Fransa-Pax FC

{{Short description|Former Indian professional association football club}}

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = Fransa-Pax

| image = Fransa_Pax.png

| fullname = Fransa-Pax Football Club

| nickname = The Pax

| founded = 2002

| dissolved = 2006

| owner = Mickky Pacheco

| mgrtitle =

| manager =

| ground = Fatorda Stadium

| capacity =

| league =

}}

Fransa-Pax Football Club was an Indian professional football club based in Nagoa, Goa. The club is best known for folding halfway through the 2005–06 Indian National Football League after its then owner Mickky Pacheco accused the All India Football Federation of trying to relegate the club. The club also competed in the Goa Professional League.

History

Fransa Pax qualified for the 2004–05 Indian National Football League and finished in fifth place that season.{{cite web|author=Somnath Sengupta|url=http://www.thehardtackle.com/2012/indian-football-rewind-fransa-pax-how-mickky-pachecos-ego-destroyed-a-football-club/|title=Indian Football Rewind: Fransa Pax – How Mickky Pacheco's Ego Destroyed A Football Club|website=Thehardtackle.com|publisher=The Hard Tackle|date=19 March 2012|access-date=11 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108013609/http://www.thehardtackle.com/2012/indian-football-rewind-fransa-pax-how-mickky-pachecos-ego-destroyed-a-football-club/|archive-date=8 November 2020}}

=2005–06: Final season=

After finishing fifth in 2004–05, Fransa Pax was given the schedule for the 2005–06 Indian National Football League in which 7 of their final 8 games were away from home. The ownership group took this as a sign the All India Football Federation wanted them relegated. On 30 January 2006, Pax played a star-filled Mahindra United (who would also disband in 2008) who were then in first place and reigning Federation Cup champions. Mahindra won the match 2–1. After the match, Fransa coach Norbert Fernandes, along with goalkeeper Virender Singh and Ivan D’Silva, manhandled the referee Vikramjit Purakayastha after he awarded Mahindra two suspicious penalties. Fransa owner Mickky Pacheco ran after the match commissioner Enayetullah at the Fatorda Stadium.{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2006/feb/23nfl.htm|title=Fransa chief declared persona non grata|website=www.rediff.com|publisher=Rediff India|date=23 February 2006|access-date=18 April 2024}} Also, around 2,000 Fransa fans vandalized the stadium.

After the game, Pacheco threatened to fold his team if justice was not served.{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2006/feb/07nfl1.htm|title=Fransa told to fall in line|website=www.rediff.com|publisher=Rediff India|date=7 February 2006|access-date=25 April 2024}} On 3 February 2006, when Pax was to play Air India FC, the players did not take to the field. Due to pressure from Zee Sports, the AIFF canceled three games of Pax.{{cite web|author=PTI|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/top-stories/Football-AIFF-cancels-two-Fransa-Pax-matches/articleshow/1401494.cms|title=Football: AIFF cancels two Fransa Pax matches|website=The Times of India|date=5 February 2006|access-date=21 August 2023}}

On 7 February 2006, the AIFF met to discuss the future of the club. They decided to reject Pacheco's claim.{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/2006/feb/09nfl.htm|title=Fransa replay demand turned down|website=www.rediff.com|publisher=Rediff India|date=9 February 2006|access-date=18 April 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/fransa-pax-s-fate-in-das-munshi-s-hands/cid/1059417|title=Fransa Pax's fate in Das Munshi's hands|website=www.telegraphindia.com|publisher=The Telegraph India|date=16 February 2006|access-date=10 April 2024}} The AIFF agreed and set the replay date. Air India then went against this and, by FIFA rules, was awarded the 3 points.{{cite web|url=https://www.rediff.com/sports/report/nfl/20060205.htm|title=Fransa's matches canceled|website=www.rediff.com|publisher=Rediff India|date=5 February 2006|access-date=18 April 2024}} On 23 March 2006, Pax was dissolved as a football club.{{cite web|url=https://sports.rediff.com/sports/2006/mar/23nfl.htm|title=Fransa to be disbanded: Pacheco|website=Rediff|date=23 March 2006|access-date=21 August 2023}}{{cite web|author=JAYDEEP BASU|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/sports/fransa-chief-decides-to-disband-club-pacheco-calls-aiff-a-big-joke-and-a-body-of-flips-and-flops/cid/1059954|title=Fransa chief decides to disband club - Pacheco calls AIFF a 'big joke' and a 'body of flips and flops'|website=www.telegraphindia.com|publisher=The Telegraph India|date=23 March 2006|access-date=10 April 2024}}{{cite web|author=IFN Media|url=https://www.indianfootballnews.in/2021/06/dissolved-indian-football-clubs-list-2021.html|title=Indian Football Club: Dissolved Clubs in Indian Football (2023)|website=www.indianfootballnews.in|publisher=Indian Football News|date=13 June 2021|access-date=18 April 2024}}

Honours

National Football League II{{cite web |title=National Football League Second Division |author=Arunava Choudhary |url=http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |website=indianfootball.de |access-date=16 July 2021 |archive-date=26 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026081440/http://www.indianfootball.de/data/nfl2.html |url-status=dead}}
Runners-up: 2003–04{{cite web |title= From the History Book|url=https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=1965 |website=All India Football Federation |publisher=the-aiff.com |access-date=19 October 2018 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717033518/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=1965 |archivedate=17 July 2014}}{{Cite web|author=Arunava Chaudhuri|url=http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2003-04s.html|title=2003/04 Season in Indian Football:|website=indianfootball.de|access-date=2 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200117042721/http://www.indianfootball.de/seasons/2003-04s.html|archive-date=17 January 2020|publisher=Indian Football Network|url-status=dead}}

Notable player(s)

{{flagicon|RWA}} Louis Aniweta (2004–2006){{cite web|url=https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/33270/Lewis_Aniweta.html|last=Strack-Zimmermann|first=Benjamin|title=NFT player — National team & Club appearances: Aniweta Ifeanychukwu, Louis|publisher=National Football Teams|access-date=18 January 2018|archive-date=5 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221005014057/https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/33270/Lewis_Aniweta.html}}

Fransa-Pax FC

History

=2005–06: Final season=

Honours

Notable player(s)

See also

References

Further reading