Bhutia final whistle for club

RAJEEV RAVIDAS, TT, 24 Sep 2019, Gangtok: These are not the best of times for Sikkim football. The state's premier division S-League remains stalled mid-season, the Sikkim Football Association (SFA) has failed to field a team in the ongoing Santosh Trophy and now the iconic Bhaichung Bhutia has announced he is winding up his team, United Sikkim Football Club (USFC).

WIND-UP DECISION AFTER RIFT WITH SOCCER BODY

USFC was formed by the former India captain and two of his friends, Sherap Lepcha and Arjun Rai in 2004. It remains the only club from the football-crazy state to have featured in the I-League, the country's premier tournament before the birth of Indian Super League (ISL) in 2013.

"There are primarily two reasons for shutting down the club. One, Arjun, Sherap and I want to focus on grassroots football and two, since Arjun and I are now members of SFA, there is a conflict of interest," said Bhutia.

USFC reached its pinnacle when it played the 2012-13 season of I-League after winning the qualifying tournament the previous year. However, it was relegated to the second division league the following season and since then has been bossing the SLeague, winning four titles so far. "(Shutting down) was a very painful decision to take since this was our baby that we have nurtured for 15 long years. We managed to take it to the top 10 clubs of India...It has been a great 15 years with United Sikkim," said an emotional Bhutia.

The shutdown of USFC comes at a time when Sikkim football is facing its worst crisis with both players and clubs revolting against the SFA. Sikkim was to have played its first match in the East Zone qualifier of the Santosh Trophy on Monday, but could not field a team in the wake of a revolt by some players against the association and the S-league had to be stopped midway after a boycott by majority of the clubs.

Bhutia termed the walkover in Santosh Trophy the "darkest day" of football in Sikkim..