Singapore FA
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Full name | Football Association of Singapore |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | The Lions |
Founded | 1921 |
Dissolved | 1994 |
Ground | Kallang Stadium |
Capacity | 55,000 |
Website | Club website |
Singapore FA was a representative team of footballers representing the
History
Pre-War to 1970s
The Singapore Amateur Football Association had participated in the Malayan (Malaysian) Cup since its inauguration in 1921 with a representative side. During the pre-war years, Singapore and Selangor were a dominant force and fierce rivals, winning the Cup 19 times between them. The post war years were also dominated by Singapore and Selangor up till 1970, where Selangor emerged as the dominant force in the Malaysia Cup with eleven Cup wins, compared to two victories by Singapore. However, the excitement of Cup during the 1970s attracted a full house at every Cup match played at the National Stadium. Fans often nicknamed the Singapore team "The Lions" since this period.
The 1980s
Due to changes in the Malaysia Cup format in 1982, all teams participating in the Malaysia Cup now had to qualify by finishing within the top 8 positions in the
During this period
The 1990s
The emergence of several young players like
Many fans expected the team to build on the success of 1990 in the following season but the failure to retain the services of players like Borhan Abu Samah, Abbas Saad and Alistair Edwards proved to be costly. The team did not qualify for the Malaysian Cup and was fighting to avoid relegation to Semi-Pro League 2 in 1991. Worse was to follow when the team was finally relegated to Semi-Pro League 2 after a very inconsistent and poor performances throughout the 1992 season.
Relegation proved to be the turning point for the Lions with a complete shake up of the team in 1993. Top local and key import players like Fandi, Malek, Kannan, Sundram, Jang Jung, Abbas Saad and Alistair Edwards, who were then playing for Malaysian teams all returning to help the Lions in their mission to regain their status in Semi-Pro League 1 and at the same time, mount a serious challenge to the Cup through qualification by finishing as one of the top two teams in League 2. This team, dubbed as the "Dream Team" did achieve its primary targets of promotion to Semi-Pro League 1 and mount a serious challenge to the Cup. However, the trophies still eluded them as this team finished second to Selangor in League 2 and runners up again to Kedah in the Cup.
Despite failure at the last hurdle in 1993, the Lions retained the services of key players like Abbas, Jang Jung, Malek and at the same time, introduced up and coming players like Steven Tan, Lee Man Hon and V. Selvaraj for the following season.
With the right mix of experienced pros, young players and expert tactician in former
However, at the height of winning the Cup, FAS had decided to withdraw the Lions from Malaysian competitions after the 1994 season following a dispute with the
2010s
In 2011, the Football Association of Singapore and the
The new team was named as LionsXII as relation to Singapore FA.
Seasons
Malaysia Cup
The preliminary group phase from 1921 to 1978, and the preliminary league phase from 1979 to 1988 was considered part of the Malaysia Cup proper and not as a stand-alone competition.
Season | Preliminary group/league phase | Knock-out phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | ||
1921 | MC-S | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 | – | Winners |
1922 | MC-S | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 6 | – | Runners-up |
1923 | MC-S | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 5 | – | Winners |
1924 | MC-S | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 4 | – | Winners |
1925 | MC-S | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 4 | – | Winners |
1926 | MC-S | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 4 | – | Runners-up |
1927 | MC-S | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | – | Runners-up |
1928 | MC-S | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 4 | – | Winners |
1929 | MC-S | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 6 | – | Winners |
1930 | MC-S | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 6 | – | Winners |
1931 | MC-S | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 5 | – | Runners-up |
1932 | MC-S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 5 | 7 | – | Winners |
1933 | MC-S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 8 | – | Winners |
1934 | MC-S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 7 | – | Winners |
1935 | MC-S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 19 | 4 | 7 | – | Runners-up |
1936 | MC-S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 3 | 8 | – | Runners-up |
1937 | MC-S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 7 | – | Winners |
1938 | MC-S | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 7 | – | Runners-up |
1939 | MC-S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | 8 | – | Winners |
1940 | MC-S | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 9 | – | Winners |
1941 | MC-S | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 9 | – | Winners |
Competition suspended from 1942 to 1947 due to World War II. | ||||||||||
1948 | MC-S | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 6 | – | [a] |
1949 | MC-S | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 9 | – | [b] |
1950 | MC-S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 8 | – | Winners |
1951 | Winners | |||||||||
1952 | MC-S | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 8 | – | Winners |
1953 | MC-S | – | Runners-up | |||||||
1954 | MC-S | – | Runners-up | |||||||
1955 | MC-S | – | Winners | |||||||
1956 | MC-S | – | Runners-up | |||||||
1957 | Did not participate.[2][3] | |||||||||
1958[4] | MC-S | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 10 | – | Runners-up |
1959[5][6] | MC-S | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 14 | 15 | – | [a] |
1960[7][8] | MC-S | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 10 | 20 | – | Winners |
1961 | MC-S | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 45 | 21 | 16 | – | |
1962[9] | MC-S | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 16 | 11 | 9 | – | [a] |
1963 | MC-S | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 65 | 15 | 24 | – | SF |
1964 | MC-S | – | Winners | |||||||
1965 | MC-S | – | Winners | |||||||
1966 | MC-S | – | [a] | |||||||
1967 | MC-S | – | Runners-up | |||||||
1968 | Did not participate.[10] | |||||||||
1969 | ||||||||||
1970[11] | MC-S | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 6 | 10 | – | SF |
1971 | – | [c] | ||||||||
1972[12] | MC-S | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 5 | 9 | – | [c] |
1973[13][14] | MC-S | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 10 | – | SF |
1974[15][16] | MC-S | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 12 | 16 | – | SF |
1975[17] | MC-S | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 12 | 14 | – | Runners-up |
1976[18] | MC-N | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 9 | 17 | – | Runners-up |
1977 | MC-S | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 6 | 18 | – | Winners |
1978 | MC-N | 12 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 35 | 10 | 20 | – | Runners-up |
1979 | MC | 16 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 39 | 7 | 27 | 1st | Runners-up |
1980 | MC | 16 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 32 | 10 | 23 | 3rd | Winners |
1981 | MC | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 6 | 26 | 1st | Runners-up |
1982 | Did not participate.[19][20] | |||||||||
1983 | ||||||||||
1984 | ||||||||||
1985 | MC | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 27 | 6 | 35 | 1st | QF |
1986[21] | MC | 15 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 42 | 10 | 36 | 2nd | SF |
1987[22] | MC | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 35 | 15 | 33 | 3rd | QF |
1988 | MC | 16 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 31 | 5 | 33 | 2nd | QF |
- From 1921 to 1950, the winners of the Northern and Southern sections play-off in the final.
- The Cup was shared between finalists Singapore and Selangor in 1928 and 1929.
- An Eastern zone was added from 1951.
Semi-professional era
The Semi-Professional League, with two divisions, was inaugurated in 1989. The two divisions were merged into the Premier League in 1994.
Season | League | Malaysia Cup | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Pos | ||
1989 | SP1 | |||||||||
1990 | SP1 | Runners-up | ||||||||
1991 | SP1 | |||||||||
1992 | SP1 | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 21 | 24 | 13 | 9th | [d] |
1993 | SP2 | 2nd | Runners-up | |||||||
1994 | PL | 1st | Winners |
Key
|
|
|
Champions | Runners-up | Promoted | Relegated |
References:[23]
Honours
- Malaysia Cup: 24
- 1921, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1928 (shared), 1929 (shared), 1930, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1937, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1955, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1977, 1980, 1994
- Malaysia Premier League: 2
- 1985, 1994
- Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Cup: 1
- 1989
- FAM Cup Winners(Tier 3): 2
- 1963, 1967
- FAS Premier League (semi-pro): 1
- 1995
See also
References
- ^ Singapore Lions to participate in 2012 Malaysia Cup – Asia One, 12/07/11
- ^ V. P. Nayagam (8 July 1957). "Singapore MUST affiliate". The Straits Times. p. 14.
- ^ "Singapore to stay out of Malaya Cup—SAFA decides". The Straits Times. 10 July 1957. p. 13.
- ^ "Malaya Cup positions". The Straits Times. 21 July 1958. p. 14.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 10 May 2014.
- ^ Teoh, Eng Tatt (10 August 1959). "Carefree Singapore whip Negri 6–1: Ismail bags 3 splendid goals". The Straits Times. p. 11.
- ^ "All the Cup results and tables". The Straits Times. 25 July 1960. p. 13.[dead link]
- ^ Joshua, Saul (1 August 1960). "Singapore maintain 100 percent Cup record". The Straits Times. p. 16.
- ^ "Malaya Cup results, tables". The Straits Times. 23 July 1962. p. 20.[dead link]
- ^ Siebel, Norman (17 May 1968). "Break sad but not surprising". The Straits Times. p. 22.
- ^ "S'pore outplay Malacca". The Straits Times. 1 June 1970. p. 27.[dead link]
- ^ "Ahmad's goal ends Penang's hopes". The Straits Times. 13 March 1972. p. 29.
- ^ "Negri get the two points". The Straits Times. 29 March 1973. p. 25.
- ^ Dorai, Joe (2 April 1973). "S'pore in s-finals with 6–0 victory". The Straits Times. p. 29.
- ^ Dorai, Joe (13 May 1974). "Selangor smashed". The Straits Times. p. 27.
- ^ Dorai, Joe (19 May 1974). "...way in a jittery first half". The Straits Times. p. 24.
- ^ "Malacca upset at Kubu..." The Straits Times. 16 June 1975. p. 31.
- ^ Dorai, Joe (5 July 1976). "Smashing 4–1 win by Singapore". The Straits Times. p. 27.
- ^ "S'pore out of 1982 Malaysia Cup". The Straits Times. 30 November 1981. p. 1.
- ^ "In Malaysia Cup". The Straits Times. 5 November 1983. p. 11.
- ^ "Timesport". The Straits Times. 4 April 1986. p. 33.
- ^ Dorai, Joe (4 September 1987). "Three-goal blitz appeases fans". The Straits Times. p. 39.
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.