Wikipedia

Masood Fakhri

Masood Fakhri (Punjabi: مسعود فخری; 16 November 1932 – 6 September 2016) was a Pakistani professional footballer who played as a left winger.[2][3][4][5] A former Pakistani international, Fakhri was well known for his time with Indian Kolkata clubs East Bengal and Mohammedan.[6][7][8] He was the first Pakistani football player to score a hat trick in an international game, and the first player from South Asia to play in England, where he played for Bradford City before retiring.[9]

Masood Fakhri
Fakhri with Mohammedan Sporting in 1955
Personal information
Full name Masood Fakhri
Date of birth (1932-11-16)16 November 1932
Place of birth Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, British India
Date of death 6 September 2016(2016-09-06) (aged 83)
Place of death Bangor Teifi, Wales
Position(s) Left winger
Youth career
1949–1950 Pakistan Raiders Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1950–1952 Punjab
1952 Pakistan Raiders Club
1952–1954 East Bengal (25)
1953 Pakistan Railways
1954 Punjab
1955–1956 Mohammedan
1956–1957 Bradford City 0 (0)
International career
1952–1956 Pakistan[1]
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Fakhri was born in 16 November 1932 in Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, In 1955 Saadat Hasan Manto’s highly-acclaimed short story Toba Tek Singh immortalised this town.[2]

Club career

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Early career

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Fakhri standing at the far right with Raiders FC in the 1950s

Fakhri began his career with Pakistan Raiders Club of Lahore in 1949.[2] At the age of 18, he represented Punjab in the second National Football Championship at Quetta in 1950 and won the third season played two years later in 1952.[10][11] He also returned to Raiders Club the same year to play in the Rovers Cup in India where his team lost to Bombay Amateurs in the semi-finals and beat Central Railways in the third place match.[12][13]

East Bengal

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Fakhri standing at the far left with the 1952 DCM Trophy winning East Bengal team

He started playing for clubs in India in 1952, and was 20-year-old when he signed with Calcutta Football League side East Bengal.[14][15][16] During his first season with the club, Fakhri helped his side win the Calcutta Football League and the prestigious Durand Cup.[17][18][2] Fakhri usually played as a left-winger and had scored 14 goals in the Calcutta Football League alongside scoring the winning goals in his first two matches against East Bengal's biggest rivals, Mohun Bagan, and thus became a fan favorite among East Bengal supporters.[2] Fakhri also helped the team win the DCM Trophy.[2][19]

From April to May 1953 he also returned to Pakistan representing Pakistan Railways at the National Football Championship.[11] Upon returning to Kolkata, he was part of the East Bengal team that played against German side Kickers Offenbach the following month.[20]

In August 1953, he was part of the East Bengal senior team's tour to the World Youth Festival in Bucharest, where he scored a goal against Lebanon XI in their 6–1 win and against Germany in the third-place play-offs in a 2–5 defeat.[21] He also featured in the friendly against FC Torpedo Moscow the same month.[22][23] The team returned from Europe to participate in the IFA Shield and reached the final where they faced Indian Cultural League. In August 1953, the Pakistan Football Federation reportedly prohibited Pakistani players from playing in India without a permit,[24][25] but East Bengal still fielded Masood Fakhri and fellow countryman Niaz Ahmed, stating they had received permission from the PFF. On 3 October 1953, in the 1953 IFA Shield final against the Indian Cultural League on the third replayed final, Fakhri scored for East Bengal and the game ended in a 1–1 tie.[26] The I.C.L. team lodged a complaint with the Indian Football Association immediately after the match against East Bengal over their fielding the Pakistani players.[26] On 11 October 1953, the IFA announced I.C.L. as the winners of the IFA Shield[27][28] after East Bengal failed to produce a written permit for the Pakistani players from the PFF and suspended the club from all football activities until 31 December 1954.[27] East Bengal challenged the decision and took the IFA to court after receiving a letter from the PFF president, Dr. A. M. Malik on 25 October 1953,[29] and had their suspension revoked.[30]

Return to Punjab

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In 1954, when the National Football Championship was held in Lahore, he returned to his former team this time featuring with the name of Punjab Blue, scoring in the 80th and 85th minutes against Railways in the final winning by 3–0.

Mohammedan Sporting

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In 1955, Fakhri signed with another Kolkata club, Mohammedan. In 1956, he helped Mohammedan win the prestigious Rovers Cup title.[2]

Bradford City

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Bert Flatley, a coach with the Football Association (FA) in England, communicated to Fakhri the possibility of a move to Bradford City. The club then competed in the third tier of English football league system. After negotiations with the then manager Peter Jackson, Fakhri finally signed for the club on 8 August 1956 In 1956. After playing one season with the club, he prematurely quit football for personal reasons in 1957.[2][31]

International

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Fakhri with the Pakistan national team in 1955 (second from right to left in middle)
 
Fakhri with the Pakistan national team in 1953 (second sitting from left to right)

Fakhri had represented Pakistan at international level in the preceding years.[32] Fakhri had most notably scored a hat-trick and became the first player from Pakistan to do so as his national team thumped Singapore 6–2 in a group match at the 1954 Asian Games in Manila, Philippines. He had also scored goals against India and Myanmar during the period.[3]

Personal life

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Fakhri married Rhoda Eileen and lived in Llanrwst, North Wales. His brother's family settled in Great Britain as well.[2]

Post-retirement

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After retiring from football, Fakhri lived out the rest of his life living in Bangor Teifi, Wales.[2]

He died in September 2016 at the Gwynedd Hospital in Wales.[33][10]

Career statistics

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International goals

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Note: Exact figures of Pakistani players before 1989 are not yet known and yet to be researched. Below are goals recorded.

List of international goals scored by Masood Fakhri
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition Ref.
1 2 May 1954 Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Singapore 3–1 6–2 1954 Asian Games [34]
2 4–1 [34]
3 5–2 [34]
4 5 May 1954 Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila, Philippines   Burma 2–1 2–1 [34]
5 19 December 1954 Calcutta FC Ground, Kolkata, India   Burma 1–1 1954 Colombo Cup [35]
6 26 December 1954 Calcutta FC Ground, Kolkata, India   India 1–3 1954 Colombo Cup [35]
7 21 December 1955 Dacca Stadium, Dhaka, East Pakistan   Ceylon 2–1 1955 Colombo Cup [35]
8 [35]
9 24 December 1955 Dacca Stadium, Dhaka, East Pakistan   India 1–2 1955 Colombo Cup [35]

Honours

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Punjab

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East Bengal

Mohammedan Sporting

Pakistan

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "An uneven rivalry". 11 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Sarmah, Bhargab (17 September 2016). "Masood Fakhri: Pakistan's Football Wizard Who Captivated Kolkata Maidan". NDTV Sports. Archived from the original on 19 September 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  3. ^ a b Bhattacharya, Nilesh (13 September 2016). "Masood Fakhri, ex-East Bengal football star from Pakistan, no more". Times of India. Archived from the original on 14 January 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  4. ^ Ahsan, Ali (23 December 2010). "A history of football in Pakistan – Part I". www.dawn.com. Karachi, Pakistan: Dawn. Archived from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  5. ^ "I.C.L. and East Bengal Draw for the Third Time - Pak Players Included in Calcuta Side - Bombay Team Lodge Protest After Match". The Indian Express. 4 October 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  6. ^ soumen78 (31 March 2016). "List of Foreign Players to Play for East Bengal Club from 1942 – East Bengal Club, India – Records, Funs and Facts". Eastbengalclubrecords.wordpress.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ "TEAM ARCHIVES - East Bengal FC". Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  8. ^ "TEAM ARCHIVES - East Bengal FC". Archived from the original on 8 November 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  9. ^ "East Bengal Club - Legends". eastbengalclub.co.in. Archived from the original on 27 November 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2021. Masood Fakhri: Left-Out. Played for East Bengal from 1952 - 1954. He hailed from Pakistan and was the first sub-continent Footballer to play professional league in England for a couple of years from 1955. He toured USSR and Romania with East Bengal Club in 1953.
  10. ^ a b natasha.raheel (12 September 2016). "Unsung hero: Former Pakistani footballer Masood Fakhri passes away". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Civil & Military Gazette (Lahore) - Friday 17 April 1954". Retrieved 7 July 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "রোভার্স কাপে পাকিস্তানি দল, ইস্টবেঙ্গলের ফকরি ও রিয়াসত আলির যোগদানের কথা" [Pakistani team in Rovers Cup, Fakhri and Riasat Ali to join from East Bengal]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 26 September 1952.
  13. ^ "1965: The year India, Pakistan began sparring in sports". The Times of India. 31 August 2015. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  14. ^ The World Sports Today (1 August 2020). "100 years of East Bengal: A timeline of Kolkata giant's key milestones". The World Sports Today. Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  15. ^ Basu, Joydeep (25 January 2021). "Indian football: Fred Pugsley, Chima Okorie, Ranti Martins – the foreign strikers who shone in India". Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  16. ^ Banerjee, Ritabrata (16 May 2020). "Indian Football - The 10 best foreigners to have played for East Bengal". Goal. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
  17. ^ Sen, Debayan (1 August 2020). "A century of excellence: East Bengal's greatest hits". ESPN. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  18. ^ Chatterjee, Sayan (6 April 2021). "Top 5 foreign footballers to have played in India". Archived from the original on 27 June 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  19. ^ "The saga of East Bengal – The Hindu". www.thehindu.com. Archived from the original on 2 July 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2019.
  20. ^ Neil Morrison (12 November 2015). "Kickers Offenbach (West Germany) Asian tour 1953". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  21. ^ "History - East Bengal Club". East Bengal Club. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  22. ^ "Soccer Barefoot 1953 (21.08) Torpedo (Ussr) - East Bengal Club (India)- 3-3. Aleks Chistogan – thewikihow". www.thewikihow.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  23. ^ Roy, Gautam; Ball, Swapan (2007). "East Bengal Football Club – Famous Players". www.eastbengalfootballclub.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 25 February 2009.
  24. ^ PTI (4 September 1953). "Pak Soccer Players Debarred from Playing in India". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  25. ^ PTI (2 August 1953). "SUSPENDED PAK PLAYERS CAN'T PLAY IN INDIA". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  26. ^ a b "I.C.L. and East Bengal Draw for the Third Time - Pak Players Included in Calcuta Side - Bombay Team Lodge Protest After Match". The Indian Express. 4 October 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  27. ^ a b "I.C.L. Awarded IFA Shield - Suspension of East Bengal recommended". The Indian Express. 12 October 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  28. ^ "India - List of IFA Shield Finals". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  29. ^ "I.F.A. Tourney Committee Asked to Reconsider Decision on E. Bengal". The Indian Express. 2 November 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  30. ^ "E. BENGAL CLUB OBTAIN INTERIM INJUNCTION - Suspension By I.F.A. Taken Before Calcutta High Court". The Indian Express. 9 November 1953. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.
  31. ^ Legendary Pakistani footballer Masood Fakhri silently passes away at 83 in Wales Archived 15 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine sportscrunch.in. Retrieved 3 July 2021
  32. ^ Kapadia, Novy (24 April 1983). "Puran Bahadur Thapa: India's first hat-trick man". Sportskeeda. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
  33. ^ Masood Fakhri, ex-East Bengal football star from Pakistan, no more The Times of India. Retrieved 3 July 2021
  34. ^ a b c d "Asian Games 1954". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  35. ^ a b c d e "Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952-1955". www.rsssf.org. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  36. ^ Armband (9 November 2019). "East Bengal Football Club : History and Emergence". Sports-nova. Archived from the original on 9 June 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
  37. ^ Banerjee, Ritabrata (12 April 2020). "Indian Football: Down the memory lane – East Bengal's 'Golden era' of 1970s". www.goal.com. Goal. Archived from the original on 1 March 2021. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  38. ^ "Asian Quadrangular Tournament (Colombo Cup) 1952-1955". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 July 2014. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  39. ^ "The Indian National Team at the Colombo Cup". indianfootball.de. Archived from the original on 13 June 2003. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  40. ^ Morrison, Neil (1999). "Asian Quadrangular Tournament 1954 (Calcutta, India)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 17 August 2022.

Further reading

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