Lajong SSC
Encyclopedia
Shillong Lajong Football Club is a I-League
football club from Shillong
, Meghalaya
. The club was established in 1983 with the prime objective of improving the diminishing standard of football in the state, and to spot, train and nurture local talent. In the local Khasi language
Lajong translates to “our own”.
Headquartered in Shillong, Lajong has access to the largest student population in the North-East and hence the football talent right from a young age. Lajong is under professional management and has a strong fan base across the North-East, which is being actively developed.
Together with a group of friends and supporters they commissioned a semi –professional club aptly called Lajong Football Club literally translating into “Our own” or “of the people”.
In 1983 the club played in the 3rd Division of the Shillong Sports Association League and was the champion being then promoted to the 2nd Division and similarly the same year in 1984 was promoted to the First Division of the league. Things started to change rapidly after the title clash for the Shillong Championship was inevitably poised against the Blue Max FC another professionally organized club which later changed itself Langsning Sports Club of today. It was only in 1989 that Lajong FC finally annexed the championship for the first time.
In 1990 Lajong FC became the Meghalaya Invitation Cup champion beating Nabajyoti FC the Guwahati champions in the finals, seven years after its maiden entry.
In 2009 Lajong FC joined the I-League 2nd Division
which is the second highest national league in India. After one season in the second division Lajong was promoted to the I-League
, which is the highest league in India.
Shillong Lajong gained promotion to the I-League
for the 2009-10 season, and had appointed former Salgaocar and East Bengal coach Stanley Rozario for their first season in India's top flight.
They played their first match in I-League
in 2009 and lost to JCT FC 1-5. In there first ever home match in the I-League
, they defeated Air India
3-0 in front of 30,000 people. In their second home match, they lost to Mohun Bagan 2-1, in front of a home crowd of 30,000.
At the end of the I-League
season, Shillong was relegated to the 2nd division of I-League
, the I-League 2nd Division
after finishing the season in last place.
For the 2011 season Shillong participated in the I-League 2nd Division
. Do to Shillong hosting the 2011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round
they were able to skip the group stages and go straight into the Final Round.
They ended there one year stint in the I-League 2nd Division
with a 1-0 victory over Mohammedan SC
on May 13, 2011 after which they got promoted back to the I-League for 2011-12.
season Shillong Lajong F.C. are using the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
in Imphal
after the Nehru Stadium
in Shillong
is under renovation.
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
football club from Shillong
Shillong
-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
, Meghalaya
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is a state in north-eastern India. The word "Meghalaya" literally means the Abode of Clouds in Sanskrit and other Indic languages. Meghalaya is a hilly strip in the eastern part of the country about 300 km long and 100 km wide, with a total area of about 8,700 sq mi . The...
. The club was established in 1983 with the prime objective of improving the diminishing standard of football in the state, and to spot, train and nurture local talent. In the local Khasi language
Khasi language
Khasi is an Austro-Asiatic language spoken primarily in Meghalaya state in India by the Khasi people. Khasi is part of the Austroasiatic family of languages, and is fairly closely related to the Munda branch of that family, which is spoken in east&endash;central India.Although most of the 865,000...
Lajong translates to “our own”.
Headquartered in Shillong, Lajong has access to the largest student population in the North-East and hence the football talent right from a young age. Lajong is under professional management and has a strong fan base across the North-East, which is being actively developed.
History
During the finals of the Meghalaya Invitation Cup in 1982, two football enthusiasts Shri Kitdor Syiem and Shri P. D. Sawyan saddened by the continuous failure of the Shillong teams to make it to the final stages of the tournament formed a football club to reverse the trend.Together with a group of friends and supporters they commissioned a semi –professional club aptly called Lajong Football Club literally translating into “Our own” or “of the people”.
In 1983 the club played in the 3rd Division of the Shillong Sports Association League and was the champion being then promoted to the 2nd Division and similarly the same year in 1984 was promoted to the First Division of the league. Things started to change rapidly after the title clash for the Shillong Championship was inevitably poised against the Blue Max FC another professionally organized club which later changed itself Langsning Sports Club of today. It was only in 1989 that Lajong FC finally annexed the championship for the first time.
In 1990 Lajong FC became the Meghalaya Invitation Cup champion beating Nabajyoti FC the Guwahati champions in the finals, seven years after its maiden entry.
In 2009 Lajong FC joined the I-League 2nd Division
I-League 2nd Division
The I-League 2nd Division is the second highest division of football in India after the I-League....
which is the second highest national league in India. After one season in the second division Lajong was promoted to the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
, which is the highest league in India.
Shillong Lajong gained promotion to the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
for the 2009-10 season, and had appointed former Salgaocar and East Bengal coach Stanley Rozario for their first season in India's top flight.
They played their first match in I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
in 2009 and lost to JCT FC 1-5. In there first ever home match in the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
, they defeated Air India
Air India (football club)
Air India FC, is an Indian professional football club founded in 1952, based in Mumbai, Maharashtra. They are sponsored by Air India under the management of T.K. Singh and have enjoyed some success in the Maharashtrian Football and the NFL India. They play in the I-League and Mumbai Super Division...
3-0 in front of 30,000 people. In their second home match, they lost to Mohun Bagan 2-1, in front of a home crowd of 30,000.
At the end of the I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
season, Shillong was relegated to the 2nd division of I-League
I-League
The I-League is an Indian football league for association football clubs. At the top of the Indian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 14 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation of two teams each year with the I-League 2nd Division...
, the I-League 2nd Division
I-League 2nd Division
The I-League 2nd Division is the second highest division of football in India after the I-League....
after finishing the season in last place.
For the 2011 season Shillong participated in the I-League 2nd Division
I-League 2nd Division
The I-League 2nd Division is the second highest division of football in India after the I-League....
. Do to Shillong hosting the 2011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round
2011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round
2011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round involves eight teams, two from every group of 2011 I-League 2nd Division plus Shillong Lajong FC and Sporting Clube de Goa...
they were able to skip the group stages and go straight into the Final Round.
They ended there one year stint in the I-League 2nd Division
I-League 2nd Division
The I-League 2nd Division is the second highest division of football in India after the I-League....
with a 1-0 victory over Mohammedan SC
Mohammedan Sporting Club (Kolkata)
Mohammedan Sporting Club, founded in 1891 at Kolkata, is one of the oldest and leading football clubs in India. The club currently plays in the second division of I-League and premier division of CFL....
on May 13, 2011 after which they got promoted back to the I-League for 2011-12.
Colors
The official colors of Lajong are Red and White. The home jersey is all red while the away jersey is all white.Stadiums
For the 2011–12 I-League2011–12 I-League
The 2011–12 I-League is the fifth season of the I-League since its establishment in 2006. The season began in October 2011 and is due to end in May 2012. Salgaocar are the defending champions, having won their 1st league title the 2010–11 championship....
season Shillong Lajong F.C. are using the Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
Khuman Lampak Main Stadium
Khuman Lampak Main Stadium is an stadium in Imphal, India. It is used mostly for football and athletics. The stadium holds 30,000 people and was built in 1999. This stadium lies inside the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.-Upgrade:...
in Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
after the Nehru Stadium
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium is a football stadium in Shillong, Meghalaya, India. It is used mainly for football and hosts the home matches of Shillong Lajong FC of the I-League. The stadium has a seating capacity of 25,000 spectators.-External links:*...
in Shillong
Shillong
-Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
is under renovation.
Current roster
As of 24 January 2011.Team Management
- As of 8 November 2011.
Position Name Manager Pradyum Reddy Pradyum ReddyPradhyum Reddy is a British football manager who currently manages Shillong Lajong F.C. of the I-League. . He is a Scottish-born Indian. In 2011 Reddy guided Lajong to the 2011 I-League 2nd Division title which also got Lajong promotion to the I-League again....Assistant manager Larsing Ming Sawyan First team coach Thangboi Singto Youth team coach Bobby Nongbet Fitness coach Soumya Bhattacharjee Physiotherapist Batli Juben Tariang Head of youth development Pynshai Dunn
Domestic
- I-League 2nd DivisionI-League 2nd DivisionThe I-League 2nd Division is the second highest division of football in India after the I-League....
- Winners (1): 20112011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round2011 I-League 2nd Division Final Round involves eight teams, two from every group of 2011 I-League 2nd Division plus Shillong Lajong FC and Sporting Clube de Goa...
- Federation CupFederation Cup (India)The Federation Cup is an annual knockout style club football tournament in India. It has started in 1977. From its inception till I-League has been started in 1997 , it was the most prestigious national level club football tournament in India...
- Runners-up (1): 2009-10