MPT: Goan lighthouse
Mormugoa in pre-liberation Goa, had developed into a port. This necessitated the need for railways, which were eventually set up. In those days, they had a very good football team called Ferroviarios, which was seeded in the First Division. After the setting up of the Mormugao Port Trust by the Central Government, the Mormugao Sports Council was formed for the recreational needs of its employees and their children. Over a period of time the Mormugao Port Trust started an in-house academy.
The Mormugao Port Trust have over the years worked themselves up and are currently lodged in the State''s Professional League. They have not won major tournaments in the country, as their budget does not allow them to import quality players, which would enable MPT to match the strength of their famed counterparts. As a Central Government organisation, MPT has no intention of entering football professionally. They are content with their present role, in contributing towards football in the State. MPT takes on talented players that do not find a place in top clubs, besides their own boys from the academy. They develop and train these players, who have always given their best while playing for MPT, with the hope that they will get noticed by bigger clubs. Apparently it is this hope of the players, that has seen MPT upsetting the apple cart of their famed rivals, many a time. So much so that MPT has earned the name of Dark Horses in Goan football. The big teams are always apprehensive of MPT, specially at crucial moments.
Despite the constraints on their budget, MPT have managed to save themselves from relegation from the State''s topmost Division League. Currently in the State''s Professional League, they rub shoulders with Salgaocars Sports Club, Dempo Sports Club and Churchill Brothers who have suffered hiccups quite often.
Mormugao Port Trust finished runner-up to Mohammedan Sporting in the Nizam Gold Cup tournament at Hyderabad in 1983. The seasoned Calcutta outfit won the replayed final, 2-0, after being held to a goalless draw in the first meeting. MPT had some good chances to cause an upset in the original meeting, but it squandered them all. They reached the final, defeating Andhra Pradesh XI, 2-2, in the double leg semi-final. MPT won the first leg 1-0, the lone goal being scored by Cyril Dias. Cyril also got a goal in the second leg. The final between Andhra Pradesh and Mohammedan Sporting ended in a goalless draw. The Calcutta giant won die replay 2-0.
In the State''s First Division League that year MPT scored a 2-0 victory over Salgaocar il11:he second round match. Joseph Mendes scored both the goals earning a creditable win for MPT against Salgaocar. MPT was assisted by the following players: Marcus Pacheco (Arthur Correia), Menino, Constancio, Agnela Fonseca, Dilip Kalangutkar, (Justino Gomes), Joseph Mendes, Marcelino, Baptista, Orlando, Seby and Cyril Dias.
A snap goal by stopper Constancio had given MPT a solitary goal win over Salgaocar in the First Division league in 1985.
Mohammedans also halted MPT''s progress in the 1983 Rovers Cup tournament. MPT had advanced to the semi-final and was unlucky not to reach the final, as it lost in the sudden death. It had caused a major upset in the tournament with a solitary goal victory over Fanja Club of Oman. The precious match winner was scored by Pradesh Nevrenkar. MPT shared points with JCT, who had defeated Salgaocar by a solitary goal in the quarter-final league.
MPT had to rest content as runner up in the LRG Naidu Cup tournament at Coimbatore in 1983. It also finished runner-up in the All India Major Ports football tournament, the same season. MPT gave good performances in the First Division League, Super League and the Bandodkar Gold Trophy tournament in Goa on numerous occasions.
It finished runner-up to Dempo in the First Division League in 1978-79, when it also ended as runner-up to Salgaocar in the Super league. It also occupied the runner-up position in both the events in 1981-82.
MPT became the first Goan team to beat Mohun Bagan, when it scored a solitary goal win over them in the quarter-final league match of the 1987 Bandodkar Gold Trophy tournament at Panjim. Baptista Marques achieved the distinction of scoring the match winner.
MPT won the All India Major Ports Football tournament at Vishakhapatnam in 1984-85. They also won the first All India Manjeri Football tournament in Kerala the same season. They emerged nmner-up in the All India Major Inter Ports tournament at Madras in 1988. Peter Vales, the former Vasco defender, coached MPT from 1983 to 1988 and they achieved good results under his guidance.
Marcus Pacheco, who also coached MPT and was shortlisted by the All India Football Federation as the National Junior Coach, has done well too.
MPT has posted creditable victories over Salgaocar, Dempo and Sesa Goa in the competitions. They had some fine players in Alexinho, Joseph, Mahesh, David, Patrick, Orlando. Seby, Marcos, Arthur, Francis De Mello, Constancio, Bobby and others. They finished runner-up to Calcutta Port Trust in the All India Major Ports tournament held in Calcutta and won championship in 1992.
