 | ||||
| Full name | Downtown Heroes Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Heroes | |||
| Short name | DHFC | |||
| Founded | 2020 | |||
| Ground | TRC Turf Ground | |||
| Capacity | 11,000 | |||
| Chairman | Irfan Shahmiri | |||
| Head coach | Hilal Rasool Parray | |||
| League | JKFA Professional League | |||
| Website | Club website | |||
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Downtown Heroes Football Club is an Indian professional football club based in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. It currently competes in the I-League 2 and the JKFA Professional League.[1][2][3][4][5]
History
The club was founded in 2020 by a group of young professionals with the aim of promoting sports culture and steering the youth away from drug addiction. The club's philosophy is to nurture football talent at the grassroots level and provide high quality training facilities and coaching to develop world-class players. Their motto is "Players are bred, not born".
Downtown Heroes FC aims to channel the energy of the region's youth towards positive goals through sport. Concerned by the growing menace of drug addiction among the valley's young people, they decided to set up a football club to foster a culture of sportsmanship and provide an outlet for young talent.
The club is named after the downtown area of Srinagar where the founders first started holding practices and scouting for talented young players. The club participated in the 2023 Durand Cup where they finished at the group stage.
Stadium and facilities
The first team trains at Islamia College in the heart of downtown Srinagar. The club's youth academy operates at Rainawari.
The women's team holds its practice sessions at Government Degree College Bemina in Srinagar.
Performance
The long-term vision is for Downtown Heros FC to become a powerhouse of Kashmiri football and compete at the highest levels of Indian football, bringing greater sporting glory to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The club also aims to produce players good enough to represent India at international tournaments.
Club culture
Downtown Heroes FC places strong emphasis on positive values such as teamwork, integrity, and community service. Players are expected to participate in grassroots coaching clinics and charitable initiatives.
The club wishes to be a positive role model and source of aspiration for the valley's youth. It aims to unite people across social and political divides through the power of football.
Honours
- Christmas Gold Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2023[6]
References
- ↑ "JKFA Professional League". The Away End. 12 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
- ↑ Downtown Heroes. "Downtown Heroes". Archived from the original on 30 November 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ SMSala. "Downtown Heroes FC and AG's XI ends with draw". Rising Kashmir. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Desk, K. R. (28 December 2022). "Downtown Heroes FC management meets AIFF top brass". Kashmir Reader. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ Excelsior, Daily (7 June 2022). "Downtown Heroes FC unveils kit for new season". Jammu Kashmir Latest News | Tourism | Breaking News J&K. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ↑ "Advisor Bhatnagar witnesses finals of 17th Christmas Gold Cup Football Championship". statetimes.in. 22 December 2023. Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 3 January 2024.