Churchill Brothers' Nigerian sharp shooter Odafe Onyeka Okolie may have failed to win the inaugural I-League title for his side, but his enormous contribution to the campaign was enough to get him three individual awards.

Not only did Okolie emerged as the highest goalscorer of the league with 22 strikes, eight more than the second best, he was also adjudged the best player as well as the best forward of the championship.

Churchill missed out on the title to Dempo Sports Club only on the basis of goal difference but kept the title race alive right down to the wire.

As is the norm in Indian football these days, foreign strikers ruled the roost with national captain Bhaichung Bhutia the highest placed Indian on the goalscoring charts with nine goals. JCT's Sunil Chetri, who partners Bhutia upfront in the national team, scored seven.

Out of 226 goals scored, foreigners accounted for 136.

Churchill scored the highest number of goals (40) while relegated Viva Kerala [Images] leaked the most goals (38).

Dempo had the tightest defence letting in only 13 goals while Air India could manage only 10 goals in 18 matches.

East Bengal custodian Subrata Paul, who shone for both club and country in the season gone by, was named best goalkeeper.

Dempo star Mahesh Gawli was the deserving winner of the Jarnail Singh Trophy for the best defender while team-mate Climax Lawrence walked away as the best midfielder.

Armando Colaco claimed the SA Rahim Trophy for guiding Dempo to the title and the club also got the Fair Play Trophy for getting only nine cautions throughout the campaign.

Bottom-placed Salgaocar Sports Club received the highest number of cards (30) with 28 yellow and two direct red cards. Total spectator attendance in the league was 5, 20,250 with an average of 5,780.55 per match.

Almost 10 per cent of the total attendance was recorded during one East Bengal-Mohun Bagan match in Kolkata (50,000).

At the other end of the spectrum, only 100 people watched the Viva Kerala-East  Bengal clash in the southern state.

• Complete football coverage