Lifeline
“It
has
been
like
a
lifeline,”
said
Sameer.
“[The
tournament]
was
happening
in
Goa
and
we
couldn’t
see
it,
so
it
was
really
heartbreaking
for
us.
But
it
is
what
it
is
and
now
we’re
trying
to
come
back
to
the
stands
like
we
did
before
and
cheer
the
boys.
And
you
can
tell
from
the
home
record
of
FC
Goa.
We’ve
kept
a
clean
sheet
in
both
home
games
and
won
both
comfortably.”
One
of
the
reasons
fans
like
Sameer
have
kept
returning
to
the
stands
every
season
is
because
of
the
local
connection
it
has
given
them
to
football.
Like
many
football
fans
in
India,
Sameer’s
connection
with
football
before
the
Hero
ISL
began
was
with
European
clubs.
With
the
ISL
coming
into
the
picture
and
bringing
the
aspect
of
going
to
a
stadium
to
follow
one’s
favourite
team,
that
has
changed.
“With
FC
Goa,
what
happens
is
you
get
your
local
team.
This
was
missing
initially
and
that
gap
has
now
been
filled
with
FC
Goa.
Our
main
focus
is
our
chants
–
everything
is
local,
so
that
people
can
connect
to
it.
What
happens
if
you
have
local
chants
is
it
gets
fans
more
and
more
involved.
So
that
is
what
we
try
to
do.
We
have
people
coming
from
different
parts
of
Goa,
even
secluded
towns.”
Creating
awareness
Apart
from
just
supporting
their
own
players
at
the
stadium,
the
East
Lower
Army
also
attends
away
games
–
and
this
is
by
design
to
create
greater
awareness
about
Indian
football.
Through
the
Hero
ISL
and
its
home-away
fan
culture,
Sameer
says
that
a
lot
more
local
fans
are
being
drawn
to
Indian
football.
“ISL
has
been
really
important
–
not
just
in
the
footballing
aspect,
but
also
making
people
aware
about
football
happening
around
India,”
says
Sameer.
“ISL
has
been
a
new
platform,
it
has
created
this
atmosphere
where
people
know
there
is
football
happening.
That
has
helped
a
lot
in
my
opinion.”
What
is
also
notable
is
that
FC
Goa’s
fans
bring
their
own
flavour
to
fandom.
One
of
the
characteristics
that
the
fans
have
adopted
from
Goan
culture
is
the
idea
of
Susegad,
which
means
to
be
relaxed
or
content;
but
that
doesn’t
take
away
from
how
passionate
the
fans
are
about
their
team.
“People
want
to
sit,
Susegad,
and
enjoy
the
game.
But
they
will
be
with
the
team
no
matter
what.
There
will
be
doubts
here
and
there
but
these
people,
though
they’re
Susegad,
they
will
always
back
the
team.
And
we
are
trying
to
get
more
and
more
people
involved
with
chanting,
that
will
come,”
reveals
Sameer.
Gaurs
start
well
in
the
season
FC
Goa
have
made
a
great
start
to
the
new
ISL
season,
and
are
currently
sitting
in
third
place
on
the
table
with
a
game
in
hand.
Most
fans,
like
Sameer,
were
expecting
this
season
to
be
one
of
rebuilding,
but
have
been
impressed
with
the
bold
style
adopted
by
new
head
coach
and
former
FC
Goa
player
Carlos
Pena.
They
will
be
facing
Bengaluru
FC
on
November
26
to
try
and
climb
further
up
the
table
–
and
while
they
do
that,
the
East
Lower
Army
intends
to
welcome
them
with
a
new
tifo.
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