Football is something every Shillongite keeps close to his heart. Affectionately known as the Scotland of the east, this paradise like hill station with merely a population of two lakhs have always embrace football be it the FIFA world cup, the UEFA European cups, the EPL, the I-league or even the local Shillong super division league. A walk in the street during the World cup or the European cup is sure to give you a fair indication of how much this city breathes football.
Shillong Lajong FC was the first team from the North-East to qualify for I-league; their first home match against Air India in 2009 drew an astounding crowd of 30,000 fans. Such a huge turnout of football-mad fans was hardly ever seen in Indian football, barring the famous Kolkata derby.
Fast forward to Shillong Lajong’s home match in 2016, the attendance have been really low with an average of only six to seven thousand. Even the anticipated North-East derby against Aizawl FC could only draw seven and half thousand fans. Where did the crowd disappear? Let’s look at the different reasons that could have dwindled the number of fans coming to the stadium.
#1 Shillong Lajong’s poor run of form
For a team that has played in India’s top division for five consecutive seasons, to be still embroiled in the relegation tussle in nearly every season has been a reason of frustration for fans. Lajong somehow avoided the drop in the previous season in their very last match courtesy of Cornell Glen’s hat trick against Kingfisher East Bengal.
A new look team hasn’t done them any better. This season too seems to be heading the same way like the previous season, flirting with the relegation line.
What has further dampened the spirit of the fans this season apart from the relegation tussle is also the toothless attack of Lajong. The I-League seeason has seen them score only twelve goals from their fourteen matches so far.
#2 – The rise of ISL
Without any argument the quality of football on show in the ISL is way more pleasing to the eye than that of the I-league. Guwahati being just some 100 km away from Shillong, sees a large numbers of travelling fans from Shillong for North East United home games.
Such intensity and level of football in India with a galaxy of International stars has never been seen on Indian shores. This is sure to attract not only football lovers but also an average sports fan. Having witnessed such quality display of football in the stadium as well as in the televisions, one can wonder why one would pay to watch teams as well as a league that is infeirior in quality.
#3 – Too much of Football?
Although this seems unlikely; but it very well could be the reason behind empty stands in Shillong. The year 2013 and the following year 2014 saw another two clubs from Shillong Rangdajied United and Royal Wahingdoh qualify for the I league.
Thus, in the past two seasons the city has witnessed a rush of football matches which might be a tad too much for their liking? Unlike the Kolkata giants like East Bengal and Mohun Bagan who have their own dedicated fan base, Shillong fans has yet to embrace a similar culture. Hence, you will find the same fans watching a Shillong Lajong FC match and also turning up for a Royal Wahingdoh or a Rangdajied FC match
#4 – Lesser number of Khasi players in the playing eleven
During the first season of Lajong in the league, an average of six to seven Khasi players would start in a match. This seems to be working well for the fans since the very word Lajong means “our own”. With each passing season, the team has come to be dominated with young talents from Mizoram and Manipur.
Fans seem to have not taken this too well with many making their voices heard in social media and asking the management to give importance to local talents. At the moment Aiborlang Khongjee who is also the captain of the side and Samuel Shadap are the the only local lads with regular starts for the side. The same can also be said about Royal Wahingdoh and Rangdajied United which had few local lads in their team.
With this year season coming to a close and Shillong Lajong FC still fighting to avoid the drop, it will be interesting whether the fans would turn up for the final home match against East Bengal on 24th of March.
