Transport United F.C.

Transport United
Full name Transport United Football Club
Founded 2000 (2000)
Ground Changlimithang
Thimphu, Bhutan
Ground Capacity 25,000
Chairman Sangay Dorji
Coach Nidup Dorjee
League Bhutan A-Division
2007 1st

Transport United is a football (soccer) club from Thimphu, Bhutan. It was formed in 2000.[1] The club has won four national championships,[2] and was a dominant force in Bhutanese football throughout much of the first decade of the twenty-first century. However, the club has not performed as well recently and has been relegated from the A-Division, playing instead in the second tier. The team plays in the Changlimithang Stadium.

History

2002–2004

Transport United made their debut in the 2002 A-Division.[3] their final position is not known, other than they can have finished at most second as the title was one by Druk Pol,[3] and the only known result for them for that season was a 5–1 loss to Thimpu.[3] More details are available for the following season, where Transport United finished third, four points behind winners Druk Pol, winning five and drawing one of their eight games in the single round-robin competition.[4] Their third season of competition was their most successful to date, as they won the A-Division and as a result were awarded Bhutan's place in the inaugural AFC President's Cup.[5] Unfortunately, no further details of their performance are available.[5]

2005

Their success in the prior season continued in 2005 as they won their second consecutive A-Division title,[6] winning nine and drawing two of their twelve games[6] and qualifying in the process for the 2006 AFC President's Cup. Their first foray into continental football was less successful. They were drawn in Group A for the group stage, along with Regar-TadAZ from Tajikistan, Three Star Club from Nepal and Taipower from Taiwan.[7] They travelled to Kathmandu where the whole tournament was being hosted, but unfortunately lost all three games and did not progress to the knock-out stage. Goals from Nawang Dendup against Regar-TadAZ and Pema Chophel versus Three Flag Club were the only moments of celebration during the tournament.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Tajikistan Regar-TadAZ 32109187
Nepal Three Star Club 31203215
Chinese Taipei Taipower 311124−24
Bhutan Transport United 300329−70

4 May 2005
16:00
Regar-TadAZ Tajikistan 6–1 Bhutan Transport United
Mahmudov  18', 89'
Mukhidinov  35', 37', 56'
Tabarov  86'		 Report Dendup  68'
Halchowk Stadium, Kathmandu
Attendance: 2,000
Referee: Anura De Silva Vidanagamage (Sri Lanka)

6 May 2005
16:00
Transport United Bhutan 1–2 Nepal Three Star Club
Chophel  37' Report Gouchan  10'
Maharjan  43'
Dasarath Stadium, Kathmandu
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Emil Busurmankulov (Kyrgyzstan)

8 May 2005
16:00
Taipower Chinese Taipei 1–0 Bhutan Transport United
Chiang Shih-lu  40' Report
Halchowk Stadium, Kathmandu
Attendance: 600
Referee: Emil Busurmankulov (Kyrgyzstan)

2006

A hat trick of titles followed in the 2006 season,[8] the first time this had been achieved since Druk Pol won three in a row between 1996 and 1998.[2] Unfortunately again there are no details surrounding the teams performance, but they did qualify again for the 2007 AFC President's Cup. As well as the third title, Transport United took part in their second continental appearance in the 2006 AFC President's Cup, where they were drawn again in Group A for the group stage along with Khemara Keila from Cambodia, Tatung from Taiwan and the Pakistan Army team.[9] This time, having travelled to Kurching, Malaysia where the tournament was being held, Transport United performed slightly better, losing in their first game to Khemara, only thanks to a last minute goal from Kim Son-U, when it had looked like Ugyen Wangchuk's equliser would be enough to secure their first point. In the following game it was Transport United's turn to snatch victory at the death, with a ninetieth minute strike from Wangay Dorji sealing their first ever victory over foreign opponents, and to date one of only two times a Bhutanese team has ever taken a point at a President's Cup. A draw would have been enough to take them through to the knockout round, but they collapsed 5–0 to Tatung.

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Cambodia Khemara 73210835
Chinese Taipei Tatung 632011064
Bhutan Transport United 3310227−5
Pakistan Pakistan Army 1301226−4

10 May 2006
20:00
Khemara Cambodia 2–1 Bhutan Transport United
Veasna  45'
Song-u  90'		 Report Wangchuk  66'
Sarawak Stadium, Kuching
Attendance: 100
Referee: Subrata Sarkar (India)

12 May 2006
18:30
Transport United Bhutan 1–0 Pakistan Pakistan Army
Dorji  90' Report
Sarawak Stadium, Kuching
Attendance: 100
Referee: Subrata Sarkar (India)

14 May 2006
18:30
Tatung Chinese Taipei 5–0 Bhutan Transport United
Lin  52'
Chuang  70', 71', 75'
Hsu  89'		 Report
Sarawak Stadium, Kuching
Attendance: 50
Referee: Abdulhameed Ebrahim (Bahrain)

2007

Transport United experienced further success the following season, winning their fourth title in a row, the only time a team has ever won four A-Division titles in a row[2] (Druk Pol has won five national titles in a row between 1996 and 2000, but these were prior to the formation of the A-Division[2]). Details for this season are also scant, but in the game between Transport United and RIHS FC, Passang Tshering scored seventeen goals. Sources indicate that the most goals scored by a single player in a game is 16, scored by Panagiotis Pontikos of Olympos Xylofagou against SEK Ayios Athanasios in May 2007 and by Stephane Stanis for RC Strasbourg in the 1940s.[10] It would appear therefore, that Pontikos, having equalled a record that had stood for over 60 years, saw it broken only a few days later. The club also participated in their third consecutive AFC President's Cup, this time held in Lahore, Pakistan. They were drawn for the third time in Group A for the group stage, along with Regar TadAZ, Ratnam Sports Club from Sri Lanka and the Pakistan Army team.[11] The team got off to the worst possible start, conceding 13 against Regar-TadAZ and 6 against Ratnam, with only Gyeltshen's goal against the Sri Lankans providing any sort of comfort. In the final game though, a dead rubber, they were able to rescue some pride by defeating the Pakistan Army team 3–2, with two goals from Wangay Dorji and one from Sonam Jamtsho.

Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
Tajikistan Regar TadAZ 3300161+159
Sri Lanka Ratnam Sports Club 311195+44
Bhutan Transport United 3102421−173
Pakistan Pakistan Army 301268−21

20 September 2007
23:00
Transport United Bhutan 0–13 Tajikistan Regar-TadAZ
Report Makhmudov  18', 28', 45+2', 61', 76'
Abdullayev  35',  63'
Rustamov  37', 54'
Umarbaev  66'
Barotov  74'
Kholbekov  80'
Rabimov  87'
Punjab Stadium, Lahore
Attendance: 300
Referee: Sgt Win Cho (Myanmar)

22 September 2007
22:15
Ratnam Sports Club Sri Lanka 6–1 Bhutan Transport United
Mohideen  13'
E.B. Channa  17', 69', 73', 82', 90'		 Report Gyeltshen  42'
Punjab Stadium, Lahore
Attendance: 300
Referee: Mukhtar Al Yarimi (Yemen)

25 September 2007
12:00
Transport United Bhutan 3–2 Pakistan Pakistan Army
Dorji  5', 74'
Jamtsho  27'		 Report Shabbir  45'
Riaz  90+2'
Punjab Stadium, Lahore
Attendance: 200
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

2008

Transport United's domestic dominance came to an end in 2008 when they were beaten into second place by Yeedzin and their four-year run of titles came to an end.[12] An early loss 2–1 to Yeedzin meant that they trailed them by a point at the half way stage of the season, having won all of their other games.[12] They were unable to catch Yeedzin in the second half of the season, as both teams vied for the title. Both Transport united and Yeedzin drew another game each and they went into the final game of the season against each other with Yeedzin still only one point clear.[12] Yeedzin were victorious in this winner takes all encounter taking the game 2–1 to deny Transport united a fifth consecutive title by four points.[12] They still however, had one more appearance in the 2008 AFC President's Cup. Drawn in Group C this time for the group stage along with FC Aşgabat from Turkmenistan, Kanbawza of Myanmar and Ratnam SC.[13] Once again, having travelled to Colombo where all the group games were scheduled to take place, the club got off to a bad start losing 7–1 to both Aşgabat and Ratnam before capitulating 11–0 to Kanbawza to leave the competition with three losses, 25 goals conceded and only two scored.

Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
Turkmenistan FC Aşgabat 6320192+7
Myanmar Kanbawza 63201143+11
Sri Lanka Ratnam SC 63201105+5
Bhutan Transport United 03003225−23

April 23, 2008
18:30
Ratnam SC Sri Lanka 7–1 Bhutan Transport United
Ediribandanage  17',  41',  90'
Asmeer  25'
Weerasinghe  59'
Jayasuriya  60'
Pushpakumara  79'		 Report Wangchuk  22'

April 25, 2008
16:00
Transport United Bhutan 1–7 Turkmenistan FC Aşgabat
Pradhan  93' Report Gurbani  21'
Amanow  32',  36',  48'
Murhalyýew  41',  50'
Saparow  71'
Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo
Attendance: 500
Referee: Kadhum Auda (Iraq)

April 27, 2008
16:00
Kanbawza Myanmar 11–0 Transport United Bhutan
Kyaw  11',  36',  90+2'
Tun  15',  23',  31',  71'
Lwin  38'
Htet  41',  51'
Than  74'		 Report
Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo
Attendance: 500
Referee: Rustam Saidov (Uzbekistan)

2009 to present day

The club's formed slumped in 2009 as they won only three games and drew five to finish in fifth place out of eight teams, suffering 10–1 and 7–2 defeats at the hands of Yeedzin and Druk Star respectively.[14] An improvement the following season saw them finish in third place, behind Druk Pol on goal difference, but nine points behind winner Yeedzin, winning eight and drawing one of their twelve games.[15] This period of stagnation continued in 2011 as they finished fourth,[16] but reached its nadir the next season. For the first time in their history Transport United were relegated,[17] finishing in second last place, their only points coming from two victories over bottom-placed team Nangpa.[17] Their first season in the B-Division was not particularly successful, they failed to reach the final of the knock-out stage of the competition and so did not get the chance to compete against bottom two clubs in the A-Division for the chance to return to the top flight at the first time of asking.[18]

Current squad

As of 2008 AFC President's Cup:[19]

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

No. Position Player
1 Bhutan GK Puspalal Sharma
2 Bhutan DF Tempa Rabgay
4 Bhutan DF Chanu
5 Bhutan MF Passang Tshering
6 Bhutan DF Yeshey Samdrup
7 Bhutan MF Chogay Tshering
8 Bhutan MF Hem Prasad Pradhan
9 Bhutan MF Gyeltshen
10 Bhutan MF Nobin Gurung
11 Bhutan FW Sonam Jamtsho
No. Position Player
13 Bhutan DF Tshering Wangdi
14 Bhutan DF Ugyen Dorji
16 Bhutan MF Nawang Dendup
17 Bhutan MF Ugyen Wangchuk
18 Bhutan MF Dawa Lama
20 Bhutan MF Thukten
21 Bhutan DF Rikzin Dorji
22 Bhutan MF Tshering Dorji
23 Bhutan GK Lhendup
30 Bhutan GK Pema Wangdi

Achievements

2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

References

  1. ↑ "Transport United FC". soccerway.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Schöggl, Hans; Abbink, Dinant (28 May 2014). "Bhutan – List of Champions". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Schöggl, Hans (31 Jul 2003). "Bhutan 2002". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Schöggl, Hans; Hai Naveed, Malik Riaz (5 Jun 2004). "Bhutan 2003". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  5. 1 2 Schöggl, Hans (4 Jan 2006). "Bhutan 2004". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  6. 1 2 Schöggl, Hans (4 Oct 2006). "Bhutan 2005". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "2005 President's Cup teams". www.theafc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  8. ↑ Schöggl, Hans (2 Aug 2007). "Bhutan 2006". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  9. ↑ "2006 President's Cup teams". www.theafc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  10. ↑ Duffin, Claire; Lutz, Tom; Baldini, Paolo (9 May 2007). "The Knowledge – The highest scorer in one game of football". www.theguardian.com. Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "2007 President's Cup teams". www.theafc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Schöggl, Hans (9 Jul 2009). "Bhutan 2008". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  13. ↑ "2008 President's Cup teams". www.theafc.com. Asian Football Confederation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  14. ↑ Stokkermans, Karel; Nima, Chokey (27 Aug 2010). "Bhutan 2009". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  15. ↑ Stokkermans, Karel; Chhetri, Dinesh; Dorji, Mindu (13 Sep 2012). "Bhutan 2010". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  16. ↑ Stokkermans, Karel; Jigmi, Sonam (19 Sep 2013). "Bhutan 2011". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  17. 1 2 Schöggl, Hans; Stokkermans, Karel; Jigmi, Sonam (28 Feb 2013). "Bhutan 2012". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  18. ↑ Schöggl, Hans; Stokkermans, Karel; Jigmi, Sonam (20 Feb 2014). "Bhutan 2013". www.rsssf.com. Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "Transport United – 2008 AFC President's Cup Squad List". soccerway.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
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