John Franco

Spotted by coach Joseph Rathnam when he was training with his school team on the same ground where Dempo also held their practice, the youngster proved to be an excellent discovery. During his short spell at the club, John Franco dazzled with his ability to weave past one defender after another on the flanks. The winger scored some beautiful goals while combining effectively with the likes of Francis D’Souza, Williams and Joseph Machado. Franco’s goal against Punjab XI in the semi-final of the 1975 Rovers Cup helped Dempo make the title round and create history. He was incidentally the youngest member of that squad.