United Kurseong Football Club (UKFC),a renowned football team from the Hills of Darjeeling, as name indicates based in the sub-divisional town of Kurseong will be hosting a football tournament to honour its former Player Ladup Lama and Manager Chand Pradhan. The first match of the tournament was played today. This event is also supported by Kurseong Gorkha Hill Sports Association (KGHSA) and the football loving people of the hill town.
Ladup Lama was an exceptional Stopper of his times and was an integral part of the UKFC team along with Dinker Chettri and Crispin Chettri.I remember Ladup Lama’s game in the Independence Cup,Gangtok 1997.He was brilliant throughout the tournament giving tough time to the Opposing Strikers in that process helping his team lift the Trophy. I must say here Ladup Lama is the best stopper I have seen in our parts without a shadow of doubt. After the finals I went and met him at their hotel and we had a brief interaction. He came across as a very humble person a sharp contrast to the tough attitude he showed on the field. It’s a fitting tribute by UKFC to the man who always loved to play football.
I must admit here that I don’t know much about Chand Pradhan but according to Crispin Chettri he was a die-hard football fan and was the man behind launching of the United Kurseong Football Club in the year 1989 and it was he who has coined the club’s name.
The tournament which is in its second year will be officially called “2nd Ladup,Chand Memorial Invitational Football Tournament”.It has dual goals, one is to honour UKFC’s beloved members Ladup Lama and Chand Pradhan and second is to bring about a revival of football in the hills
The winner of the tournament will be awarded Rs 50,000 and the runners-up will get richer by Rs 25,000.There will be a total of ten teams in the fray with the home team going in with two teams one will be their Junior side called Young Gorkha Football Club. The Final is slated to be played on the 21st of December.
It might be added here that United Kurseong Football Club is also planning to try for a berth in the I-League Division 2. The ground work is almost complete and by hosting this tournament the UKFC management wants to give its players that much needed exposure.
United Kurseong Football Club has always been a tourch bearer of Football in the Darjeeling hills since its inception in the year 1989.During the 1990’s it was a force do be reckon with, in the Darjeeling District and the neighboring state of Sikkim, winning almost all the tournaments in this area, Now with the hosting of the “2nd Ladup, Chand Memorial Football Tournament” UKFC has once again proved that there is something special about this club and has set a benchmark for other Clubs to emulate.
Photo Courtesy- Keshav Tamang
LIST OF PARTICIPATING TEAMS
United Kurseong Football Club
Young Gorkha Football Club (UKFC Junior team)
Dharan XI (Nepal)
Chandragari FC (Nepal)
North Bengal State Transport Corporation (Siliguri)
Denzong Boyz ( Gangtok)
United Sikkim FC (Gangtok)
Tarun Sangha (Kolkata)
Kalimpong XI
Dogra Regiment
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