iSport | For the Fans, by the Fans

Pune: In it’s first step towards turning into  professional football club , city’s leading football club,   Deccan XI Football Club will be issuing contracts to the players playing of the A team of the club for the 2009-10 season to mark  the Silver Jubilee Year of the club. This will be for the first time in the history of football in the city, that a football club other than Pune F.C. (City’s only professional club) will be paying players fees under contract to represent the club.

Under the terms of the contract, players will be paid match fees for representing the club for the season 2009 -10. Aim is to enable the players to earn money while playing for the club which in turn will definitely contribute to the development of the game and increase opportunities for upcoming football players.

The Deccan XI  Club’s professional training methods   will also enable to maximize the player development process and increase the opportunity of the players to play at the highest level.

This is the first step the club has taken  with an aim of turning professional . The club has made plans to achieve their main objective to play  the 2nd Division of the AIFF I-League in the coming  5 years. Founded in 1985, as a means of recreation, Deccan XI over the years, has had over 500 players   representing the club at various events.

The strength of the club over the past 25 years however has been that, these ex- players have been associated with the club in one way or the other. Presently the club is managed by a host of current and past players along with likes of Suvrat Thatte (the only Indian to have worked for the Asian Football Confederation).

Deccan XI Football Club is the only club in Pune having three teams playing in the PDFA leagues. The A Team plays in the Super Division where it finished runners up in the recently concluded Peninsula Land PDFA Super Division League 2008-09. The B Team and the C Team play in the Second Division of the PDFA. 

In the past 10 years the club has won more than 40 tournaments and the PDFA league 7 times. It is the only team from Pune to win the All India Abhijeet Kadam Memorial Football Tournament in the inaugural year , the team has also won  the prestigious Kedari Redekar All India Tournament in Ghadinlaj in 2005.

Currently there are about 120 registered players with the club with about 40 players in the age group of 3-8 years making the Deccan XI F.C. the only club in Pune having a proper and successful youth system. Majority of these players then go on to represent the Deccan XI F.C. A team, B team or the C team. 

Many players have represented university, district & state team. Some of outstanding players include   Neelesh Natu who was a member of the Maharashtra Football team in the National Games in Manipur which won the Gold Medal, Abhijit Shinde who has represented Maharahtra in the Santosh Trophy, captained the state Under 21 and Under 19 teams, captained the Kolhapur University football team 5 times and has played for RCF a professional football club.

Meanwhile it was also announced that trials will be held to recruit players for the 2009-10 season by the club in the first week of July 2009. For further details regarding the trials kindly contact : Suvrat Thatte on 9881099904.

Following is the snapshot of the team in the last two seasons:

Tournaments won from 2007 - 08
PDFA Challenge cup – winners, Dhumal Katchi – Runner-up , Qualified for super division – 3rd in league ,VOBA– Runner-up , Poona social invitational – Runner up

2008-09
Late Gaikwad cup – Winner , Guru Ta Gaddi – winners , Tegh Bahadur Cup – Runner up , PDFA Super division League - Runner - up