Novy (2017). Barefoot to Boots: The Many Lives of Indian Football. Penguin Random House. ISBN 978-0-143-42641-7.
- Martinez, Dolores; Mukharji, Projit B (2009). Football: From England to the World: The Many Lives of Indian Football. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-138-88353-6. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022.
- Dineo, Paul; Mills, James (2001). Soccer in South Asia: Empire, Nation, Diaspora. London, United Kingdom: Frank Cass Publishers. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-7146-8170-2. Archived from the original on 25 July 2022.
- Nath, Nirmal (2011). History of Indian Football: Upto 2009–10. Readers Service. ISBN 9788187891963. Archived from the original on 22 July 2022.
Others
- "Sport/Football — East Bengal drubs Peerless". The Hindu. 19 August 2004. Archived from the original on 25 August 2004. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
- "Aizawl FC sign Ivorian forward Leonce Dodoz from CFL side Peerless". The Fan Garage. 21 August 2017. Archived from the original on 16 May 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
- "The Calcutta Football League (CFL) — Winners of each season". ifawb.org. Kolkata: Indian Football Association. 2021. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
- Chakraborty, Samrat (6 April 2021). "East Bengal, Mohun Bagan and teams who have won the Calcutta Football League title most number of times". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- Sengupta, Somnath (16 December 2010). "Aryan Club — Rising From the Ashes". thehardtackle.com. The Hard Tackle. Archived from the original on 14 January 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
- Chattopadhyay, Hariprasad (13 September 2019). "আটান্নর মতো কড়া লড়াই দেখা যাচ্ছে এই লিগেও" [A tough fight like 1958 is also being witnessed in this season's league]. abandabazar.com (in Bengali). Kolkata: Anandabazar Patrika. Archived from the original on 26 September 2022.
External links
[edit]- Peerless SC at IFA West Bengal
- Peerless SC at Soccerway
- Peerless SC at Flashscore
- Peerless SC at Betsapi
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