Peerless SC

Peerless Sports Club[4][5] (formerly known as Peerless FC), or simply Peerless, is an Indian professional football club based in Kolkata, West Bengal.[6] Founded in 1993, the club is owned by Peerless Group and currently competes in the Calcutta Premier Division A.[7][8][9][10][11]

This article is about the Kolkata based football club. For the business conglomerate in Kolkata, see Peerless Group.

Peerless SC
Full namePeerless Sports Club[1]
Nickname(s)Peerless
Short namePSC
Founded1993 (1993)[2]
GroundVarious
OwnerBengal Peerless Housing Devpt
ChairmanPatit Paban Ray[3]
ManagerHemanta Dora
LeagueCalcutta Premier Division

The club had refused to take part in the I-League 2nd Division owing to financial matters. After the three Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan AC, SC East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting, Peerless is considered as the strongest side from the city of joy.[12]

History

Peerless as a club began their journey from Kolkata Maidan, the home of Kolkata football. The club is founded in 1993 and owned by its parent organization Peerless Group, a business conglomerate in Kolkata.[13]

Shabbir Ali was the coach of Peerless during their early seasons.

Earlier in the 90s, the club competed in the Calcutta Premier League second division. Former India international Shabbir Ali was in charge of the club and under his coaching, Peerless promoted itself from the first division to the CFL Super Division in 1993–94 season.[14][15][16][17]

In 2018, the club signed Trinidad and Tobago international Anthony Wolfe ahead of their CFL season.[18] Thus he became the club's first and only footballer who has appeared in the FIFA World Cup.[19][20] In 2019, Peerless created history after winning the 2019–20 Calcutta Premier Division,[21] defeating their archrivals; three Kolkata giants. The club managed by Jahar Das, emerged as the first small club since 1958 to win the Calcutta Football League.[22] In that season, they reached the quarter-finals of the 2020 IFA Shield.[23]

As defending champion, Peerless began their 2021–22 Calcutta Premier Division journey on 17 August, defeating Kidderpore FC 4–1.[24][25] They reached the knock-out stages after finishing as Group-B topper but lost 4–0 to Railway FC in the quarter-finals. In June 2022, the club roped in Soren Dutta as head coach and Iranian former footballer Jamshid Nassiri as technical director.[26] In July, they participated in Naihati Gold Cup and their campaign ended with a 0–0 (5–4) defeat to United SC in semi-finals. In September, the club fought in group stages of the Calcutta Premier Division but failed to reach the "super six" round.[27]

In June 2023, the Indian Football Association (IFA) announced the merger of both Premier Division A and B of the Calcutta Football League, ahead of its 125th edition, in which Peerless was allowed to compete in Group I.[28][29][30]

Ownership and finances

Peerless Sports Club (formed in 1993) is currently owned by Peerless Group, its major holding company is Peerless General Finance & Investment Co Ltd, which is India's Registered Residuary non-banking Company.[31] It has subsidiaries like Peerless Hospital, Bengal Peerless (real estate), Kaizen Holidays and others.

Patit Paban Ray, a board member of Bengal Peerless Housing Development Co Ltd, is currently the chairman of Peerless Club.[32]

Stadium
Main articles: Barasat Stadium and Rabindra Sarobar Stadium
White gate with stone pillars and a tree
Entrance of the Barasat Vidyasagar Krirangan.

Peerless plays most of their home matches of Calcutta Football League Premier Division A at both the Barasat Stadium and Rabindra Sarobar Stadium.[33]

Honours
Jahar Das was the manager who led the team to Calcutta Football League victory.

League

Cup

Peerless SC scripted history in 2020, as they became the only club outside Kolkata's "Big Three" (Mohun Bagan AC, East Bengal FC, and Mohammedan Sporting) to win the Championship in 61 years; Eastern Railway did the same back in 1958.[42][43]

Players

First-team squad
As of 27 June 2023

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK India IND Sanjoy Kumar Bhattacharrya
2 DF India IND Ksankupar D Khongmalai
3 DF India IND Sourauv Ram Paul
5 DF India IND Stephanson Pale
6 DF India IND Israfil Dewann
7 FW India IND Dawanshwa Carlos Challam
15 MF India IND Donborlang Nongkynrih
16 MF India IND Benjamin Lupheng
17 MF India IND Donlad Diengdoh
41 FW India IND Raikutshisha Buam
44 MF India IND Henry Marvinsson Marboh
No. Pos. Nation Player
12 FW India IND Wanboklang S Lyngkhoi
20 GK India IND Shubham Dhas
14 FW India IND Nikelsson Bina
18 DF India IND Amit Tudu (captain)
26 MF India IND Pynshondorlang Shadap
25 DF India IND Harshaa Parui
24 MF India IND Sajan Shahhani
35 DF India IND Mohamed Aftab Alam
36 FW India IND Manostosh Majji
22 MF India IND MC Mawsawzuala
37 DF India IND Indrajit Singh Bedhi

Notable players

For all current and former notable Peerless SC players with a Wikipedia article, see: Peerless SC players.

World Cup player

Managerial history
NameNationalityYearsNote
Shabbir Ali India1993–1995[14]
Biswajit Bhattacharya India2018–2019[46][47]
Jahar Das India2019–2021[48][49]
Subrata Bhattacharya jr. India2021–2022[50]
Soren Dutta India2022–2023[26]
Hemanta Dora India2023–present[26]

See also

References
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