Bharatpedia

ARA FC

Ahmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club (Commonly known as ARA FC) is an Indian professional football club based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.[5] It currently competes in the I-League 2nd Division, the third tier of Indian football league system.[6] Thus ARA became the first professional team to compete in the nationwide league.[7] The club also competes in the GFA Senior Division League.

ARA FC
File:Official ARA FC Logo.png
Full nameAhmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club[1]
Nickname(s)The Alphas
Ahmedabad Alphas[2]
Founded2016; 9 years ago (2016)
GroundThe EKA Arena (Ahmadabad)
Capacity20,000
OwnerVikram Patel[3]
Head CoachVivek Nagul[4]
LeagueI-League 2nd Division
Current season

Their second and youth teams also play in Hero Sub-Junior League & Hero Elite League in Rest of India zone.[8]

HistoryEdit

On 19 July 2018, their academy were accredited and were given two stars based on their eligibility criteria which allowed them to play in Youth League U18.[9] On 20 November 2018, AIFF nominated ARA for proposed inclusion in the 2018–19 2nd Division League.[10] On 7 December, it was announced that ARA F.C.would be one of nine clubs to play that season.[11]

Home stadiumEdit

Main article: EKA Arena

ARA FC plays all their home matches of I-League 2nd Division at the EKA Arena, which has a capacity of 20,000 spectators.

EKA Arena
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Full nameEKA Arena by TransStadia
Address  India
LocationKankaria Lake, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Public transitJanmarg
AMTS
OwnerTransStadia and Government of Gujarat
Capacity20,000 (10000 more with temporary seats on the pitch area) (outdoor)[12]
SurfaceBermuda Grass
Construction
Opened7 October 2016
Construction costUS$ 82.15 million
ArchitectHolmes Miller & DSP Design Associates
Tenants
ARA F.C. (I-League 2nd Division)
Gujarat Fortune Giants (Pro Kabaddi League)
Website
http://transstadia.com/

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsorsEdit

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2018—present SEVEN Amul

Senior team squadEdit

As of 12 October 2019[13]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK   IND Ajmal Eranjhikkal
2 DF   IND Hardik Bhatt
4 DF   IND Vinay Vinay
5 DF   IND Muhsin Muzammil
6 DF   IND Shiva Kumar
7 MF   IND Abhishek Mhaske
8 DF   BRA Saulo De Aquino
9 FW   IND Amey Bhatkal
10 FW   IND Syed Shoaib Ahmed (Captain)
11 FW   BRA Marques Marcio de Oliveira
12 DF   IND Vikram Singh
13 GK   IND Calvin Abhishek
14 DF   IND Royal Wasker
15 FW   IND Mohammadyunus Syed
No. Pos. Nation Player
16 MF   IND Manik Haldar
17 MF   IND Jordan Fernandes
18 FW   IND Calvin Rosario Baretto
19 MF   IND Nirmal Singh Bisht
20 FW   IND Ayaan Ilyas Shaikh
21 MF   IND Aameen Goyal
22 MF   IND Muhammad Monis Siddique
24 DF   IND Abhishek Bhupendrakumar Tripathi
27 MF   IND Pratik Swami
28 GK   IND Abhishek Das
40 MF   IND Prohlad Roy
69 MF   IND Aditya Ashok Kumar Jha
— FW   NGA Joel Sunday

Current technical staffEdit

As of 12 November 2019
Position Name
Manager   Marmik Pandya
Technical Director   Vivek Nagul
Head Coach   Vivek Nagul
Assistant coach   Salim Pathan
Club physio   Falgun Bhatt

Team achievementsEdit

  • ADFA Ahmedabad District League 2nd Division
  Champions (1): 2017
  • ADFA Ahmedabad District League 1st Division
  Champions (1): 2018

RecordEdit

Season Div. Tms. Pos. Attendance/G Federation Cup/Super Cup AFC Champions League AFC Cup
2018–19 IL2 16 G4th 650 DNP DNP DNP
2019–20 IL2 18 Final round 4th – DNP DNP DNP
Key
  • Tms. = Number of teams
  • Pos. = Position in league
  • Attendance/G = Average league attendance

Head coach's recordEdit

updated on 5 September 2020

Name Nationality From To P W D L GF GA Win%
Vivek Nagul[14]   India 2018 2020 15 7 3 5 25 20 046.67
Manuel Retamero Fraile   Spain 2019 0 0 0 0 0 0 !—

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ "AHMEDABAD RACQUET ACADEMY FC". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  2. ↑ "ARA FC coach Nagul and captain Shoaib optimistic ahead of I-League qualifiers". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "ARA FC in I-league could be a gamechanger in state". ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  4. ↑ "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  5. ↑ Mohammedan Sporting to take on ARA in the I-League qualifiers indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021
  6. ↑ "I-League Qualifiers: ARA FC 0-2 Bhawanipore FC – Goals & Highlights!". Arunfoot.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Football: How ARA FC became Gujarat's first second division I-League club". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  8. ↑ "Summary – U18 League – India – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  9. ↑ "AIFF Academy accreditation for India results for 2018/19 season announced!". arunfoot.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  10. ↑ Scroll Staff. "Football: State associations nominate 23 teams for second division of I-League". scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  11. ↑ "Tentative decisions for 2nd Division League, Hero Super Cup announced". The Bridge. Retrieved 8 December 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ↑ "TransStadia Pitch". transstadia.com. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  13. ↑ "Senior Team".
  14. ↑ "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 26 March 2021.

External linksEdit

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