Lahore, 23 April: Famous Football promoter Rai Saif ur Rehman Bhatti got the praise from Faisalabad football fraternity for 21st edition of National Challenge Football Cup (NFCC), sponsored by National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) at Bohranwali Ground, University of Agriculture Ground and PMC Ground of Faisalabad.
Former Faisalabad-based Pakistani National skipper Tanveer Ahmed and AFC AID 27 coach Muhammad Habib, gold medallist coach of National Games last year at Islamabad, thanked Pakistan Football Federation (PFF)’s President Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat and Bhatti for the annual event which will conclude on 27 April 2011.
“The soccer followers of city were anxiously waiting for a PFF show and Saif Bhatti came forwad to resuce Faisalabad Football . It is first PFF event at Faisalabad after 1985, ending a 31-year hiatus. Bohranwali Ground, the venue of 1995 Asian Club Championship clash between Crescent Textile Mills and Sri Lanka’s Saunders FC, became the main venue.
“formerly known as Lyallpur and third largest city in Pakistan after Karachi and Lahore. NFCC allotted to Faisalabad for the second time after the third edition in 1985 that saw HBL lifting the title at Peoples Colony. The same city hosted the 28th National Championship in 1980, with Karachi Red beating Army 5-1 in the Iqbal cricket stadia’s final. Faisalabad also hosted the part of national events in 1993, 1994 (home matches of Crescent Textile Mills) and 2007 to 2010 (home matches of PMC Athletico). Faisalabad also hosted PFF League, a B-Division competition, in 2006 at Agriculture University Ground when PTV overcame PMC 4-0 in the final.” added another football star, Faisalabad-born Imtiaz Butt who won Gold for WAPDA in National Games 1992 and went to Kannur as skipper along with Bhatti.
According to all officials of DFA Faisalabad, Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat’s superb football promotional work is in full swing who is taking fantastic strides in boosting football among Pakistani men and women.” We appreciated PFF Chief’s decision of circulating the event in order to get talents from far flung areas. We are well on the way to make it successful event under Faisalabad’s famous personalities as it is quite some time that PFF has awarded Faisalabad their event from Annual Calendar,” added Bhatti who represented Pakistan in 27th Asian Youth U19 Championship 1992 at Municipal Jawahar Stadium, Kannur (India).