Chandigarh: As the countdown begins for the debut in the top tier of the Indian football, Northern powerhouse Minerva Punjab FC, who are the sole representatives from Punjab and precisely the Northern Part of India, are shouldering the responsibility of the sports crazy region with high expectations.
Minerva Punjab FC announced Gurgaon-based T10 sports as their official kit sponsors for the season.
The team was built up in a short period keeping in mind its main focus being Youth Development necessary for long term upliftment of the sport in the region.
The helm of the team has been handed over to local Chandigarh Coach Surinder Singh who previously was the Assistant Coach of Pailan Arrows and Indian National Junior Teams. He was also instrumental in guiding the team to the runners up position in their debut in the I-League 2nd Division.
Former Indian National Team Technical Director & Head of Youth Development Colm Toal will be deputed as the Technical Director of the team.
The Club will play all its home matches at Guru Nanak Stadium, Ludiana and will provide free entry to all its fans and also organise various competitions during the match days in the stadium and also on its social media platform.
List of players
1. Arshdeep Singh (GK) – AIFF Elite Academy, India U-16 & India U-19
2. Ravi Kumar (GK) – Former India U-19, Sporting Club De Goa & Delhi Dynamos
3. Kamaljit Singh (GK) - Former India U-19, Sporting Club De Goa
4. Vishal Kumar - Former India U-16, U-19, U-23 & Bengaluru FC
5. Deepak Devrani – Former India U-19, U-23 & Mohun Bagan
6. Kamalpreet Singh – AIFF Elite Academy / India U-16, India U-19
7. Harpreet Singh – Sporting Club De Goa
8. Gurjinder Kumar – Former U-23, Indian National Team & FC Pune City
9. Jovel Martins – Sporting Club De Goa
10. Ramandeep Singh – Kerala Blasters
11. Arashpreet Singh - Minerva Punjab FC Youth Development Program
12. Krishna Pandit – Former captain of India U-16
13. Loveday Enyinnaya – Sporting Club De Goa
14. Nuruddin – Former India U-16, U-19 & FC Pune City
15. Palsang Lama – Nepal National Team
16. Rakesh Oram - AIFF Elite Academy, India Junior Teams & Mumbai City FC
17. Moinuddin – AIFF Elite Academy & India U-19
18. Prosenjit Chakraborty – AIFF Elite Academy, FC Metz Academy (France), India Junior Teams & Chennaiyin FC
19. Altamash Syed – FC Pune City Academy & Pune FC
20. Bedeshwor Singh - AIFF Elite Academy, FC Metz Academy (France), India Junior Teams & Chennaiyin FC
21. Lalrempuia Fenai – Former India U-19 & FC Pune City
22. Simranjeet Singh – Mohun Bagan
23. Souvick Das – Sporting Club De Goa
24. Germanpreet Singh – Former India U-19, India U-23 & Indian National Team / Dempo SC
25. Vinit Rai - Former India U-20, U-23 & Kerala Blasters
26. Anirudh Thapa - AIFF Elite Academy, FC Metz Academy (France), India Junior Teams & Chennaiyin FC
27. Victor Amobi – Former Best Player of Neopal Football League
28. Manandeep Singh – Former India Junior Teams & Indian National Team player / Kerala Blasters
29. Boaringdao Bodo - AIFF Elite Academy, FC Metz Academy (France), India Junior Teams & Chennaiyin FC
30. Joel Sunday – Aizawl FC
31. Uttam Rai - AIFF Elite Academy, FC Metz Academy (France), India Junior Teams & Chennaiyin FC
The fixtures are as follows:
8 JANUARY (SUNDAY) CHENNAI CITY FC vs MINERVA PUNJAB FC 4.30pm NEHRU STADIUM, CHENNAI
13 JANUARY (FRIDAY) AIZAWL FC vs MINERVA PUNJAB FC 1.30pm RAJIV GANDHI STADIUM, AIZAWL
17 JANUARY (TUESDAY) MOHUN BAGAN vs MINERVA PUNJAB FC 4.30pm RABINDRA SAROBAR STADIUM, KOLKATA
21 JANUARY (SATURDAY) SHILLONG LAJONG vs MINERVA PUNJAB FC JAWAHARLAL NEHRU STADIUM, SHILLONG
29 JANUARY (SUNDAY) MINERVA PUNJAB FC vs KINGFISHER EAST BENGAL 4.30pm GURU NANAK STADIUM, LUDIANA
1 FEBRUARY (WEDNESDAY) MINERVA PUNJAB FC vs CHURCHILL BROTHERS 4.30pm GURU NANAK STADIUM, LUDIANA
4 FEBRUARY (SATURDAY) MINERVA PUNJAB FC vs MUMBAI FC 4.30pm GURU NANAK STADIUM, LUDIANA
11 FEBRUARY (SATURDAY) BENGALURU FC vs MINERVA PUNJAB FC 7.00pm KANTEERAVA STADIUM, BENGALURU
15 FEBRUARY (WEDNESDAY) MINERVA PUNJAB FC vs DSK Shivajians 7.00pm GURU NANAK STADIUM, LUDIANA
Rest of the fixtures is yet to be finalised.
