Sikkim gears up to host final leg of second division I-League

GANGTOK, 22 March: Sikkim is all set to host the final leg of the second division I-League Football which is scheduled to play out here from 29 March to 17 April at Paljor Stadium here. Sikkim Football Association is keeping busy, making arrangements for Sikkim’s first brush with hosting the I-League.
Seven clubs will be in the fray in the Gangtok leg of the final phase. The top two will be promoted to the first division I-League.
The clubs making their final bid for elevation into the main I-League are: United Sikkim Football Club, Aizwal FC, Kalighat MS, Royal Wahingdoh FC, Mohammedan SC, Vasco SC, Goa and ONGC Mumbai. Of the seven, six clubs qualified from the preliminary round held in Delhi, Cuttack and Silchar while ONGC Mumbai makes the seventh team after it was relegated from the 1st Division I-League last year.
The first leg of the final round has been underway at Siliguri’s Kanchenjunga Stadium since 05 March and will conclude on 25 March. USFC is leading the leg having won all its games so far.
I-League is the top tier league in the national football system. It was started in 2007-08 and its first edition was inaugurated by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. I-League has replaced the National Football League which had lasted for eleven seasons. I-League has two divisions, wherein the relegated teams from the first division move down to the second division and the top team from the second division move to play in the first division every year. The I-League over the years has aimed to professionalize the league system in India.
Addressing a press conference today, SFA general secretary, Menla Ethenpa, informed that All India Football Federation has designated MG Suvarna as the Match Commissioner, Debu Mukherjee as the Observer and Sujesh Ranjan as the Senior Manager for the Gangtok leg.
He informed that as per the fixture drawn by the AIFF for the Gangtok leg final round, there will be two matches on most days. The first match will kick off at 12:30 PM followed by the second match at 2:30 PM and the single match days will start at 2:30 PM.
Mr. Ethenpa highlighted that such an honour coming Sikkim’s way has been possible only due to the creation of an asset like Paljor Stadium by the State Government and encouragement by the football lovers in the state. Soon after the Siliguri leg, all seven teams will be arriving in Gangtok.
After discussion with the AIFF, the SFA has made arrangements for the daily practice schedules for the teas at Paljor Stadium every morning and evening.
SFA president, BK Roka, in turn, mentioned that it was a great achievement to bring the I-League to the state for the first time after a competitive bid and a golden opportunity for the local football lovers to see reputed clubs of the country playing here in the capital.
To popularize football among the students and to enable them to see the nationally reputed clubs playing in their own town, SFA has announced free entry for students in uniform to all the matches. For others, the SFA has fixed a nominal amount as entry fee at Rs 20 for hillside gallery, Rs 30 for southern and northern galleries, Rs 50 for western gallery and Rs 100 for VIP gallery.
In the Gangtok leg, United Sikkim will be playing its first game against Royal Wahingdoh on 30 March, then against Vasco Goa on 02 April, Kalighat on 04 April, against ONGC Mumbai on 11 April, with Aizwal FC on 13 April and finally against Md Sporting on 17 April.