22nd December 2004 , 6:00 pm …. A white HM Ambassador car was fleeting down the smooth A.J.C Bose Road flyover at Kolkata . The three occupants of the car were in the midst of a nostalgic discussion. Two of them were listening , mesmerized as a demurely ,somber but smiling old man was going on enthralling them with memories of his past …

..It was a day when dreams came true for us , as we sat beside the Footballer of the Millennium - the legendary Mohun Bagan defender - Sailen Manna . We listened as Manna Sir , a fatherly figure to us went on telling us about his footballer days …"During our times , we couldn't even think of buying a boot ! And nowadays there's so much money into football , and yet the players cannot motivate themselves to make it into the big stage . I sometimes think that if there so much attention and money into football in our days then some of us would have become Champions of the World ! In our times many of us even didn't take money from our clubs . My relatives used to scold me for taking money from Mohun Bagan ! "

" I remember very well when we went to the British Isles for the 1948 Olympic Games at London. We used to play barefooted. I took shot that almost reached the opponents goal post! All the people came and started inspecting whether I had some magical power in my feet or not..., see - I made those Englishmen touch my feet! "- he said as he laughed away heartily enjoying his moment of pride. " Even the Queen of England asked me how I managed to take such shots barefooted! "

"During 1948 London Olympics, I was one of the very few footballers who bought some stud boots as we came back to India. But even after that the All India Football Federation couldn't force us to wear boots while playing. If they did then the game of football would have eradicated from India as the players couldn't even afford the boots. But some players did wear boots while playing. I too, sometimes did. After the boot became mandatory, everybody has been forced to wear boots. I think I am one of the very few players, who played one Olympic with barefoot and another with a boot. I am talking about 1948 and 1952 Olympics. 52s Helsinki Olympic was a memorable one. It was too cold, and boot helped us a lot. Otherwise our feet had been freeze there."

"Some Southerners faced grave problems while playing wearing boots. Even Venkatesh of the 'Panch Pandav 'fame of East Bengal couldn't adapt himself to the change. Actually you must understand that there are usually 2 types of dribbling - the inside outside dodge and the drawing back the ball using the palm of your feet. The Southern boys were of the 2nd type. Now they couldn't do that wearing boots as the ball skid against the studs . In fact many Southern boys quit football after early 50's - when boots were made mandatory in football . But there was another kind of stud that actually helps you to control the ball with your palm of the feet. The studs of the boots in this case were not like the nails, but it looks like the skates. There were two long parallel studs, so you have no problem to control the ball with the palm of your foot. But may be due to the injury risk, those boots cannot be seen today." He went on as we listened , eyes gaping wide in silent admiration…

When we asked his opinion on the Junior catastrophe , he said that the AIFF and KFA is to be blamed and they are just making Subrata Pal the scapegoat . " They have no rights to destroy the future of such a talented young goal keeper and to murder him mentally . I am fully with you guys and appreciate your endeavor to help the keeper . It is purely an accident. I got my forehead fractured several times. Even after coming home, the blood was flowing constantly over the bandage. But the basic infrastructure remains the same. The barefoot age. Only boots and jerseys cannot help you to touch the international standard."

He said some words for the Green and Maroon and MohunBaganClub.com too. "I am very happy to be here today. I am very happy that you people called me. My blessings will always be with you."

He had a word or two for the media too - " It's no use crying over spilt milk . Stop shouting over what has been done and try to force the authorities to ensure that such a tragic incident doesn't recur anymore in the history of Indian football ."