India, Aug. 2 -- In a residential building in Mira Road, Henry Menezes found himself waiting for Khalid Jamil. This was early 2000s and the Mumbai suburb was yet to become the bustling locality it is today. But it was where Jamil found a home.

Menezes, a former India goalkeeper who played for and then managed the now defunct Mahindra United, was tasked with getting Jamil to finally sign the contract to join the club.

"Khalid was not easy to get a hold of," Menezes recalled to HT. "Once he got home, we put him in the car and took him to our office. I gave him a pen to sign, and then he says 'ye pen ka colour accha nahi hai, dusra hai kya? (the pen's colour is not good, do you have another one?)'"

Jamil, who played for Air India at the t...