USFC ropes in record number of local players for I-League debut

IN TALKS WITH ARMY XI TO GET SANTU SUBBA AS WELL
GANGTOK, 08 July: United Sikkim Football Club [USFC] is gearing up for the new season and the club’s senior division I-League debut, with the management keeping busy signing players in preparation for the 2012-13 season. The club has already signed 11 local players so far and is also working on getting Santu Subba, who is currently playing for Army XI, and is confident that the Army XI will release him to play for USFC.
The club has retained its old players Nim Tshering Lepcha, MD Lepcha, Thupten Tshering Bhutia, Sagar Rai, Nima Tamang, Sahinsha Ansari and Tenzing Tsephel and bolstered the local roster with new players in Don Tshering Lepcha, Ashish Chettri and Mobin Rai.
Speaking to media persons over the phone from Chandigarh, USFC co-owner, Bhaichung Bhutia mentioned that this time there is record signing of local players and including him there are likely to be 12 local players in the club this season. Last year, the club had 8 local players on its rolls.
He also mentioned that the club is still in talks with the Army XI coach for the release of Santu Subba.
Bhaichung informed that the club has already signed Nadong Bhutia from Kalimpong and the club is likely to conduct another set of trials in Kalimpong and Darjeeling in July and August as the last trials held for these areas were not so satisfactory. He informed that the club has also signed Nima Tamang and Mobin Rai from Sikkim Sports Academy this season.