Sayan Sarkar is an ardent East Bengal FC supporter. The words in the previous line are usually powerful enough to depict the degree of affection between a fan and his club, but in this case, it doesn’t feel enough. Sarkar’s feelings for the club and the bond he shares with East Bengal FC can’t be summed up in words. Even languages have limitations.

‘More than a club’. This phrase is often used to describe clubs, mega-clubs or big footballing institutions. East Bengal FC can easily fall into this category and Sarkar’s relationship with the club is much more than that of a fan and a football club. Exactly how much more can’t be confined to the limits of a few words or a sentence or a paragraph.

It’s a story that needs to be narrated one chapter after another. Not because Sarkar is one outstanding fan whose love for the club is unmatched but he is one of many who live and breathe East Bengal FC. He is part of a group that in unison represents something unique and special. Telling his story is presenting the story of millions of East Bengal FC fans who have made the club an integral part of their lives.

Introduction to East Bengal FC

Sarkar’s first noteworthy association with the Red and Gold Brigade happened in 1997 at the age of six as a part of a promise by his father to give him the biggest surprise of his life. A young Sarkar went to the Salt Lake stadium with little context of the event, budding love for Bhaichung Bhutia, East Bengal FC’s newest attacker at the time and a lot of anticipation of what his father had in store for him.

Riding behind his father on a Yamaha bike which could only take them to within 1.5 kilometres of the stadium as the roads beyond were crowded by fans trying to flock to the stadium for the Kolkata derby, the semi-final of the 1997 Federation Cup. The match had extra spice after Mohun Bagan coach Amal Dutta had mocked East Bengal FC players Bhutia and Sammy Omollo.

Sarkar, unaware of it all, remembers the game for a few blurred yet significant memories.

“When we parked our bike and started moving to the stadium, all I could see were black heads. I had never seen so many people together in my life and it was some spectacle for a six-year-old me,” Sarkat told indiansuperleague.com in an interview.

“My father took me on his shoulders as we struggled our way into our stand at the Salt Lake stadium. He didn’t put me down even once for the entire match and I could see my hero Bhaichung Bhutia score a hat-trick. It was the beginning of my connection with the club,” he added.

The match went down in history as one of the most famous Kolkata derbies, a fact he only realised in years to come when he revisited the match through paper cuttings and video footage. But it was the words of his father at the start of the match that have stayed with him.

“My father told me that Red and Gold are your colours and East Bengal FC is your team. These are colours of your identity and colours of your origin,” he said.

In the years that followed, Sarkar learned more about the club’s history through his Boro Jethu (eldest uncle) who told him about how East Bengal FC has been a symbol of their pride, culture and identity over the years.

“My Boro Jethu contributed a lot towards making me understand what this club meant. He used to take inspiration from the club to lead his life. I wanted to carry this legacy forward that bore our identity,” he said.

From childhood devotion to lifelong commitment

Sarkar has been doing that in more ways than one. Following his father, he will often skip his meals if the Red and Gold Brigade lose. East Bengal FC dictated his life and it has been the case since he was in his school.

“During my school days, I once drew the emblem of East Bengal FC on a piece of paper, made photocopies of it and sold it to my friends for one rupee each. I then took that money and gave it to East Bengal as my contribution,” he said.

“I also used to save the tiffin money that my mother used to give me and give it to the club,” he added.

He carried this deep love for the club into his college days. East Bengal FC travelled to Cuttack for the 2010 Federation Cup final. Sarkar who was locally based at the time made arrangements for the team’s stay, ensuring they felt at home.

East Bengal FC were underdogs in the final as they had finished the two previous seasons in mid-table while their opponents and arch-rivals Mohun Bagan challenged at the top end of the table.

“We were not allowed to enter the stadium despite having valid tickets and had to pay Rs 600 extra to get into the stadium. After entering the locals pelted stones at us,” Sarkar recalled.

The evening despite the troubles ended as a memorable one for Sarkar and his fellow East Bengal FC supporters as Trevor Morgan’s side triumphed 1-0 to win the Federation Cup.

“In the previous seasons, we had tough times as we battled relegation at times, so this was a comeback of sorts. East Bengal FC coming back is not a myth, it always happens in reality,” Sarkar said recalling the big final.

Leading the charge: Sarkar's role as Capo in East Bengal Ultras

Fast forward to the present, Sarkar is a chant leader for East Bengal Ultras, a fan movement which is one of a kind. Started in 2013, the East Bengal Ultras have enriched the fan experience while also preserving the ethos of the East Bengal culture.

Women supporters have become a frequent sight which is a welcome change from the past when stadiums mostly saw men attending matches. The Ultras which Sarkar is a part of have managed to organise the fans and make them cheer in unison even when the team is down.

“East Bengal Ultras is a team effort. We have different roles assigned to people and function in a structured manner,” he said.

“As a chant leader my job apart from giving tunes to chants and noting the sequence is also to maintain a body language where we can motivate others to chant. One positive change that we have brought about is that our fans continue to chant when the team is down, which isn’t very common in Indian football,” he added.

Sarkar attends almost all home games and a handful of away games every season for the senior men’s and the women’s teams and also manages to catch up with around 60-70% of the reserve team games.

The job of the Ultras is to create the best atmosphere for the team to succeed in. The effort intensifies ahead of the Kolkata derby.

“Kolkata derby build-up is different not just because it gets a lot of eyeballs and even global attention, but it's a game that you need to win at all costs,” he said.

“No one wants to lose the derby and we need to inspire the team in every way right from chants, smoke shows and tifos. We need to stand out as the best,” he added.

Ahead of ISL 2024-25, East Bengal FC have strengthened significantly and are looking a lot stronger than the previous seasons. With an AFC Cup campaign also to look forward to, Sarkar expects the team to live up to their glorious history this season after a rather underwhelming time in the ISL so far.

“We have made some great signings and a few more are expected so if all goes well, we can give the champions a run for their money,” he said.

“We have always been successful in Asia and international competitions and I expect the team to live up to the history of the shirt next season,” he added.

Only time will tell how well the Red and Gold Birdage do next season. Whether they succeed or fail, they will have Sarkar and many other East Bengal FC supporters chanting their hearts out. They will go again next season, and the season after and the one after that and so on. After all East Bengal FC just isn’t a team they support. For Sarkar and many more, it’s a way of life.