Syed Abdus Samad

Syed Abdus Samad (; 6 December 1895 – 2 February 1965) was a football player from Bengal. Dubbed "Football Jadukor" , he played for India national football team in 1924 and captained it in 1926. He played as a forward. After the partition of India in 1947, Samad settled in Dinajpur in East Pakistan, where he spent the rest of his life. His football career primarily lasted from 1915–1938. He also helped his school team winning the prestigious Fawcus Cup. He first drew attention of the football club managers of Calcutta when he played for the Purnia Junior Football Club.

Senior career He joined the Calcutta Main Town Club in 1912. Samad also took first football training from him. In 1927, he joined Victoria Sporting Club of Dhaka. In 1916, Samad played in a match against Somerset Football Team of England. And beat them by 4–1. He played for Calcutta Orients Club in 1918. He joined East Bengal Railway Club in 1921 and played until 1930. With the team, he won All-India Railway Championship thrice. Samad scored the most memorable trophy-winning goal of his career in 1927 against the Sherwood Forestry Team patronised by the Chief of the British Indian Army Lieutenant General Sherwood Mall. Karuna Bhattacharya, Umapati Kumar, Sanmatha Dutta, Balaidas Chatterjee, Satu Chowdhury, and Bimal Mukherjee.

At the age of 38, he joined the Mohammedan Sporting Club and played in during 1933–1938, club's "golden age". in their very first year in top division which was a rare feat. The club became Senior Division champion five consecutive seasons (1934 to 1938). In 1936, Sporting became the second Indian club to win IFA Shield. In the same year, due to a serious injury, Samad's playing career came to an end. He retired from Mohammedan.

Personal life and legacy After the partition of India in 1947, Samad settled in Parbatipur Upazila of Dinajpur in East Pakistan. He was employed at the Pakistan Eastern Railway as an inspector. He died on 2 February 1965 in Parbatipur Upazila. The following year, a football tournament was held in his memory.

In 1969, Parbatipur Railway Institute was renamed to Samad Institute in his memory. Bangladesh Football Federation organizes the annual "Jadukar Samad Smriti Football Tournament". Later, Samad Milanayatan was built in his memory in Parbatipur, by the Bangladesh Railway. Calcutta Football League: 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938 IFA Shield: 1936

Individual Presidential Pride of Performance: 1960 (by the Government of Pakistan)