AFC Uttara

Azampur Football Club Uttara (Bengali: আজমপুর ফুটবল ক্লাব উত্তরা), commonly known as AFC Uttara, is an association football club based in Azampur, Uttara, a suburb of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The club plays in the Bangladesh Championship League, the second level of Bangladeshi football league system.^[1][2]

AFC Uttara

Full name	Azampur Football Club Uttara
Nickname(s)	AFCU
Founded	2009 (2009)
Ground	Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium
Capacity	25,000
President	Saidur Rahman Manik
Head Coach	Ali Asgar Nasir
League	Bangladesh Championship League
2022–23	Premier League, 11th of 11 (Relegated)
Website	Club website
Current season

History

Formation and early years

In 2009, Azampur Club was built next to the Azampur railway line by renting the land owned by Bangladesh Railway. The club is located at the end of Road No. 19, Sector 4, Uttara. Local businessmen Shahidur Rahman Manik and Md Shahadat Hossain were respectively named the club's president and secretary. The club remained relatively inactive in the domestic football scene during the first decade since inception and first took part in the Pioneer Football League in 2013, without finding much success.^[3]

Azampur later participated in the 2018–19 Dhaka Second Division League, which is the fourth tier of Bangladeshi football. Although they failed to finish within the top three spots required for promotion to the Dhaka Senior Division League, the club were given a direct entry to the Bangladesh Championship League, the country's second tier.

Match-fixing allegations and promotion

In preparation for the 2021–22 Bangladesh Championship League, the club appointed former Bangladesh national team forward Saifur Rahman Moni, as the head coach. Although the club were given direct entry to the second-tier due to their facilities, it was later reported that the club house had inhumane living standards, with 15 and 14 beds in two rooms, used to accommodate 25 players. Azampur's inaugural match in the BCL, ended with a 3–0 victory over Kawran Bazar PS.^[3]

On 27 March 2022, Saifur Rahman Moni resigned from head coach duty, and imposed match-fixing allegations against the club. Moni stated that his last two games with the club, against Uttara FC (1–2) and Farashganj SC (3–1) were predetermined. After the allegations were made public, a player anonymously interviewed by Prothom Alo, admitted to the game being fixed, while Muktijoddha SKC midfielder Salahuddin Rubel, was also rumored to be involved. The club's players also accused Salahuddin Rubel of entering the clubhouse without permission.^[4]

Amdist the allegations Monowar Hossain Moyna, who was appointed from matchday nine of the league season, guided the club to promotion to the Bangladesh Premier League.^[5] After almost 5 months of investigating, the Bangladesh Football Federation concluded that the club had not taken part in any fixed matches, thus allowing them entry into the 2022–23 Bangladesh Premier League.^[6]

Current squad

As of 27 March 2023

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  BAN Jahid Hasan Rabbi 3 DF  BAN Jintu Mia 4 DF  BAN Istekharul Alam Shakil (captain) 6 MF  BAN Anik Ghosh 7 MF  BAN Shah Alamgir Anik 8 MF  BAN Mohammed Abdullah Tofel 10 FW  BAN Sarower Zaman Nipu 11 FW  BAN Fahim Uddin Sohel 12 MF  BAN Fahim Ahmed 13 DF  BAN Rakib Sarkar 14 MF  BAN Salauddin Rubel 15 FW  BAN Mehebub Hasan Noyon 16 DF  BAN Sajon Mia 17 FW  BAN Mujahid Hossain Joy 18 MF  BAN Jabed Ahmed 19 DF  BAN Arman Sadi 20 FW  BAN Naim Uddin Noyon 21 MF  KGZ Sultanbek Momunov

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 GK  BAN Mohammed Azad Hossen 23 MF  BAN Mohamed Masum Mia 24 DF  BAN Zahidul Islam Babu 25 GK  BAN Kamal Hossain Titu 26 DF  BAN Khorshed Alam 27 DF  BAN Mohamed Sagor Miah 29 MF  BAN Hridoy Hossain 30 GK  BAN Mohammad Razib 33 DF  GUI Younoussa Camara 65 MF  BAN Sajib Mia 66 DF  BAN Rayhan Ahmed 70 MF  BAN Rohit Sarkar 77 MF  BAN Mohammad Shahariar Bappy 88 FW  BAN Sakib Bepari 98 FW  COL Richard Maturana 99 FW  RUS Alan Koroyev

Current technical staff

As of 7 November 2022

Position	Name
Head coach	Ali Asgar Nasir
Assistant coach	Monowar Hossain Moyna

Club officials

As of January 2022

Position	Name
President	Saidur Rahman Manik
Vice president	D.M. Shamim

Head coaches' record

As of 21 July 2023

Head Coach	From	To	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	%W
Saifur Rahman Moni	February 2022	27 March 2022	8	3	4	1	10	4	037.50
Monowar Hossain Moyna	28 March 2022	20 June 2022	14	8	5	1	24	10	057.14
Ali Asgar Nasir	November 2022	Present	26	0	5	21	13	76	000.00

References

1. "Azampur win in Div II Football". The Financial Express. 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 18 March 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
2. আজমপুরে কোচ মিলন মোল্লা. Daily Naya Diganta (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 7 April 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
3. Islam, Rashedul. কেউ রেল লাইনের ধারে, কেউ অন্যের ঘরে. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
4. ঢাকার ফুটবলে ম্যাচ পাতানোর বিস্ফোরক অভিযোগ তুলে কোচের পদত্যাগ. Prothom Alo (in Bengali).
5. ফিক্সিং অভিযোগে ষড়যন্ত্র দেখছে আজমপুর ফুটবল ক্লাব. crimepatrolbd.com - জানতে ও জানাতে চাই (in Bengali). 15 June 2022. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
6. সন্দেহ তালিকার শীর্ষে থাকা আজমপুর পুরোপুরি নির্দোষ! (in Bengali). 9 September 2022. Archived from the original on 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.