Prestigious Bordoloi Trophy: How it became just another football tournament!

The Lokopriyo Bordoloi Trophy used to be one of the most-talked-about football tournaments in the country - a tournament the country’s top football clubs looked forward to with great deal of excitement every year. The Bordoloi Trophy soared in popularity in the sixties, seventies, eighties prompting the who’s who of Indian football to descend on Guwahati every year just to be part of this prestigious tourney.

The local challenge was spearheaded by the Assam Police team, which became the darling of the home fans and attained ‘celebrity’ status during that time. The manner in which Assam Police outwitted Kolkata’s Mohammedan Sporting and Goa’s Dempo Sports Club to win the 1971 and 1981 Bordoloi Trophy editions is still talked about with great pride even today.

No one can deny the fact the Bordoloi Trophy got a massive ‘lift’ from the regular presence of the ‘Big 3’ from Kolkata – Mohun Bagan, East Bengal and Mohammedan Sporting. In fact, Kolkata clubs made it a habit to lay their hands on the Bordoloi Trophy. Mohun Bagan hit a purple patch in the seventies - winning the tournament four times in a row – 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977 editions, and till date has the record of winning the tournament on most occasions – seven times. 

Even Mohammedan Sporting and East Bengal maintained Kolkata clubs’ stranglehold on the Bordoloi Trophy, cornering glory five times. In the mid-sixties, Aryan Club also won the tournament twice on the trot. How can we forget Khidderpore Sporting Union and Eastern Railway SC? They, too, won the coveted title once.

The profile of the Bordoloi Trophy was further beefed up by the participation of foreign teams. Bangkok Port Authority (Thailand) was the one of the standout foreign teams – winning the crown thrice besides a solitary runners-up finish. Iranian club Esteghal also showcased their skills in the tournament, winning the 1989 edition. Uzbekistan-based Narbakhar Club stamped their authority in the 1998 edition when they humiliated TRAU, Imphal 10-1 – the biggest victory margin in a Bordoloi Trophy final.

Even in the nineties, big clubs did take part in the Bordoloi Trophy but their presence paled in comparison to the earlier three decades, as only handful of biggies turned up. The 2001 and 2007 wins of Mohun Bagan and Port Authority of Thailand only underline the behind-the-scenes role played by the organizers to pull in crowd-pulling teams.

One is not sure whether the timing of the Bordoloi Trophy has anything to do with its dipping popularity. Most of the top teams are busy playing in the I-league or other major domestic tourneys, conveniently giving the Bordoloi Trophy a miss. It is easy to fathom that the organizers face a herculean task landing major sponsors for this tournament and lack of sponsors coupled with the tournament’s timing could be the roadblocks towards enhancing its profile in recent years.

Rewind to the present: The recently-concluded 2012 Bordoloi Trophy was a sad as well as a frustrating reminder of the tournament’s glorious past. Like the 2011 edition (Royal Wahingdoh defeated Langsning Club in an all-Shillong affair), this year’s edition was also an all-Northeast affair. This year, the tournament earned a dubious distinction – the non-participation of the Assam Police team for the first time in its 61-year history.

For the statistically-minded, Oil India Limited FC, Duliajan won the 2012 Bordoloi Trophy for the third time, easing past Assam Rifles, Tezpur 4-1. OIL’s earlier wins came in 1990 and 2008. Assam Rifles’ lone Bordoloi Trophy win came in 1964 and they settled for a bridesmaid finish for the fifth time this year – jointly holding the most runners-up record with Mohammedan Sporting.

Surely, the pomp and fervor with which the Bordoloi Trophy used to be conducted in the 60s, 70s and 80s appears to be a thing of the past. Now, the staging of this tournament seems more like a mere formality than anything else.

The sorry state of affairs throws up one crucial question: Can we hope to see the Bordoloi Trophy relive its earlier golden days? Only time will tell!