The Magic of Real Kashmir

SRINAGAR On November 6 and 11, history was made at Srinagar’s TRC ground when Real Kashmir FC, Kashmir’s first ever football club to qualify for I-League, clashed against Churchill Brothers and Neroca FC respectively in their home debut. The match with Churchill Brothers ended in a draw and the one against Neroca FC ended in a defeat.

Other than just a victory or defeat, Real Kashmir had a profound symbolic significance for the Valley. The Real Kashmir boys had overcome great odds to break into the game’s top flight in India. Beginning around the time of 2014 floods which sunk parts of Srinagar and swathes of North and South Kashmir, the boys also had to grapple with the reigning political turmoil and the violence in the Valley to pursue their dream. And they made it come true, when early this year they beat Hindustan FC 3-2 in Bengaluru, thus becoming the newest team to gain entry into the I-League. They emerged winners as they secured seven pointsfrom two wins and a drawfrom three matches in the final round. Only the winning team of the second division I-league is promoted to the I-League. And Real Kashmir FC won the second division and secured place in the top flight. The team is now playing the I-League season 2018-19, its first ever. And it has already begun it with a bang. On October 31, they defeated the defending champions Minerva Punjab 1-0 in their debut match at Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. The win suddenly put the team in national spotlight. So when the team successively squared up against Churchill Brothers and Neroca at Srinagar in what were the first such national level clashes, it was a remarkable feat for not only Real Kashmir but also for Kashmir as well. And as a testimony to this fact, more than twelve-thousand spectators had turned up to witness the match against Neroca FC in freezing cold weather. And watching with pride and a smile on the face was the ex-Rangers footballer David Robertson, the Real Kashmir coach.Robertson, 50, a former player, arrived in Valley in January 2017 and ever since then has been tirelessly working on the team and eventually succeeding in turning its performance around. And with the entry of Real Kashmir into I-League, Robertson’s efforts have been splendidly rewarded. Real Kashmir looks forward to a world of possibilities. The team that wins I-League qualifies for participation in the AFC Asian Champions League. This puts a club on an international map. The I-League is one of the two top football leagues in the country, the other being the Indian Super League. The I-league is contested by 11 teams and runs from Mid-October to March with the teams playing 20 matches each.

With further matches lined up, Real Kashmir is beginning to produce awareness in Kashmir as well as across India. After exceptionally gaining entry into I-League, who knows Real Kashmir could end up winning the I-League.

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