Indian Super League side ATK Mohun Bagan is reportedly earning back its iconic identity as it will be renamed back to Mohun Bagan. Since the merger with ATK, the Kolkata-based franchise’s fans have expressed their discontent with the name and showered disagreement across social media platforms.
Many supporters were seen conducting protests in 2020 after the merger outside the Mohan Bagan tent at Maidan, demanding that the ‘ATK’ prefix be permanently deleted as it had been threatening their identity. All the outcry went in vain though as the ‘Green and Maroon Army’’ had to watch the merger from the sidelines.
As per the report by the Kolkata daily Dainik Statesman, the Indian football giants have to play under the name ‘Mohun Bagan’ in order to get featured in the domestic tournament, Calcutta Football League (CFL). The team will have to re-register themselves with the Indian Football Association (IFC).
The Mariners have competed in the Indian Super League (ISL) for two seasons under their new name ‘ATK Mohun Bagan’, finishing runners-up in their first season and reaching the semi-final stage in the next season. The Green and Maroon brigade will be eyeing to lift their maiden title in the next edition of the ISL. During the 2021–22 season, ATK Mohun Bagan withdrew their names from the Calcutta Premier Division League and also refused to compete in the Durand Cup.
ATK Mohun Bagan has managed to advance to the inter-zonal semi-finals of the current AFC Cup 2022 after topping Group D ahead of another Indian side Gokulam Kerala, Bangladesh’s Basundhara Kings, and Maziya.
If the report turns out to be true, it will be a major victory for all of the Mohun Bagan fans who campaigned for their favourite club. However, the club officials have not confirmed any such change. It will be interesting to see whether they decide to revert to the historic name ‘Mohun Bagan FC’ in the near future.
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