The club previously competed in the
I-League,[13][14][15][16] then top tier of
Indian football league system.[17][18] As multiple champions in various Mumbai competitions, Air India is best known for nurturing youngsters into big time players. Many of these boys have played with distinction for bigger teams in the later years.[19]
In 2005, the team qualified to the National Football League first division, and then 2007 saw Air India finishing 7th and were the Mumbai Harwood Champions in 2005.[20] Considered as one of the "giant killers" in Indian leagues,[21] Air India also appeared in corporate tournaments such as the All India Public Sector League, and ONGC Trophy.[22][23]
History
Formation and journey
Founded in 1952 in Bombay, Air India Football Club is one of the oldest institutional sides in the country.[24][25] Since then, they became affiliated with
Western India Football Association (WIFA). Though never considered as frontrunners in the I-League, the Mumbai-based club has often proved to be a thorn in the flesh for many top sides.
In leagues of Mumbai
Since their inception, Air India became a member of WIFA and later in 1983, became affiliated with
Mumbai District Football Association (formerly BDFA).[26] Nicknamed "the pilots",[27] Air India participated in later editions of
Bombay Harwood League alongside Maharashtra Football League.[28][29]
They participated in B.D.F.A League, and
W.I.F.A. Super Division from 1990 to 1999 and clinched WIFA title in 1999.[30]
Air India also participated in
MDFA Elite Division,[31] and lifted trophies in 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2016–17 season.[32] They also won Harwood league in 2000 and 2005.
National Football League seasons
They used to play in the
NFL 2nd Division but got promoted to
Premier Division and have maintained their position there until the formation of
I-League.[33][34][35][36] Generally a low budget side, Air India's best finish in the National Football League came in the 1997–1998 season, when they were placed sixth in the table and their coach
Bimal Ghosh received the Best coach award.[37]
Air India had been playing in the Premier Harwood League since 1980. Though it, they qualified for the
National Football League in 1995. In the first season of NFL 1996, they finished 6th on the table[38] and then 5th in 1997. After being relegated to the second division in 1998, Air India paved their way back into the first division the next year and played in the National Football League in 2000 as well. The years 2001 to 2004 saw Air India going through a tough phase as they were playing in the second division.[39] In 2005 the team qualified to the National Football League first division and then 2007 saw Air India finishing 7th and were the Mumbai Harwood Champions in 2005.[40][20] In 1996, they emerged as the champions of
Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup and they lifted the trophy again in 2006.[41][42] The club also hosted an inter-club tournament named "Air-India Millenium Cup" at the Air-India Colony Grounds, in Kalina, Mumbai, from 2000 to 2005 – in which they clinched title on four occasions.[43]
In
2012 Durand Cup,[47][48] the club emerged as the champions, which was their last trophy.[49][50] On 25 February 2012, it was announced that parent company
Air India do not have any plans on fulfilling the AFC Criteria required to play in the league and thus may fold the club by the end of the
2011–12 I-League season.[51][52][53]Anthony Fernandes was appointed as interim head coach on 30 December 2012 after
Godfrey Pereira was revealed to be away from the team due to salary issues.[54][55] On 2 January 2013, it was confirmed that Pereira had left his post, when Air India played against
Salgaocar at
Duler Stadium in I-League in which, and lost the match 4–0.[56] They came back to I-League, participating in the
2012–13 I-League season.[57] On 7 April 2013, they played against
Mumbai F.C. and lost 3–1.[58] They earned 26 points in 19 league matches and finished on thirteenth position.[59]
The club later confirmed their inability to field team for the
2013–14 I-League,[60] and financial reasons were main factors behind it.[61][62]
Crest & colours
Air India has sometimes used a crest different from the logo of the parent company. For the
2011–12 season, however, they used the parent logo on both the home and away jersey.[63]
To keep up the image, they decided to make the main colour of the club red, as associated with the company.[51]
During the
2010–11 I-League season,
Rajarshi Shahu Stadium in
Kolhapur hosted numerous matches of Mumbai teams due to unavailability of Cooperage Ground. Air India played its home games at this ground throughout the season.[74]
Rivalry
Air India had a rivalry with their fellow Mumbai-based club
Mahindra United, with whom they played in local derby matches in both the NFL and MDFA Elite League.[75][76][77][78][79][80]
Ownership
As a corporate sporting entity since its inception,[81] Air India Football Club has been owned and run by airline company Air India which currently own a hub at Mumbai's
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport which is where the club is located.[24]
The players below, had senior/youth international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed represented their countries before or after playing for Air India FC.
^
abSharma, Sukalp (31 May 2010).
"Indias biggest league". financialexpress.com. The Financial Express. Archived from
the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
^Caless, Kit (19 February 2017).
"クリケットの街から眺めるインドサッカー界の未来" [The future of Indian football seen from the city of cricket]. vice.com (in Japanese). Vice Japan. Archived from
the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^Chidananda, Shreedutta (6 July 2011).
"Back to school". www.thehindu.com.
The Hindu. Archived from
the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
Chattopadhyay, Hariprasad (17 January 2015).
"Time to regain lost glory". telegraphindia.com. Kolkata: The Telegraph India. Archived from
the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
"Air India beats ONGC". thehindu.com. Kolhapur: The Hindu. 10 March 2011. Archived from
the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
Notes: The tournament was not held from 1914-19 (due to
WWI), in 1939 (due to
WWII), from 1941-49 (due to
WWII and
Partition), in 1962 (due to
1962 War) and in 2015 and 2017-2018 (due to unknown reasons)
The club previously competed in the
I-League,[13][14][15][16] then top tier of
Indian football league system.[17][18] As multiple champions in various Mumbai competitions, Air India is best known for nurturing youngsters into big time players. Many of these boys have played with distinction for bigger teams in the later years.[19]
In 2005, the team qualified to the National Football League first division, and then 2007 saw Air India finishing 7th and were the Mumbai Harwood Champions in 2005.[20] Considered as one of the "giant killers" in Indian leagues,[21] Air India also appeared in corporate tournaments such as the All India Public Sector League, and ONGC Trophy.[22][23]
History
Formation and journey
Founded in 1952 in Bombay, Air India Football Club is one of the oldest institutional sides in the country.[24][25] Since then, they became affiliated with
Western India Football Association (WIFA). Though never considered as frontrunners in the I-League, the Mumbai-based club has often proved to be a thorn in the flesh for many top sides.
In leagues of Mumbai
Since their inception, Air India became a member of WIFA and later in 1983, became affiliated with
Mumbai District Football Association (formerly BDFA).[26] Nicknamed "the pilots",[27] Air India participated in later editions of
Bombay Harwood League alongside Maharashtra Football League.[28][29]
They participated in B.D.F.A League, and
W.I.F.A. Super Division from 1990 to 1999 and clinched WIFA title in 1999.[30]
Air India also participated in
MDFA Elite Division,[31] and lifted trophies in 2009–10, 2013–14, 2014–15 and 2016–17 season.[32] They also won Harwood league in 2000 and 2005.
National Football League seasons
They used to play in the
NFL 2nd Division but got promoted to
Premier Division and have maintained their position there until the formation of
I-League.[33][34][35][36] Generally a low budget side, Air India's best finish in the National Football League came in the 1997–1998 season, when they were placed sixth in the table and their coach
Bimal Ghosh received the Best coach award.[37]
Air India had been playing in the Premier Harwood League since 1980. Though it, they qualified for the
National Football League in 1995. In the first season of NFL 1996, they finished 6th on the table[38] and then 5th in 1997. After being relegated to the second division in 1998, Air India paved their way back into the first division the next year and played in the National Football League in 2000 as well. The years 2001 to 2004 saw Air India going through a tough phase as they were playing in the second division.[39] In 2005 the team qualified to the National Football League first division and then 2007 saw Air India finishing 7th and were the Mumbai Harwood Champions in 2005.[40][20] In 1996, they emerged as the champions of
Sikkim Governor's Gold Cup and they lifted the trophy again in 2006.[41][42] The club also hosted an inter-club tournament named "Air-India Millenium Cup" at the Air-India Colony Grounds, in Kalina, Mumbai, from 2000 to 2005 – in which they clinched title on four occasions.[43]
In
2012 Durand Cup,[47][48] the club emerged as the champions, which was their last trophy.[49][50] On 25 February 2012, it was announced that parent company
Air India do not have any plans on fulfilling the AFC Criteria required to play in the league and thus may fold the club by the end of the
2011–12 I-League season.[51][52][53]Anthony Fernandes was appointed as interim head coach on 30 December 2012 after
Godfrey Pereira was revealed to be away from the team due to salary issues.[54][55] On 2 January 2013, it was confirmed that Pereira had left his post, when Air India played against
Salgaocar at
Duler Stadium in I-League in which, and lost the match 4–0.[56] They came back to I-League, participating in the
2012–13 I-League season.[57] On 7 April 2013, they played against
Mumbai F.C. and lost 3–1.[58] They earned 26 points in 19 league matches and finished on thirteenth position.[59]
The club later confirmed their inability to field team for the
2013–14 I-League,[60] and financial reasons were main factors behind it.[61][62]
Crest & colours
Air India has sometimes used a crest different from the logo of the parent company. For the
2011–12 season, however, they used the parent logo on both the home and away jersey.[63]
To keep up the image, they decided to make the main colour of the club red, as associated with the company.[51]
During the
2010–11 I-League season,
Rajarshi Shahu Stadium in
Kolhapur hosted numerous matches of Mumbai teams due to unavailability of Cooperage Ground. Air India played its home games at this ground throughout the season.[74]
Rivalry
Air India had a rivalry with their fellow Mumbai-based club
Mahindra United, with whom they played in local derby matches in both the NFL and MDFA Elite League.[75][76][77][78][79][80]
Ownership
As a corporate sporting entity since its inception,[81] Air India Football Club has been owned and run by airline company Air India which currently own a hub at Mumbai's
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport which is where the club is located.[24]
The players below, had senior/youth international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed represented their countries before or after playing for Air India FC.
^
abSharma, Sukalp (31 May 2010).
"Indias biggest league". financialexpress.com. The Financial Express. Archived from
the original on 18 July 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
^Caless, Kit (19 February 2017).
"クリケットの街から眺めるインドサッカー界の未来" [The future of Indian football seen from the city of cricket]. vice.com (in Japanese). Vice Japan. Archived from
the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
^Chidananda, Shreedutta (6 July 2011).
"Back to school". www.thehindu.com.
The Hindu. Archived from
the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
Chattopadhyay, Hariprasad (17 January 2015).
"Time to regain lost glory". telegraphindia.com. Kolkata: The Telegraph India. Archived from
the original on 5 May 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
"Air India beats ONGC". thehindu.com. Kolhapur: The Hindu. 10 March 2011. Archived from
the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
Notes: The tournament was not held from 1914-19 (due to
WWI), in 1939 (due to
WWII), from 1941-49 (due to
WWII and
Partition), in 1962 (due to
1962 War) and in 2015 and 2017-2018 (due to unknown reasons)