Chandigarh, June 20
Indian football took a big hit today with JCT FC, Phagwara, deciding to discontinue their association with the sport after a period lasting almost 40 years. The team that had been the backbone of football in Punjab and the entire region as well, will no longer be part of any tournament.

The decision comes at the backdrop of the team’s relegation to the second division following their dismal performance in the 2010-11 I-League season, where they had finished at the bottom of the table. There were also financial issues simmering in the club for the past couple of seasons as the dismal financial state of the League took a heavy toll on the organisers.

A statement issued by the club said, “JCT Limited has taken a strategic decision to pull out for the time being till football in India shows some possibility of generating value for corporates and their brands, besides bringing up popularity of football among youngsters. JCT Limited, being a corporate, needs to justify to its stakeholders the effort vs visibility of the football team.

“Samir Thapar, as President of Punjab Football Association (PFA), will continue to work with passion for strengthening the sport of football at grass-root level in Punjab and also through JCT Football Academy continue to find and train youngsters for tomorrow as the academy has been grooming champions for JCT and almost all football clubs of Indian football.”