ISL 2021-22: Arindam Bhattacharya steps down as SC East Bengal Captain

In very strange news for the Red and Gold Brigade, SC East Bengal captain Arindam Bhattacharya announced on twitter that he's stepping down from the captaincy on Saturday.

The statement reads "I've always been honest about the way I've played the game. And at this moment due to circumstances around me, I am stepping down as the captain of SC East Bengal."

Arindam had a brilliant 2019-20 season. The veteran keeper ended the season with the most number of clean sheets while guarding the ATK Mohun Bagan goal. He was given the Golden Gloves for his valiant performance for the Mariners. The veteran keeper guided ATK Mohun Bagan to the finals where they narrowly missed the championship.

Earlier in the season, he was roped in by SC East Bengal on a very big deal. Known for his leadership and commanding ability from the back, he was given the armband to lead the Red and Gold Brigade in their second ever ISL season. However, the custodian didn't have the best of starts under the SC East Bengal goal. Leaky defence made his task tougher. Added to that, an injury in the derby match kept the keeper sidelined for some time.

However, since his comeback from the injury, Arindam delivered some brilliant performances. He helped East Bengal to stay unbeaten in three matches before narrowly losing to Jamshedpur.

"Like always, I will give the club, the shirt, and the supporters nothing short of 100% every single time I get on the pitch. And while I am off it, I will be there to help in whatever way needed. Let's finish the season in the best possible way," the statement adds.

Meanwhile, winless SC East Bengal stands at the bottom of the table with only six points from eleven matches. The Red and Gold Brigade will play FC Goa on next thursday.