Baljit Sahni (born 12 January 1987) is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a forward.[1]

Baljit Sahni
Personal information
Full name Baljit Singh Sahni
Date of birth (1987-01-12) 12 January 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
JCT
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 JCT 40 (14)
2010–2015 East Bengal 31 (10)
2014Atlético de Kolkata (loan) 16 (2)
2015Atlético de Kolkata (loan) 5 (0)
2016 DSK Shivajians 12 (1)
2016 Chennaiyin 8 (0)
2017 Mumbai 4 (0)
2017–2018 FC Pune City 11 (0)
International career
2010 India 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 December 2016
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 29 December 2016

Career

edit

Sahni had played for JCT for 5 years. In the 2009–10 season he scored the first hat trick of the season against Shillong Lajong.[2] On 11 November 2009 however Sahni was seriously injured in a bike accident along with teammate Sunil Kumar Thakur in Margao, Goa while the team were preparing for an upcoming match against Salgaocar in the I-League.[3] As a result of the accident Sahni required 25 stitches and he fractured his shin.[3] At this point in the season Sahni was in top form with six goals in the opening seven matches.[3] However, on 28 January 2010 Sahni played in his first game since the accident, coming on as a second-half substitute and he even scored a goal as JCT Mills defeated Sporting Goa 2–0.[4]

East Bengal

edit

In 2010 Sahni signed with I-League giants East Bengal.[5]

Retirement and financial struggle

edit

Sahni faced monetary issues while playing, so he decided to retire early at the age of 31. Sahni said, "In 2019 I left for Canada. I was not getting paid enough. I had to earn my bread and butter and I also have a family to take care of. I retired from football because after football there is a life too and that is hard but you have to accept that life and take it on the chin."[6]

Career statistics

edit
As of 14 April 2015[7][8][9][10]
Club Season League Federation Cup Durand Cup AFC Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
JCT 2007–08 I-League 15 3 0 0 0 0 15 3
2008–09 I-League 12 3 2 1 4 1 18 5
2009–10 I-League 13 8 0 0 1 1 14 9
East Bengal 2010–11 I-League 6 6 0 0 0 0 6 3 12 9
2011–12 I-League 5 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 10 2
2012–13 I-League 6 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 13 0
2013–14 I-League 9 2 0 0 0 0 9 2
Atletico de Kolkata (loan) 2014 ISL 16 2 16 2
East Bengal 2014–15 I-League 5 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 8 0
Career total 87 24 2 1 5 2 21 3 115 20

Honours

edit

Atlético de Kolkata

References

edit
  1. ^ Ghoshal, Amoy (17 September 2011). "Federation Cup: East Bengal 1-1 Mohammedan Sporting - Red & Gold Brigade Held After Unconvincing Display". www.goal.com. Goal. Archived from the original on 29 October 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Sahni cracks hat-trick as JCT whip Lajong". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "JCT's Baljit Sahni & Sunil Kumar Meet With Serious Accident". Goal.com. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  4. ^ "I-League: JCT Beats Sporting As Baljit Sahni Scores On His Return". Goal.com. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  5. ^ "B. SAHNI". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Bread & Butter". 20 July 2020.
  7. ^ "India - B. Sahni - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  8. ^ "Baljit Singh Sahni - Profile and Statistics - SoccerPunter.com". www.soccerpunter.com.
  9. ^ "JCT Football :: News". www.jctfootball.com.
  10. ^ Strack-Zimmermann, Benjamin. "Baljit Singh Sahni". www.national-football-teams.com.

[1]

edit