Jobby Justin’s love affair with Kolkata and his mission to lead Diamond Harbour FC to Durand Cup title

Harbour FC to Durand Cup title
The Kolkata Derby in a packed Salt Lake Stadium on 16th December, 2018 is when Jobby Justin came into limelight in the Kolkata football circles. Donning the Red and Gold of East Bengal, the then 25 year old striker scored to help East Bengal overcome Mohun Bagan 3-2 in the 2018-19 season of I-League. He did the star turn again a couple of months later, scoring and assisting in a 2-0 win against their arch rivals, ensuring that East Bengal do the double over Mohun Bagan in a single season after a gap of 15 years.
“That was the first time I felt what Kolkata and football in Kolkata was really about. The fans were chanting my name and I did not know how to soak everything up”, said Jobby, who hails from the coastal town of Vettucaud in Kerala’s capital city of Thiruvananthapuram, an area which is famous for the 500-year-old Madre De Deus church. It is said that the missionary St Francis Xavier had once visited the place, which also hosts the annual feast of Christ the King, an event which attracts thousands of devotees every year.
That was the first time Jobby embraced Kolkata to the fullest which has now turned into a love affair with the city. He came to the city first in 2017 after joining East Bengal and has remained in the city since. “Kolkata is a second home for me now. My attachment to the city is such that even if I go home, I come back in a week”, explained Jobby about his attachment to Kolkata, who has also represented ATK and ATK Mohun Bagan in the Indian Super League.
Jobby, now 33, represents Diamond Harbour FC and is the captain and the vital cog in the team that has reached the semi-finals. “The owners and the management have great expectations for the club and have invested in the right areas. We have a feeling of togetherness here and ivide ellam adipoli anu (Everything is great here). Coach Kibu is very clear on what he wants to achieve with the club”, said Jobby who joined the club in 2023. Diamond Harbour gained two back to back promotions in I-League 3 and I-League 2 and will be playing in the I-League this season. “We have around 50 players in the squad with two different teams playing in the senior tournaments and one team which plays in the Calcutta Football League. There is a system where there is competition and it pushes everyone to put their best foot forward to get their place in the squad”, Jobby explained about the system which has given them success in the previous seasons and is still working in the IndianOil Durand Cup.
Shifting to Kolkata came with a lot of risks for Jobby who at that time had a stable job with the Kerala State Electricity Board. It was while representing them in the Kerala Premier League 2017, he was scouted by East Bengal official Alvito D’Cunha who incidentally was there to scout a different player from the opposition. Jobby impressed the former Indian player so much, that he was offered a contract for the Kolkata giants. “I did not inform anyone about East Bengal except my elder brother but I could not hide it much longer. Everyone back home said that I am a boy who left a government job to play football. The thought process of the society was such and it also strained my relationship with my father”, remembered Jobby who currently works as a Clerk in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Office in Kolkata.
“I have been lucky in that way and I believe that luck has a lot to do with everything I have achieved in my life and career”, said a thankful Jobby. “Kolkata has never disappointed me. The city and the people have been always good to me. They do not even take money from me for Toto (E –Rickshaw) rides even if I insist. Such is the love and care the people give me and I give them back through my game in the football pitch”, Jobby mentioned about the love he receives from the football loving people of Kolkata.
Kolkata has always been kind to Jobby from the start. The striker made his debut for the Indian senior team on the back of his performances East Bengal in the I-League and later for ATK in the ISL. He was named in the squad for the 2019 Intercontinental Cup and made his first appearance against Tajikistan as a substitute replacing Sunil Chhetri and made his first start in the same tournament against DPR Korea. He could only make three appearances for the Indian team as an ACL injury derailed his progression after he signed for the merged ATK Mohun Bagan FC in 2020 which ruled him out of the season. He played for Chennaiyin FC and Gokulam Kerala FC in the subsequent seasons in a hope of reviving his career but was unable to do so. “It was not working for me at these clubs. I thought that it would be the right path for me, but it just did not work out”, said an amused Jobby.
And at that point of uncertainty in his career, it was once again the maidans of Kolkata which came to his rescue. Jobby signed for Bhawanipore FC to play in the Calcutta Football League and his performances secured him a move to the newly formed Diamond Harbour FC with whom he has earned two promotions and is now in the semi-finals of the 134th IndianOil Durand Cup. He is leading the team as the captain of the side and has also scored against Border Security Force in the group stage.
As his side prepares to face East Bengal in the semi-finals on Wednesday (20th August), Jobby is confident, “We have trained hard and we hope that we can create an upset against a much bigger side”, said a confident Jobby. He is also aware that the crowd support will not be favourable for his side as the Salt Lake Stadium will be packed with the Red and Gold Brigade but Jobby hopes that Diamond Harbour fans, albeit less in number will have a reason to cheer at the end of the match.
The flashy young striker who loves to experiment with his hair and tattoos will hope that the East Bengal fans who once used to cheer his name, will be kind to him when he takes the field against them, like the city has always been with him and he will hope to take his side to the finals and then to Durand Cup glory. Whatever be the result, Jobby’s love affair with Kolkata will continue to grow and the city will keep loving him back.
The Calcutta Maidans will remember Jobby’s name alongside the cherished legends from Kerala like PBA Saleh, T. Abdul Rahman, I.M Vijayan, Jo Paul Ancheri, V.P Sathyan, Xavier Pious, M. Suresh and Pappachan Pradeep, who have become part of Kolkata’s footballing soul. “I hope to continue playing as long as I can and I want to do that in Kolkata”, Jobby ended with a smile.