KOLKATA: Five years ago it was on this day that Mohun Bagan's homecoming was celebrated with a rousing reception -- fans pouring on the streets to celebrate Kolkata's first-ever
I-League
title.
But the gravity of the victory did not really hit the players till they saw tens of thousands of fans throng the streets in Kolkata upon landing -- along the 25km-stretch from the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport to the Mohun Bagan Club Tent in Maidan.
"We were still discussing about previous night -- Bello's header and our fight against
Bengaluru FC, that too at their home ground," said India defender
Pritam Kotal
, who was then with Mohun Bagan as quoted by the-aiff.com.
"But when we landed we were awe-struck. Such was the jubilation that a journey to the Mohun Bagan club tent which would generally take around 45-minutes took us almost 5 hours, as the team bus meandered its way through throngs of jubilant supporters," Kotal recalled.
"All we could see was people. Football had brought everyone to celebrate on the roads. We were stopping at every 5 metres. But that stoppage was all about moving forward -- football was being celebrated, and in what a spirit. Football had made life in Kolkata come to a standstill."
Mercurial striker
Jeje Lalpekhlua
who hails from the football-crazy state of Mizoram expressed he has never seen anything like the victory parade of that day.
"It was massive. It seemed the entire city had come to take part in the victory parade. I never felt that celebrations could have been so unique," Jeje stated.
"I've seen a lot of passionate football fans back home in Mizoram but this was one sight I have never seen anywhere. And it still stays with me."
Then Mohun Bagan coach
Sanjoy Sen
said it was the relief of winning the I-League that brought out such a momentous celebration among the fans in Kolkata.
"The roads were jammed. It was a sea of heads -- the sea of Green and Maroon. Kolkata knows how to celebrate and on that day, the fans brought back memories of yesteryears," said Sen. "It just goes to show how well-knit football is within the culture of the people of Bengal," he said.
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