Chirag United Club Kerala

Not to be confused with Prayag United S.C..

Chirag United Club Kerala

Full name	Chirag United Club Kerala
Founded	May 9th 2004 as Viva Kerala FC
Ground	Kaloor International Stadium University Stadium (Capacity: 60,000 (JNS) 15,000 (US))
Owner	Chirag Computers
Manager	Pakir Ali
League	I-League
2010–11	I-League, 10th
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Chirag United Club Kerala is an Indian professional football club based in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala India. The club was formed in 2004, with Chirag computers as the main sponsors. They play in the I-League, the top tier of Indian Football.

History

For more details on this topic, see History of Chirag United Club Kerala.

Chirag United Club Kerala was formed on August 8, 2004. The club officially took off on August 19 in a ceremony at the FACT grounds. The club was formed by group of businessmen who felt the need for the state's representation in country's top football league, the National Football League (NFL). Viva Kerala's name is the result of a contest, won by Dr. P Ramakrishnan of Ernakulam.

In 2007 the opportunity for a NFL spot came in the way of Second Division NFL. Viva surprised everyone by finishing second in its group and qualified for the final phase. In the final phase, Viva Kerala finished as runners-up of the Second Division NFL to book their place in the I-League 2007-08 on 6 April 2007. The club were then relegated back to 2nd division at the end of I-league 2007-08. Then the next season Viva Kerala were promoted back to the I-League for the 2009-10 season.

In 2010 it was announced that I-League clubs needed to complete the AFC club licensing criteria. In order to do so, Viva had signed P.K Kunhikrishnan (A-licensed coach) as the new Head coach. Then in August 2011 it was announced that Chirag Computers would be the new majority owners and with doing so changed the club name to Chirag United Club Kerala.

Crest

The Chirag Crest is a yellow background with a palm tree behind in the background with the words Chirag United Kerala on the front.

• 

  Chirag's first crest from 2004-2011

Stadiums

Ever since their creation Chirag United Kerala have played in two different stadiums. For their first three I-League seasons Chirag used the Municipal Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode which holds a capacity of 53,000. They then after getting bought by Chirag Computers decided to move to the Kaloor International Stadium in Kochi which boasts a capacity of 60,000 and has working floodlights. In 2011-12 season of I-League, Kaloor International Stadium in Kochi will host 8 matches and 5 matches will be hosted by University stadium in state capital Trivandrum.

The Kaloor International Stadium getting ready for a cricket match

Ownership

The club sense founding was ran by Musli Power X-tra (Kunnath Pharmaceuticals) mainly due the Power X-tra being major sponsors of the team. In July 2011 after not signing for then Viva Kerala, Chirag Computers came in a brought full stake in the club and changed the name to Chirag United Club Kerala. ^[1]

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors

Kit manufacturers

• 2011-present: RP Clothing

Shirt sponsors

• 2011-present: Chirag Computers

Players

Current Squad

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

No. Position Player 1 GK Sharath Kuniyil 2 DF Kodakkath Noushad 3 DF Charles Dzisah 4 MF Krishnan Nair Ajayan (captain) 5 DF Jagdeep Singh 6 DF Isaac Boakye 7 DF Sabas Saleel 8 MF Pradeep Mohanraj 9 MF Asif Kottayil 10 MF Kalia Kulothugan 11 FW Michael Matricciani 12 DF Ummer P

No. Position Player 13 DF Mohammed Muneer 14 DF Faisal Thottiyil 15 DF Gurjinder Singh 18 MF P Rahul 19 FW OK Javed 20 FW Jimshad Uzhunnan 21 DF Sherin Sam 22 MF C.K. Vineeth 23 MF Gunashekar Vignesh 25 FW Manoj Manoharan 27 GK Arindam Ghosh — FW Anil Kumar

Staff

Main article: List of Chirag United Club Kerala managers

Position	Name
Manager	Pakir Ali
Assistant manager	Vacant
First team coach	Vacant
Goalkeeping coach	Vacant
Physiotherapist	Vacant
Club doctor	Vacant

Honors

For more details on this topic, see Chirag United Club Kerala seasons.

Domestic

• I-League 2nd Division

Runners-up (1): 2009

References

1. ^ "I-League: Viva Kerala Renamed As Chirag United Kerala - It’s Turning Into An Absolute Joke". Goal.com. 7 August 2011. http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/1064/i-league/2011/08/07/2608448/i-league-viva-kerala-renamed-as-chirag-united-kerala-its-turning-. Retrieved 24 October 2011.