Ex-national team skipper-turned-coach Upendra Man Singh on Monday announced his candidacy for the vice-president of All Nepal Football Association (Anfa).

The 43-year-old former goalkeeper is the first to formally announce his candidacy for the vice president which was left vacant since the demise of late Lalit Krishna Shrestha one year ago. The Oct 24 general assembley will elect president and a vice-president.

The post of president is vacant since Fifa Ethics Committee in November banned Ganesh Thapa for 10 years on bribery and corruption charges. Both Thapa and late Shrestha were elected on October 24, 2013 and the new president and the vice-president will complete the remaining one year tenure of the Anfa executive committee. So far vice-president Karma Tshiring Sherpa—who is partly credited to bring about the downfall of Thapa—,acting president Narendra Shrestha and former vice-president Tashi Ghale appear to be in the race for the president.

“I am standing for the post to represent the current and former players including technical manpowers of Nepali football whose voices so far have been supressed,” said Singh, who is also the president of All Nepal National Players Association (ANNPA). Singh appears to have the backing from former skippers Raju Kaji Shakya, Mani Shah, Bal Bopal Maharjan, Hari Khadka as well as current captains Biraj Maharjan and Anil Gurung, who were all present during the announcement programme.

Former Fifa referee and National Football Referee Association (NFRA) President Surendra Sikhrakar expressed solidarity with Singh. “Football isn’t just about players. Referees, coaches, other technical manpowers are integral part of the game. We hope to garner enough support to elect Singh as he is our candidate,” said Sikhrakar. President of National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) Shakya said: “Nepali football was in ‘an unhealthly’ state of late but we hope the new leadership will bring about the necessary chances.”

A total of 69 votes—45 district FAs, 12 ‘A’ Division, 5 ‘B’ Division, 3 ‘C’ Division Clubs and one representative each from ANNPA, NFRA, NFCA and Women’s Commission—will decide the fate of the new president and vice president.