Pritam Roy, who is an engineer by profession, heaped praise on the Minerva Punjab FC for their contribution in... Read More

PANCHKULA: A man flying all the way from London, students from Kolkata touring with their favourite team without the permission of their parents and men and women coloured in red and blue — meet the fans of East Bengal who enlivened the Tau Devi Lal Stadium here on Tuesday as they cheered their team to a 1-0 victory over Minerva Punjab FC in an I-League match.

Apart from all passionate fans among the 50-odd East Bengal supporters, one of the most vocal and colourful was Pushpala Nag. The 40-year-old had painted his face red and blue and was wearing the team flag as bandana. A police inspector in Kolkata, he has hardly missed any match of East Bengal, either home or away. “Look we Bengalis love our fish and our club. I am travelling with the team for the past seven or eight years. I am just following the legacy that I had received from my family. We worship this club like our mother,” said Nag, with a heavy Bengali accent

When asked about his painted face, he quickly replied “It was a routine for me I do this in every single game of East Bengal, although it takes me two and half hours to paint it, but as I said anything for my club.”

Shubhojit Dasgupta, a loyal fan of East Bengal, who has spent all his savings on this unplanned travelling, believes it is just the passion for the club that has enticed him to come so far for the game.

“I am studying law there and East Bengal FC is my boyhood club. I am supporting the club since my childhood. During our WhatsApp group chat, one of my friends asked me I should come and watch the game because it can decide the eventual winner of the I-League. I collected my stuff and I am here,” said Dasgupta.

Pritam Roy, who is an engineer by profession, heaped praise on the Minerva Punjab FC for their contribution in the Indian football.

“They will dominate the Indian football in the coming years, mark my word. They are also nourishing the home-grown talent as well.”

Roy said, “All other clubs in India should take note from Minerva. The only we can change the standard of Indian football is producing indigenous talents from our own country.

