(From left) TFA chief coach Ranjan Chowdhary, Robin Singh with his mother and sister, Subodh Kumar and his relatives before leaving the academy on Monday. (Srinivas)

Jamshedpur, March 29: They may be known for their fighting spirit on the field, but when it came to bidding adieu to their alma mater, sentiments overruled everything else.

Eighteen cadets of the Tata Football Academy (TFA) were in a sombre mood today, tears rolling down the cheeks of some, a day after they received their graduation certificates. They tearfully hugged the support staff of the academy, including the kitchen staff, who tried to console the boys even as they wept.

The tears started soon after the prayers last night.

“They cried soon after the prayers. Things were okay during the convocation but the boys became inconsolable when they lined up for the prayers,” chief coach Ranjan Chowdhary told The Telegraph.

Carlton Chapman, a former TFA cadet and presently chief coach of a Jaipur-based club, said he understood the sentiments of the boys. “Crying is natural. The feeling is akin to leaving your home forever. After all, I’ve also gone through all this,” added Chapman, who attended the post-convocation dinner last night.

Striker Robin Singh and custodians Jagroop Singh and Calcutta’s Ishan Debnath together picked up a little soil from the ground where they learnt the finer nuances of the game. Others followed suit.

“We’ll cherish this soil. In fact, we’ll keep the soil in our prayer room and touch it before playing matches,” said Jagroop, recalling his experience here.

Debnath, who has signed up for Mumbai FC, added that he was feeling very sad leaving the academy. Robin, who left for Delhi with his mother and sister today, hugged other cadets and coaches, requesting them to remain in touch.

“It’s a very different feeling from the one I experienced when joining this place four years ago. I remember everything — how the officials and coaches encouraged me to become a better footballer and a good citizen,” he said.

Jharkhand’s Subodh, who was adjudged the best gentleman footballer last evening, added that it would be extremely difficult for him to stay away from the academy.

“I will cherish the handful of soil that I’ve collected from here. Iss mitti ko main kabhi nahin bhool sakta. Iske vajah se maine football mein gati prapt ki (I cannot forget the soil of TFA. It honed my football skills),” said the youngster who has signed up with East Bengal.

Raju Gaekwad, who left for Mumbai last evening, added that he would make the effort to visit the academy whenever possible.

“I cannot explain how I feel leaving this place. I don’t know how I will live without this familiar surroundings. Maybe getting busy with competitive matches would make be feel better,” the defender added.

The cadets, all of whom will shortly join their respective clubs, also spent time in the market and railway station to book tickets today. Some remained busy packing their belongings.

Barring Niroshan Mani, all the 17 cadets left for their homes today.