Actors coming to the Cooperage ground to watch and admire football players at major tournaments was a reality in Mumbai’s sporting past. The late Dilip Kumar made regular appearances as chief guest for the Rovers Cup, featuring football names with crowd-pulling ability.

Football in the city was patronised by the sport-loving film stars, whose presence energised the players. Pran, the great character actor and highest paid performer in his time, owned a football club called Bombay Dynamos FC.