Professionalism, Planning, Vision! Despite Defeat in the Durand Final, Abhishek’s Diamond Harbour Advances on the Path to Becoming Kolkata’s ‘Fourth Giant'. Three and a half years ago, the journey to fulfill MP Abhishek Banerjee’s dream began with Diamond Harbour. While it is true that they could not secure the Durand Cup victory, they are nonetheless steadily advancing toward becoming Kolkata’s ‘fourth major club.’
Introduction:
Nearly four years ago, on a Bengali New Year’s Day—when he founded the Diamond Harbour Football Club with a fresh vision—Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee perhaps could not have even imagined that his team would reach the final of the 2025 Durand Cup. The endeavor he initiated to promote football within his parliamentary constituency and to nurture local Bengali talent reached new heights this Saturday. It is through the mantra of professionalism, meticulous planning, and a visionary approach to football that they have managed to come this far. Reaching the final in a pan-Indian tournament of this stature—in their very first appearance—is no small feat.
Mohun Bagan, Mohammedan, and East Bengal—these three clubs have dominated the Kolkata Maidan for over a century. They have emerged as the ‘Three Majors’ of Kolkata, and indeed, of Indian football. Many football clubs have risen and fallen before and after their time; eventually, they were lost to the sands of time. Today, Kolkata football recognizes primarily these three clubs. Now, Diamond Harbour has begun to challenge that undisputed dominance. They are signaling their intent to become Kolkata’s ‘fourth major club.’ The Durand Cup trophy may not have found a place in their cabinet, but at a time when the ‘Three Majors’—East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, and Mohammedan—have faltered, Diamond Harbour has successfully reached and played in the final. If they subsequently win the I-League and secure an opportunity to play in the ISL, nothing will be able to stop Diamond Harbour from formally becoming Kolkata’s fourth Giant. Abhishek became the Member of Parliament for Diamond Harbour after winning the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. Exactly three years later, in 2017, he launched the ‘MP Cup.’ His objective was to foster interest in football among the people of his constituency and to unearth local footballing talent. From its very inception, the ‘MP Cup’ proved to be a resounding success. The popularity of the event continued to soar day by day. Every year, new footballing talents are seen emerging through this competition. It was during this period that the idea of establishing a football club first crossed Abhishek's mind. On the day of the 2019 'MP Cup' final, Abhishek announced that a football club would be formed based in Diamond Harbour.
Covid Pandemic and the Gorgeous advent of DHFC:
That vision suffered a setback with the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the efforts to establish the football club continued quietly behind the scenes. Finally, on April 15, 2022—the first day of the Bengali New Year—the Diamond Harbour Football Club was officially born. A slogan was coined: 'Damdar Diamond Harbour' (The Mighty Diamond Harbour). With the support of the IFA, the club qualified to play in the First Division right from its inception. From the very beginning, the club's operations were characterized by sheer professionalism. Everything—from managing various social media pages and the official website to player recruitment and infrastructure development—was executed with meticulous precision. Initially, the team was coached by former national footballer Krishnendu Roy. Later, Kibu Vicuña—the coach who had guided Mohun Bagan to an I-League title—was brought in to take charge of the team.
Initially, Diamond Harbour conducted its training sessions at the ground in Batanagar. They have since relocated to the grounds of the Bidhannagar Sports Complex. Thanks to Diamond Harbour's initiative, that venue has undergone a complete transformation. In the early days, several trials were held in Batanagar to recruit players for the squad. Simultaneously, the process of signing players from various other clubs across the Indian football landscape was also set in motion. Finally, on July 26, 2022, Diamond Harbour took the field against Port Trust in the First Division of the Calcutta League—marking their very first competitive match.
Speaking about the club's formative days ahead of their match against East Bengal, Kibu took a nostalgic dive deep into his memories. He remarked, “Three years ago, we took the field in Batanagar against Port Trust. Three years later, we are stepping out for the Durand Cup semi-finals. We are playing against a formidable opponent like East Bengal. We’ve certainly come a long way, haven’t we? We started from scratch. I remember that we even had to hold trials because we didn't have any players in the squad. That was an incredibly difficult period. Finally, we have received our reward for it.”
Diamond Harbour was promoted from the First Division of the Calcutta League to the Premier Division the very next year. Last season, they continued to surprise everyone in the Premier Division, finishing near the top of the table. When the IFA declared East Bengal the champions, Diamond Harbour filed a lawsuit in the High Court. A verdict on that case is still pending. If the High Court rules in Diamond Harbour’s favor, they will earn the distinction of being crowned champions of the Premier Division as well.
Path Way to Success:
Success has not remained elusive in national-level competitions either. By winning the I-League 3, they qualified to play in the I-League 2. After winning that title as well, they have now qualified to compete in the main phase of the I-League this year. They went undefeated in the I-League 2, not losing a single match. Their current objective is to win the I-League and qualify for the ISL. To achieve this, they have signed Luka Majcen, Clayton Silveira, and Míchel Cortéz from Punjab FC. Their squad also features seasoned veterans of domestic football, such as Jobby Justin and Holicharan Narzary.
Kolkata’s "Big Three" clubs boast massive fan bases. To establish itself as the "Fourth Major Club," Diamond Harbour must also build a strong foundation of supporters. Although the process is gradual, Diamond Harbour is steadily moving in that direction. As they represent a specific geographical region, they naturally enjoy the support of the local community; however, football enthusiasts from other areas are also increasingly extending their support to the club.
