Mizos Vying for EPL's ''Big Four''association

Aizawl, Aug 19 (UNI) If Manchester United have fans in Mizoram, why not their Liverpool counterparts, for they are too stoned to let the Reds walk alone in this football crazy remote Indian state.

Those of you who used to be faithful Kops (hardcore Liverpool fans) during the 80s when Liverpool was at its height are invited to join us, age no bar, says Francis Paul, one of the conveners.

About 100 Kops gathered in Aizawl and formed the fan club on Friday and sang the Liverpool's anthem ''You'll Never Walk Alone,''.

This happened just a few days after Manchester United Fan Club came into existence.

''This is not just about going crazy for an English football club, but it aims to promote the beautiful game (football) in Mizoram, '' the fans said.

All India Football Federation, the supreme soccer body in the country, is giving some special attention to Mizoram for past few years, hoping to find some great potential in football.

'' In absence of basic infrastructure in this hilly state, we have somehow made our presence felt in the Indian football arena,'' says Paul.

''We are trying to become an international branch, we will be an official club and have good connection with Anfield (Liverpool's headquaters stadium),'' he adds.

Application forms for these two fan clubs can be obtained from Y2Goal Agencies (sports goods shop) among others in Aizawl, informs Mamuana, well-known sports journalist.

''I have sold nearly 2000 application forms for The Red Devils' (Man U) fan club and about 500 forms for The Reds (Liverpool),'' he said.

As of now, about 100 Mizo football players are playing outside Mizoram - in the armed forces, the National Football Leaque and clubs including East Bengal, Churchill Brothers, Mohun Bagan and India's defending champion Dempo, Mamuan informs.

The formation of the fan clubs coincide with the kickstarting of the much-watched English Premier League in England, which glues many people in Mizoram to their Television sets with millions of football fans in the rest of the world.

Girls and elderly women are not excluded from English football fans in Mizoram.

''My 65-year-old mother never misses premier league matches in the TV. She knows which player is playing in which club while she would think hard to say who Salman Khan is,'' says 28-year-old Lalthlamuani.

Unterestingly, supporters of Arsenal and Chelsea of ''Big Four'' are also gearing up to follow the footsteps of Liverpool and Manchester United supporters.

UNI