Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 31: Lone Star Kashmir in collaboration with Jammu and Kashmir Football Association (JKFA) today launched a historic professional Football Club in the State for prestigious I-League 2nd Division of All India Football Federation in an impressive and well attended function at Bharat Scouts and Guides Headquarter, Apsara Road, here.
Apart from the officer bearers of Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, women and men football teams and a large number of football lovers were present on the occasion.
Speaking during a press conference organized by JKFA, ex-president/patron of the Association, N A Khan and president Z A Thakur the day as the Golden day in football history of the State.
They said that the Club will consist of 26 players, which will include 3 foreigners, 3-4 Indians from other States and the rest from Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the Club apart from promoting the game of football in the State, will help it in preserving the present and getting back the past glory of the game.
General secretary of JKFA, S A Hamid said that JKFA can boast of producing 21 international footballers from the State, apart from producing 500 registered football clubs in the State.
The office bearers of JKFA said that it is the journey from amateur to professional and needs cooperation from all sides for smooth functioning, adding that the Club will serve a long way in providing the State teams and the players opportunity to play against the best in the Country, not to talk of the best in the World.
Iftiqar Lone, the owner of the Club said that it took almost one year in competing with the terms and conditions of All India Football Federation to launch the professional Club, adding that it was a dream come true for me and Mr Khan.
The Lone Star Kashmir Football Club Under-19 team is all set to take on Bengaluru FC in I-League Under-19 on February 1, 2015 at Ambedkar Stadium, New Delhi.
The women footballers of the State were felicitated by the Association on the occasion.
Prominent among others present on the occasion were SM Gill, Surinder Singh Bunty, Dr Nirmolak Singh, Narinder Gupta and Kuldeep Singh.
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