Rovers Cup

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Rovers Cup
Rovers Cup Players.JPG
2nd Battalion of Middlesex Regiment after winning the Rovers Cup in 1926
Organising body Western India Football Association (WIFA)
Founded1891;134 years ago (1891)
RegionIndia
Current champions Mohun Bagan (14th title)
Most successful club(s) Mohun Bagan (14 titles) [1]

The Rovers Cup was an annual football tournament held in India, organized by the Western India Football Association. [2] [3] Incorporated in 1891, it was the third oldest tournament in India after Trades Cup. [4] [5] [6]

Contents

History

Rovers Cup was incorporated by some British football enthusiasts in Bombay, Bombay Presidency, in 1891, as a form of amusement. After the foundation of Bombay Football Association (BFA) in 1902, the tournament became well organized. Patronised by Justice Russell, the tournament was firstly opened to British teams. [7] Later in 1911, Western India Football Association was founded as a result of merger between BFA and Rovers Cup Committee. [8] [7] After justice Russel became president and P. R. Cadell became vice-president of WIFA, Indian clubs were given opportunity to participate, and Bengal United (a squad formed with Indian soldiers serving in British battalions) became first Indian team to compete. [7] The tournament was suspended from 1914 to 1920 due to the World War I. Some legendary players from Great Britain, including Arsenal winger Denis Compton, Scottish international Tommy Walker and English international Bobby Langton appeared in the tournament in mid-20th century with visiting overseas teams. [7]

A predecessor edition was held in 1890, where the First Worcester Regiment and its band and drums section participated. The First Worcester Regiment became first team to clinch the title in 1891. Mohun Bagan became the first non-army civilian club in the tournament to compete in 1923 and achieved runners-up position, after their 4–1 defeat to Durham Light Infantry. [7] Mohammedan Sporting from Calcutta became the first Indian club to win title, when they defeated Bangalore Muslims 1–0 in 1940. [9] Mohammedan later won 1956, 1959, 1980, 1984 and 1987 editions. [10] In the 1950s, Syed Abdul Rahim managed Hyderabad City Police formed their supremacy, [11] winning Rovers Cup consecutively from 1950 to 1954. [12] [13] In modern era, Iraqi club Salahaddin became the first foreign side to win trophy, when they defeated Mohammedan Sporting 2–1 in 1982. In 1958, Caltex Sports Club had the honor of becoming the first local team to win it, and Bengal Mumbai is the last local team to win title. [14] The championship was last time held in the 2000–01 season, when Mohun Bagan beat Churchill Brothers by 2–0 in the final.

After the inception of the National Football League, the Rovers Cup started facing problems. With huge costs and sponsorship deals issues, the tournament was finally dissolved in 2001. In 2007, the WIFA announced that they were making attempts to revive the tournament. [15]

Venue

The primary venue of the tournament was Cooperage Ground in Bombay (now Mumbai). [7] [16] The stadium, built over hundred years ago, hosted each and every edition of the tournament. [17]

Results

Pre-independence era (1891–1947)

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upNotes
1890 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 2–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Band & Drums of the Worcestershire Regiment
1891 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
1892 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 4–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bombay Rovers Club
1893 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
1894 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
1895 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots 3–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Welsh Regiment
1896 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
1897 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
1898 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
1899 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment 3–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
1900 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Black Watch 2–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry
1901 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire Light Infantry
1902 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
1903 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment 3–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots
1904 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment 2–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
1905 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment
1906 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots 1–1, 0–0, 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment
1907 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment 3–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 6th Battalion, Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)
1908 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Scots
1909 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 5–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment)
1910 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
1911 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
1912 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment 0–0, 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
1913 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Royal Scots 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
1914–20Tournament not held, due to World War I
1921 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1922 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry 3–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry
1923 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry 4–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Mohun Bagan [18]
1924 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment 0–0, 2–1 ( a.e.t. ) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Royal Scots
1925 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment 2–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, North Staffordshire Regiment
1926 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment 4–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
1927 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment 4–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
1928 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
1929 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment 4–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1930 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers 2–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1931 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment 2–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 16th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
1932 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Irish Fusiliers 3–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment
1933 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) 1–1, 2–2, 1–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
1934 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters 6–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
1935 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) 2–1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
1936 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, King's Regiment (Liverpool) 2–0 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 1st Battalion, Shropshire Light Infantry
1937 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bangalore Muslims FC 1–0 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Mohammedan Sporting
1938 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bangalore Muslims FC 3–2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1939 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 28th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery 2–0 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Howrah District XI
1940 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Mohammedan Sporting 1–0 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bangalore Muslims FC
1941 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg 2nd Battalion, Welch Regiment 2–0 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Mohammedan Sporting
1942 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bata Sports Club3–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Western India Automobile Association Staff
1943 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Royal Air Force 5–0 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Bombay City Police
1944 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Base Reinforcement Camp3–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Western India Automobile Association Staff
1945 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Corps of Military Police 0–0, 3–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Albert David XI (Calcutta)
1946 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Base Reinforcement Camp2–1 British Raj Red Ensign.svg Tata Sports Club
1947Tournament abandoned when the stands collapsed during the quarterfinal 1

Post-independence era (1948–2001)

YearWinnersScoreRunners-upNotes
1948 Bangalore Muslims FC 1–0 Mohun Bagan
1949 East Bengal 3–0 East Indian Railway
1950 Hyderabad City Police 1–0 Aryan FC
1951 Hyderabad City Police 2–0WIMCO (Western India Match Company, Madras)
1952 Hyderabad City Police 0–0, 1–0Bombay Amateurs
1953 Hyderabad City Police 2–0 Bangalore Muslims FC
1954 Hyderabad City Police 2–1 Flag of Pakistan.svg Keamari Union (Karachi)
1955 Mohun Bagan 2–0 Mohammedan Sporting [19]
1956 Mohammedan Sporting 3–1 Mohun Bagan
1957 Hyderabad City Police 3–0 Mohammedan Sporting
1958Caltex Club (Bombay)3–2 Mohammedan Sporting
1959–60 Mohammedan Sporting 0–0, 3–0 East Bengal
1960 Andhra Pradesh Police 1–0 ( a.e.t. ) East Bengal
1961–62 Elec. & Mech. Engineering Centre 1–0 Mohun Bagan
1962 Andhra Pradesh Police and East Bengal (joint winners) – 1–1, 1–1 2
1963–64 Andhra Pradesh Police 1–0 East Bengal
1964–65 Bengal Nagpur Railway 1–1, 1–0 Mohun Bagan [20]
1965Mafatlal Mills (Bombay)1–0 Mohun Bagan
1966–67 Mohun Bagan 1–0 Vasco SC
1967 East Bengal 0–0, 2–0 Mohun Bagan
1968 Mohun Bagan 0–0, 3–0Leader FC (Jalandhar)
1969 East Bengal 3–0 Mohun Bagan
1970–71 Mohun Bagan 0–0, 1–0 Mahindra United FC
1971–72 Mohun Bagan 1–0 Vasco SC
1972–73 Mohun Bagan and East Bengal (joint winners) – 0–0, 0–0 (a.e.t.) 3 [21]
1973–74 East Bengal 3–2Tata Sports Club
1974–75 Dempo SC 0–1, 1–0Tata Sports Club 4
1975–76 East Bengal 1–0Mafatlal Group
1976 Mohun Bagan 0–0, 1–0Mafatlal Group
1977 Mohun Bagan 0–0, 2–1Tata Sports Club
1978–79 Dempo SC 2–1Orkay Mills
1979–80 Dempo SC 2–0 JCT FC
1980 Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal (joint winners) – 1–1 (a.e.t.) 5
1981 Mohun Bagan 2–0 Mohammedan Sporting
1982 Flag of Iraq.svg Salahaddin FC 2–1 Mohammedan Sporting
1983 Flag of Iraq.svg Al-Jaish Army SC 2–1 Mohammedan Sporting
1984 Mohammedan Sporting 1–0 JCT FC
1985 Mohun Bagan 2–0 Salgaocar FC [22]
1986 Dempo SC 2–0 Mohun Bagan
1987 Mohammedan Sporting 2–0 Mohun Bagan
1988 Mohun Bagan 1–0 East Bengal
1989–90 Salgaocar FC 1–0 Dempo SC [23]
1990 East Bengal 1–0 Mahindra United FC [24]
1991 Mohun Bagan 1–0 Mohammedan Sporting
1992 Mohun Bagan 2–0 JCT FC
1993 Mahindra United FC 0–0 (3–0 p)Bank of India (Mumbai) 6
1994 East Bengal 2–1 Air India FC
1995 Flag of Oman.svg Oman Club 2–0 Sesa Sports Club
1996 Salgaocar FC 1–0 Air India FC [25]
1997 JCT FC 1–0 Churchill Brothers
1998 Bengal Mumbai FC 3–0 Central Railway SC [26]
1999 Salgaocar FC 1–0 Churchill Brothers [27]
2000–01 Mohun Bagan 2–0 Churchill Brothers

Notes:

1. ^ The tournament was abandoned when the stands collapsed during the quarterfinal between Mohun Bagan and 1st Bn, South Staffordshire Regiment
2. ^ Joint winners after replay
3. ^ Joint winners after replay
4. ^ Replay after first match was abandoned at 84', with the score at 0–1, as Dempo refused to continue after having a goal disallowed
5. ^ Joint winners
6. ^ Penalty shootout

Performance by teams

Performance by Indian teams

During its initial years, only British teams contested in the tournament. Mohun Bagan AC was the first Indian team to participate in this tournament on invitation in 1923, but they lost in the finals to Durham Light Infantry by 14 margin. The first Indian team to win this tournament was Bangalore Muslims, in 1937. [28]

Statistics: Teams with at least 2 wins, (including joint wins) [28]

#ClubWinsLast WinRunners-upLast Runners-up
1 Mohun Bagan AC 142000–01101987
2 East Bengal Club 10 [29] 199441988
3 Hyderabad City Police 9196311943
4 Mohammedan SC 6198791991
5 Dempo SC 4 [30] 198611989
6 Bangalore Muslims 3194821953
7 Salgaocar SC 3199911985

Performance by overseas teams

Overseas teams had often been invited to participate in Rovers Cup.

Winners

Runners-up

  • Flag of Pakistan.svg Kemari Union FC (1954)

See also

References

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Further reading

Bibliography

Others