Here is some info in Pune
http://in.sports.yahoo.com/070723/48/6icvv.htmlTuesday July 24, 02:41 AM
Pune FC launch next month
Pune's first professional football club will simply be called Pune FC. It is being promoted by the Ashok Piramal Group, the erstwhile Morarjee Mills, an organisation with a football affinity.
It is learnt that Pune FC have already affiliated the club with the Poona District Football Association (PDFA), one of the most important criteria that All Indian Football Federation (AIFF) has put forth for the corporate-backed clubs, who apply for entry for this seasons II-Division Professional Football League.
Confirming this was PDFA who claimed "as of Saturday 21, 2007 Pune FC is an affiliate team of the association, which was well ahead of June 30 - the last date for teams' to submit their form."
Pune FC's affiliation apart from Mumbai FC (backed by Essel Group), New Delhi Heroes (Osian Group) and ONGC thus officially completes the prerequisites AIFF has laid and also ends all speculation about Ashok Piramal Group entering into fray.
"It was more of a time frame that we were looking at because of the fast approaching Pro-league which we assumed was to kick-start in October. However with AIFF confirming the II-Division PFL is scheduled for January 2008 it gave us reason to go ahead with our plans this year itself," added the source.
While the city-unlike Mumbai -interestingly has a history of only amateur football and nothing to rave about, Pune FC -as per AIFF's 'big plan' of corporatising Indian football -will be seen in action during the II-Division PFL, regardless of strength or form this season. Interestingly, the PDFA begins its league in January, about the same time when the II-Div PFL is slated!
According to sources, the official launch of Pune FC is expected to be done in the next 15 days. "As of now we have submitted a list of players as per the PDFA affiliation norms, which certainly will not be the team that would play the PFL," added the source.
While Pune FC is currently in the midst of finalising its squad which the source explained, "will surely be in place by October-that's when we become fully operational," the latest is that they have zoomed in on their sporting director. Pune FC's entry augers hope for players of the 100-odd clubs, but what Piramal Group has in mind is something a wait.