2023–24 NEROCA FC season

NEROCA
2023–24 season
Head coach	Jacob Joseph; (until 9 February 2024); Gyan Moyon ; (from 5 November to 9 February 2024)
Stadium	SSA Stadium
I-League	12th
Top goalscorer	League: Ansumana Kromah (6); All: Ansumana Kromah (6)
Highest home attendance	2,500; (v. Shillong Lajong,; 18 February 2024)
Lowest home attendance	50; (v. Churchill Brothers,; 8 March 2024)
Average home league attendance	356
	← 2022–23 2024–25 →

The 2023–24 season was the 58th season of NEROCA FC in existence and seventh season in the I-League.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

NEROCA had a poor campaign and could gather only 13 points from 21 matches. Their loss against Real Kashmir on 30 March 2024 confirmed their relegation to I-League 2.^[6] By then, they had managed four wins, one draw, and 16 losses.^[7] Their final fixture of the season was cancelled after they refused to travel to Aizawl citing security concerns.^[8] The final game they played was at home against Gokulam Kerala on 7 April 2024, which ended in a 0–3 defeat.^[9]

Players

First-team squad

As of 30 January 2024

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
1	GK	IND	Soram Poirei
2	DF	IND	Balwinder Singh
3	DF	IND	Surajit Seal
4	DF	IND	Likmabam Rakesh Meitei
6	MF	IND	Sarif Khan
7	FW	LBR	Ansumana Kromah
8	MF	IND	Aniket Panchal
9	FW	LBN	Haidar Awada
11	MF	IND	Nonganba Akoijam
12	DF	IND	Waikhom Rohit Meitei
13	MF	JAM	Fabian Reid
14	MF	IND	Lourembam David Singh
15	MF	CIV	Adama Coulibaly
16	DF	IND	Manoranjan Singh
18	DF	SLE	David Simbo (captain)
19	MF	IND	Sajal Bag
21	GK	IND	Priyant Singh
23	MF	IND	Baoringdao Bodo


No.	Pos.	Nation	Player
24	FW	IND	Arghya Roy
25	MF	IND	Jonychand Singh
26	DF	IND	Wangkhei Olen Singh
30	MF	IND	Sushil Meitei
31	GK	IND	Irengbam Santosh Singh
40	MF	IND	Tangva Ragui
44	DF	IND	Nongthombam Ronaldo
66	DF	IND	Safiul Rahman
78	MF	IND	Anirudh Tumuluru
88	MF	IND	Tarak Hembram
99	FW	GHA	Ibrahim Nurudheen
—	MF	IND	Chunsaba Bariam
—	MF	IND	Thoi Singh
—	DF	IND	Pandia Rajan
—	GK	IND	Chris Johnson
—	DF	IND	Lallenmang Sitlhou
—	FW	IND	Yumnam Singh
—	MF	IND	Kiran Pandhare

New and extended contracts

Date	Position	Name
10 September 2023	MF	Tangva Ragui
10 September 2023	DF	Likmabam Rakesh Singh
10 September 2023	GK	Soram Poirei
15 September 2023	DF	Waikhom Rohit Meitei
15 September 2023	MF	Nonganba Akoijam
15 September 2023	MF	Lourembam David Singh
17 September 2023	DF	David Simbo

Transfers

Transfers in

Date	Position	Name	From	Fee	Ref.
1 September 2023	MF	Thoi Singh	Real Kashmir	None	^[10]
1 September 2023	DF	Surajit Seal	ARA FC	None
1 September 2023	DF	Monoranjan Singh	Bhawanipore	None
2 September 2023	GK	Priyant Singh	Kidderpore	None	^[10]
3 September 2023	MF	Sushil Meitei	Kickstart	None	^[10]
3 September 2023	DF	Balwinder Singh	Real Kashmir	None
4 September 2023	MF	Sarif Khan	TRAU	None
6 September 2023	DF	Pandia Rajan	Valadares Gaia	None
7 September 2023	DF	Safiul Rahman	Mohammedan	None
9 September 2023	GK	Chris Johnson	Salsette Football Club	None
13 September 2023	FW	Arghya Roy	Kidderpore	None
13 September 2023	MF	Tarak Hembram	United SC	None
14 September 2023	DF	Wangkhei Olen Singh	Delhi	None
14 September 2023	MF	Aniket Panchal	Mumbai Kenkre	None
14 September 2023	MF	Anirudh Tumuluru		None
30 September 2023	MF	Bogdan Gavrila	Dinamo București	None
30 September 2023	DF	Marius Leca	Afumați	None
1 October 2023	MF	Mohammad Saukat		None
6 October 2023	FW	Vivek Singh		None
11 October 2023	MF	Sajal Bag	Chennaiyin	None
16 October 2023	FW	Haidar Awada	Ahli Nabatieh	None
5 November 2023	MF	Fabian Reid	Arnett Gardens	None
25 November 2023	FW	Ansumana Kromah	Bodoland FC	None	^[11]
10 January 2024	MF	Adama Coulibaly	Kasuka	None
12 January 2024	FW	Ibrahim Nurudheen	Al-Hurriya	None
30 January 2024	MF	Kiran Pandhare	Real Kashmir	None
15 February 2024	MF	Baoringdao Bodo		None

Loans in

Date from	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Date until	Ref.

Transfers out

Date	Position	Name	To	Fee	Ref.
1 April 2023	FW	Jourdain Fletcher	Mount Pleasant	Free Agent
1 June 2023	MF	Naorem Tondomba Singh	Mumbai City	Loan Return
7 July 2023	DF	Thokchom James Singh	Mohammedan	Free Agent
23 July 2023	MF	Mirjalol Kosimov	Mohammedan	Free Agent	^[12]
27 July 2023	FW	Surchandra Singh	BSS Sporting	Free Agent
27 July 2023	MF	Thomyo Shimray	SC Bengaluru	Free Agent
27 July 2023	GK	Shubham Dhas	Inter Kashi	Free Agent
1 August 2023	MF	Benjamin Lupheng		Free Agent
1 August 2023	DF	Thokchom Johnson Singh		Free Agent
1 August 2023	GK	Md Abujar		Free Agent
1 August 2023	DF	Abhisekh Saikia		Free Agent
1 August 2023	DF	Yuno Richard Thaikho		Free Agent
1 August 2023	FW	Souma Das		Free Agent
1 August 2023	DF	Aimol Reamsochung		Free Agent
27 October 2023	FW	Lunminlen Haokip	Churchill Brothers FC	Free Agent
03 January 2024	DF	Marius Leca		Free Agent
03 January 2024	FW	Bogdan Gavrila		Free Agent

Pre-season and friendlies

16 September 2023 Friendly	NEROCA	2–1	Manipur State Team	Imphal
09:00 IST			Aniket Panchal jonychand	Stadium: SAI Football Ground

30 September 2023 Friendly	NEROCA	2–0	Classic FA	Imphal
09:00 IST			Arghya Roy Tarak Hembram	Stadium: Loitang Football Arena

Competitions

I-League

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
9	Aizawl	24	6	9	9	36	35	+1	27
10	Namdhari	24	7	6	11	29	40	−11	27
11	Rajasthan United	24	6	7	11	40	63	−23	25
12	NEROCA (R)	24	4	3	17	26	61	−35	15	Relegation to I-League 2
13	TRAU (R)	24	4	2	18	26	64	−38	14	Relegation to I-League 2

Source: I-League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Total goal difference; 5) Total number of goals scored; 6) drawing of lots
(Note: Head-to-head record is used only after all the matches between the teams in question have been played).
(R) Relegated

Matches

Note: I-League announced the fixtures for the 2023–24 season on 6 October 2023.^[13]

29 October 2023 (2023-10-29) 1	Sreenidi Deccan	4–0	NEROCA	Hyderabad
16:30 IST	Castañeda 22', 84' (pen.) Lalromawia 57' R Lalbiakliana 90+5'	Report		Stadium: Deccan Arena Attendance: 750 Referee: Akashkumar Mehta Man of the Match: David Castañeda (Sreenidi Deccan)

5 November 2023 (2023-11-05) 2	Gokulam Kerala	4–1	NEROCA	Kozhikode
19:00 IST	Nili Perdomo 28' Álex Sánchez 48', 86' (pen.) Justine Emmanuel 84'	Report	David Simbo 83'	Stadium: EMS Stadium Attendance: 10,485 Referee: K. Ramadasan Man of the Match: Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala)

9 November 2023 (2023-11-09) 3	Shillong Lajong	1–1	NEROCA	Shillong
14:00 IST	Daniel Gonçalves 34'	Report	Fabian Reid 79'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Man of the Match: Renan Paulino (Shillong)

14 November 2023 (2023-11-14) 4	NEROCA	1–3	Aizawl	Kolkata
19:00 IST	Tarak Hembram 33'	Report	Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia 62', 81', 90+6'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Man of the Match: Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia(Aizawl)

18 November 2023 (2023-11-18) 5	NEROCA	2–1	Namdhari	Kolkata
19:00 IST	Sushil Meitei 37' Aniket Panchal 90+1'	Report	Imanol Arana 63'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Man of the Match: Imanol Arana (Namdhari)

23 November 2023 (2023-11-23) 6	NEROCA	0–4	Real Kashmir	Kolkata
16:30 IST		Report	Mohammad Asrar Rehber 11' Gnohere Krizo 19' Jeremy Laldinpuia 64' Mohamad Maksoud 90+5'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Man of the Match: Muhammad Hammad(Real Kashmir)

27 November 2023 (2023-11-27) 7	Delhi	3–4	NEROCA	Bhaini Sahib
14:00 IST	Aroldinho 81' Sérgio Barboza 85', 90'	Report	Tangva Ragui 16' Balwinder Singh 73' David Singh 77' Aniket Panchal 78'	Stadium: Namdhari Stadium Man of the Match: David Simbo (NEROCA)

1 December 2023 (2023-12-01) 8	NEROCA	1–3	Inter Kashi	Kolkata
19:00 IST	Meitei 63'	Report	Lamela 28', 45+5' J. Singh 90+4'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Referee: Kynsanphar Lyngdoh Nongum Man of the Match: Jordan Lamela (Inter Kashi)

9 December 2023 (2023-12-09) 9	Churchill Brothers	4–1	NEROCA	Vasco
19:00 IST	Faisal Ali 9', 15' Stendly Fernandes 32' Ricardo Dichiara 90+4'	Report	Ansumana Kromah 47'	Stadium: Tilak Maidan Man of the Match: Faisal Ali (Churchill)

15 December 2023 (2023-12-15) 10	NEROCA	3–4	Rajasthan United	Kolkata
19:00 IST	Dário Júnior 45+3' (o.g.) Ansumana Kromah 81' Lourembam David 86'	Report	Syed Suhail Pasha 24' Lalchungnunga Chhangte 45+4' Richardson Denzell 53', 84'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Man of the Match: Richardson Denzell (Rajasthan United)

24 December 2023 (2023-12-24) 11	Mohammedan	2–1	NEROCA	Kolkata
19:00 IST	Lalhlansanga 19' Fanai 30'	Report	Simbo 50'	Stadium: Naihati Stadium Attendance: 1,821 Referee: Anand Rana Man of the Match: Lalremsanga Fanai (Mohammedan)

14 February 2024 (2024-02-14) 14	Namdhari	3–2	NEROCA	Bhaini Sahib
14:00 IST	Akashdeep Singh 35' Harmanpreet Singh 43' Amey Bhatkal 90+2'	Report	Sajal Bag 24' Sarif Khan 83'	Stadium: Namdhari Stadium Attendance: 300 Referee: Lakshay Man of the Match: Akashdeep Singh (Namdhari)

18 February 2024 (2024-02-18) 15	NEROCA	0–2	Shillong Lajong	Shillong
16:30 IST		Report	Lhuid 52', 62'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Surojit Das Man of the Match: Kynsaibor Lhuid (Shillong Lajong)

23 February 2024 (2024-02-23) 16	NEROCA	1–2	Delhi	Shillong
19:00 IST	Coulibaly 59'	Report	Muratov 4' Rawat 21'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Jatinder Singh Man of the Match: Shokhrukhbek Muratov (Delhi)

27 February 2024 (2024-02-27) 17	Inter Kashi	3–1	NEROCA	Kalyani
16:30 IST	Lalrindika 45+3' Md. Asif 67' Barco 73'	Report	Lourembam David Singh 53'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Attendance: 187 Referee: Williams Joy Koshy Man of the Match: Edmund Lalrindika (Inter Kashi)

8 March 2024 (2024-03-08) 18	NEROCA	2–3	Churchill Brothers	Shillong
19:00 IST	Kromah 8' Panchal 45+3'	Report	Abdou Karim Samb 22', 75', 86'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 50 Referee: Mithun Kumar Kundu Man of the Match: Abdou Karim Samb (Churchill Brothers)

11 March 2024 (2024-03-11) 19	Rajasthan United	5–1	NEROCA	Bhaini Sahib
14:00 IST	Richardson Denzell 20' Marin Mudrazija 26', 54', 80' Sairuat Kima 90'	Report	Lourembam David Singh 40'	Stadium: Namdhari Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Tanmoy Dhar Man of the Match: Marin Mudrazija (Rajasthan United)

17 March 2024 (2024-03-17) 20	NEROCA	0–2	Mohammedan	Shillong
16:30 IST		Report	Eddie Hernández 42', 55'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 150 Referee: Jehrul Islam Man of the Match: Eddie Hernández (Mohammedan)

21 March 2024 (2024-03-21) 12	NEROCA	1–0	TRAU	Shillong
19:00 IST	Kromah 79'	Report		Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: Akashkumar Mehta Man of the Match: Ansumana Kromah (NEROCA)

24 March 2024 (2024-03-24) 21	TRAU	1–2	NEROCA	Kalyani
19:00 IST	TS Singh 77'	Report	Kromah 48' (pen.) LD Singh 65'	Stadium: Kalyani Stadium Attendance: 152 Referee: Mithun Kumar Kundu Man of the Match: Lourembam David Singh (NEROCA)

30 March 2024 (2024-03-30) 22	Real Kashmir	3–0	NEROCA	Srinagar
14:00 IST	Krizo 35' Yousuf 45' Shaheen 67'	Report		Stadium: TRC Turf Ground Attendance: 2,254 Referee: Aditya Purkayastha Man of the Match: Hyder Yousuf (Real Kashmir)

4 April 2024 (2024-04-04) 13	NEROCA	1–1	Sreenidi Deccan	Shillong
16:30 IST	Meitei 70' (pen.)	Report	Castañeda 82' (pen.)	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 200 Referee: Surojit Das Man of the Match: Khoirom Jackson Singh (NEROCA)

7 April 2024 (2024-04-07) 23	NEROCA	0–3	Gokulam Kerala	Shillong
19:00 IST		Report	Tursunov 44' Sánchez 90+1', 90+3'	Stadium: SSA Stadium Attendance: 100 Referee: K. Lyngdoh Nongum Man of the Match: Álex Sánchez (Gokulam Kerala)

12 April 2024 (2024-04-12) 24	Aizawl	Cancelled	NEROCA	Aizawl
19:00 IST				Stadium: Rajiv Gandhi Stadium

Statistics

Goalscorers

Rnk	Pos	No.	Player	I League	Total
1	FW	7	Ansumana Kromah	5	5
2	MF	99	Lourembam David Singh	4	4
3	MF	8	Aniket Panchal	3	3
4	MF	30	Sushil Meitei	2	2
5	DF	2	Balwinder Singh	1	1
	MF	5	Sarif Khan	1	1
	FW	13	Fabian Reid	1	1
	DF	18	David Simbo	1	1
	MF	19	Sajal Bag	1	1
	MF	40	Tangva Ragui	1	1
	FW	88	Tarak Hembram	1	1
Total				21	21

References

^ "I-League – Former I-League winning coach Khogen Singh signs for NEROCA FC". IFTWC. 4 July 2021.
^ "AIFF looks to increase teams in I-League, number of foreigners in squad to be reduced". 1 May 2023.
^ "AIFF invites bids for new clubs to join Hero I-League 2023–24 season onwards | Hero I-League".
^ "AIFF looks to increase teams in I-League, number of foreigners in the squad to be reduced". The Indian Express. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
^ "I-League Foreigner Rule: AIFF League Committee reduces number of foreigners in I-League,". Inside Sport India. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
^ "I-League: Real Kashmir FC's fluent win confirms NEROCA FC's relegation". United News of India. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
^ "I League: Mohammedan Sporting closes on title, NEROCA FC relegated". thebridge.in. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
^ "AIFF cancels games as Manipur teams refuse to travel to Aizawl". The Times of India. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
^ "Alex Sanchez ends goal drought as Gokulam Kerala ease past NEROCA | I-League". i-league.org. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c @90ndstoppage (3 September 2023). "OFFICIAL ☑️ : NEROCA FC announce the signings of midfielder Sushil Meitei, forward Thoi Singh and goalkeeper Priyant Singh" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ @indiantransfer (28 November 2023). "NEROCA sign Ansumana Kromah from Bodoland FC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ @MohammedanSC (23 July 2023). "Welcome to the City of Joy, Mirjalol Kasimov! 🖤🤍" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
^ https://i-league.org/aiff-announces-fixtures-for-i-league-iwl/feed/

[K_Singh-1] "I-League – Former I-League winning coach Khogen Singh signs for NEROCA FC". IFTWC. 4 July 2021.

[2] "AIFF looks to increase teams in I-League, number of foreigners in squad to be reduced". 1 May 2023.

[3] "AIFF invites bids for new clubs to join Hero I-League 2023–24 season onwards | Hero I-League".

[4] "AIFF looks to increase teams in I-League, number of foreigners in the squad to be reduced". The Indian Express. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.

[5] "I-League Foreigner Rule: AIFF League Committee reduces number of foreigners in I-League,". Inside Sport India. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.

[6] "I-League: Real Kashmir FC's fluent win confirms NEROCA FC's relegation". United News of India. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

[7] "I League: Mohammedan Sporting closes on title, NEROCA FC relegated". thebridge.in. 31 March 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

[8] "AIFF cancels games as Manipur teams refuse to travel to Aizawl". The Times of India. 11 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

[9] "Alex Sanchez ends goal drought as Gokulam Kerala ease past NEROCA | I-League". i-league.org. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 17 April 2024.

[TSP-10] @90ndstoppage (3 September 2023). "OFFICIAL ☑️ : NEROCA FC announce the signings of midfielder Sushil Meitei, forward Thoi Singh and goalkeeper Priyant Singh" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[11] @indiantransfer (28 November 2023). "NEROCA sign Ansumana Kromah from Bodoland FC" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[12] @MohammedanSC (23 July 2023). "Welcome to the City of Joy, Mirjalol Kasimov! 🖤🤍" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

[13] ttps://i-league.org/aiff-announces-fixtures-for-i-league-iwl/feed/

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]