ARA FC

Ahmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club (commonly known as ARA FC Gujarat) is an Indian professional football club based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.[7][8] They have competed in the I-League 2nd Division.[9][10][11] Thus ARA FC became the first professional team from Gujarat to compete in the nationwide league.[12][13] The club also competes in GFA Senior Division League.

ARA FC Gujarat
Full nameAhmedabad Racquet Academy Football Club[1]
Nickname(s)The Alphas
Ahmedabad Alphas[2]
Short nameARA[3][4]
Founded2016 (2016)
GroundEKA Arena
Capacity20,000
OwnerVikram Patel[5]
Head coachVivek Nagul[6]
LeagueGFA Senior Division League
I-League 2nd Division
WebsiteClub website

Their second and youth teams play in both Hero Sub-Junior League and Hero Elite League.[14]

History

Academy and early years

Ahmedabad Racquet Academy (ARA) started its journey as a professional multi-sports academy in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which mainly consists of racquet sports and has been running since 2011 and began participating in Ahmedabad Junior league.[15][16] The football club was among the newest projects established by the academy in recent times as an initiative by owner Vikram Patel.[5][17]

Formation of club

The existing academy owned by Patel emerged as ARA FC in 2016 to ensure development of football in the Indian state of Gujarat.[17] On 19 July 2018, their academy were accredited and given two stars based on eligibility criteria, which allowed them to play in Youth League U18.[18] ARA as a club became affiliated with Gujarat State Football Association (GSFA) in 2017,[19] and began competing in the ADFA Premier Division League.[20][21]

2018–present

On 20 November 2018, AIFF nominated ARA for proposed inclusion in the 2018–19 2nd Division League.[22][23] On 7 December, it was announced that ARA FC would be one of nine clubs to play that season.[24] Thus the Ahmedabad-based club became the only team from the state competing in a domestic tier league.[25]

In their maiden I-League 2nd Division in the 2018–19 season,[26] ARA finished on fourth place in Group A with 11 points in 8 matches as Lonestar Kashmir progressed to the final round.[27][28]

They were nominated for participating in the 2021 I-League Qualifiers, since emerging victorious in Gandhinagar Premier League.[29] They began their journey with a 1–1 draw against Corbett FC on 5 October at the Bangalore Football Stadium[30] but did not advanced to the final round.[31]

Home stadium
EKA Arena by TransStadia, home ground of ARA

ARA FC plays its home matches at the EKA Arena, which has a capacity of 20,000 spectators.[32] The stadium is located in Kankaria Lake, Ahmedabad, and has additional 10,000 temporary seats on the pitch area.[33]

Panoramic view of the stadium

Kit manufacturers and shirt sponsors
Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor
2018–2021 SEVEN[34] Amul[35]
2021–present Decathlon Sports

Current squad

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
— DF  IND Vinay
5 DF  IND Muhsin Muzammil
6 DF  IND Shiva Kumar
7 MF  IND Abhishek Mhaske
— FW  IND Amey Bhatkal
— FW  IND Syed Shoaib Ahmed (Captain)
12 DF  IND Vikram Singh
13 GK  IND Calvin Abhishek
14 DF  IND Royal Wasker
15 FW  IND Mohammadyunus Syed
16 MF  IND Manik Haldar
17 MF  IND Jordan Fernandes
18 FW  IND Calvin Rosario Baretto
No. Pos. Nation Player
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
25 FW  IND Alen Deory
27 MF  IND Pratik Swami
40 MF  IND Prohlad Roy
69 MF  IND Aditya Ashok Kumar Jha
9 FW  SEN Hamidou Dieye
10 MF  NGA Bala Dahir
4 FW  UZB Vladislav Nuriev

Current technical staff
As of 12 November 2019
Position Name
Team manager Marmik Pandya
Head coach Vivek Nagul
Assistant coach Salim Pathan
Physio Falgun Bhatt

Honours

League
  • ADFA Ahmedabad District League 2nd Division
    • Champions (1): 2017[36]
  • ADFA Ahmedabad District League 1st Division
    • Champions (1): 2018[36]
  • Gandhinagar Premier League
    • Champions (1): 2020–21

Cup
  • Heritage Cup Jaipur
    • Champions (1): 2020

Records
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

Managerial record

updated on 25 October 2020

NameNationalityFromToPWDLGFGAWin%
Vivek Nagul[37]  India 2018 2021 19 7 4 8 28 29 036.84
Manuel Retamero Fraile  Spain 2021 0 0 0 0 0 0 !—

Notable former players

For current and former notable ARA FC players with a Wikipedia article, see: ARA FC players.

See also

References
  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. "Match report: ARA vs Hindustan". i-league.org. Archived from the original on 5 December 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. "ARA 5–0 Mumbai City Reserves". All India Football Federation. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. "ARA FC in I-league could be a gamechanger in state". ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 10 December 2018.
  6. "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  7. "ARA FC official page". Facebook. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  8. Mohammedan Sporting to take on ARA in the I-League qualifiers indiatvnews.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021
  9. 2nd Division League: Matchday 13 (30/03-06/04) The Away End. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  10. "I-League Qualifiers: ARA FC 0-2 Bhawanipore FC – Goals & Highlights!". Arunfoot.com. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. Eighteen teams, including 7 reserve sides of ISL clubs to contest in revamped 2017-18 Second Division league First Post. Retrieved 28 July 2021
  12. "Football: How ARA FC became Gujarat's first second division I-League club". Scroll.in. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  13. "2nd Division League: Matchday 13 [30/03-06/04]". theawayend.co. The Away End. Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 30 October 2021.
  14. "Summary – U18 League – India – Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  15. ARA FC scripts stunning wins The Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  16. "Ahmedabad Baby League: Flory FC Wins 5-3 Against ARA FC". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  17. "Football: How ARA FC became Gujarat's first second division I-League club". Scroll.in. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  18. "AIFF Academy accreditation for India results for 2018/19 season announced!". arunfoot.com. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  19. "Dhanraj Nathwani unanimously elected president of GSFA". 7 August 2017.
  20. ADFA 1st Division League: AFC On The Move Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 4 October 2021
  21. Ahmedabad District Senior Football League Gets Underway The Times of India. Retrieved 4 October 2021
  22. Scroll Staff. "Football: State associations nominate 23 teams for second division of I-League". scroll.in. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  23. "ARA vs Hindustan". i-league.org. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  24. "Tentative decisions for 2nd Division League, Hero Super Cup announced". The Bridge. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  25. "I-League 2nd Division 2018-19, prilimenary round summary". Soccerway.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  26. "Hero 2nd Division League set to kick-off on January 12". i league. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
  27. "ARA FC of to a flier". Ahmedabad Mirror. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
  28. I-League 2nd Division 2018-19 detailed statistics soccerway.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021
  29. ARA FC became champions of Gandhinagar Premier League facebook.com. Retrieved 29 July 2021
  30. I-League Qualifiers 2021: ARA FC Strike Late to Hold Corbett FC to 1-1 Draw News18. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  31. Hero I-League Qualifires 2021 the-aiff.com. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  32. "ARA FC off to a flier". ahamedabadmirror.Indiatimes.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  33. "TransStadia Pitch". transstadia.com. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
  34. "ARA FC coach Nagul and captain Shoaib optimistic ahead of I-League qualifiers". The Times of India. 3 October 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  35. "Aiming to make Gujarat proud, ARA FC prepare for I-League Qualifiers challenge". devdiscourse.com. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  36. "Football: State associations nominate 23 teams for second division of I-League". Scroll.in. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  37. "HEARTBROKEN BUT UPBEAT: ARA FC HEAD COACH VIVEK NAGUL". Ahmadabad Mirror. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
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