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Singapore League (S. League)
By Bhaskaran, Kunju written on 2009-09-25
National Library Board Singapore
Comments on article: InfopediaTalk
The Singapore League (S. League) is a football league and
forms the highest level of domestic football competition in
Singapore. It was officially launched in 1996, and eight
local teams contested in the inaugural season. The
league accepted its first foreign team in 2003, in
an effort to raise its level of competitiveness and
profile. As of 2009, the 14th season of the
league, 12 teams were in competition.
History
Prior to the inception of the S. League, Singapore's primary football competition was the Malaysia Cup, for which Singapore sent one representative team that comprised players of local and foreign nationalities. A domestic national football league did exist in many variations, running simultaneously with the Malaysia Cup, but was mostly contested by amateur teams. This league structure and the teams competing in it would eventually provide the foundation for the formation of the S. League.
Singapore's final season in the Malaysian League and Cup competition was in 1994 and was highly successful, with the team winning the coveted league and cup double. Led by national coach, New Zealander Douglas Moore, the campaign culminated in a 4-0 win over Pahang in the finals of the Malaysia Cup, which was played at the Shah Alam Stadium to a crowd of 80,000.
The following year, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced a controversial decision to end the nation's participation in the Malaysia Cup competitions, a participation which had begun 75 years prior. The official stand on the pullout was over the need to expand and self-sustain the growing local football community. The limited participation in the Malaysia Cup campaign had restricted the development of local talents on and off the field and there was a genuine concern over the ability to maintain a high standard of competition as well as cater to the increasing numbers participating in the game.
The league had its first foreign team when Chinese club, Sinchi FC, joined in 2003 as part of a scheme to raise the level of competitiveness and profile of the league. The same year, the Singapore national U-23 side was also included in the league as the Young Lions. To date, seven foreign teams have competed in the S. League- Chinese teams, Sinchi FC, Dalian Shide Siwu FC and Liaoning Guangyuan FC; Japanese team, Albirex Niigata FC; Sporting Afrique FC and Super Reds FC, teams comprising players of African and Korean origin respectively; and DPMM FC, a Brunei-based club.
The teams in the league are not subject to promotion or relegation as the league functions as a stand-alone series. The continued participation of teams however is based on the discretion of the FAS selection committee which selects teams based on several criteria including, but not limited to, financial sustainability and management capability. Hence, several teams have exited the league in the 14 years of competition, having failed the standard of acceptance.
The most notable exclusion came in 2008 when Liaoning Guangyuan FC, who had only entered the league the year before, was not invited again after a match fixing scandal that led to the imprisonment of seven of its players on charges of corruption.
Timeline
1994 : Singapore defeats Pahang 4-0 in the Malaysia Cup Final.
1995 : FAS announces decision to withdraw participation in the Malaysia Cup. Plans for a new domestic league were released later
that year.
1996 : Launch of S. League held at Kallang National Stadium. The first round of S. League matches played, with Bosnian Esad Sedjic
of Balestier Central scoring the first ever goal of the league against Police in a match held at Toa Payoh Stadium. Tiger Beer
Series winner, Geylang United, defeats Pioneer Series winner, Singapore Armed Forces FC, with a 2-1 score in the Grand Final
at the Kallang National Stadium to become the first S. League champions.
1998 : Singapore national team wins its first international championship by winning the Tiger Cup in Hanoi.
1999 : Launch of SCORE betting system to mark the legalisation of football betting in Singapore.
2000 : First case of corruption as Geylang United's Lutz Pfannenstiel and Jurong's Mirko Jurilj are convicted of match fixing and banned
from playing.
2001 : League season extends to 33 matches. Brazilian striker, Egmar Goncalves of Home United, becomes the first player to score
100 league goals.
2003 : S. League's first foreign team, Sinchi FC, enters the league. Three players are banned from playing for a period of six to 18
months after being found guilty of impeding the league's Player's Code of Conduct.
2008 : Seven players from Liaoning Guangyuan are jailed for charges of match fixing in the largest case of football corruption since the
start of the league. The team manager, who face similar charges, absconds.
Author
Bhaskaran Kunju
References
Balestier Khalsa Football Club. (2009). Club History. Retrieved July 5, 2009, from http://www.balestierkhalsafc.com
Chong, C. (2008, April 23). Six match-fixing Liaoning soccer players jailed. The Straits Times. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from Factiva database.
Football Association of Singapore. (2004). History. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=830
Moore, D. (1999). Thats the goal!: How to win at football. Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 796.334077 MOO)
Palakrishnan., & Das, M. (Eds.). (1996). S. League: The kick-off. Singapore: Singapore Professional Football League.
(Call no.: RSING 796.33406095957 S)
Sengkang Punggol Football Club. (2006). Overview/History. Retrieved July 5, 2009, from http://www.spfc.com.sg/history.htmSingapore
Professional Football League. (1996). The S.League handbook. Singapore: The S.League.
(Call no.: RSING 796.33406095957 SPFLSL)
S.League. (2008). About the S.league. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.sleague.com/Web/main.aspx?ID=f716b261-83ec-4f12-9c0f-c6705c44c556
S.League. (2008). Milestones. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.sleague.com/Web/main.aspx?ID=d8c1c5bf-b9c9-429e-a482-29812592c97f,,&TargetPageID=
The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
History
Prior to the inception of the S. League, Singapore's primary football competition was the Malaysia Cup, for which Singapore sent one representative team that comprised players of local and foreign nationalities. A domestic national football league did exist in many variations, running simultaneously with the Malaysia Cup, but was mostly contested by amateur teams. This league structure and the teams competing in it would eventually provide the foundation for the formation of the S. League.
Singapore's final season in the Malaysian League and Cup competition was in 1994 and was highly successful, with the team winning the coveted league and cup double. Led by national coach, New Zealander Douglas Moore, the campaign culminated in a 4-0 win over Pahang in the finals of the Malaysia Cup, which was played at the Shah Alam Stadium to a crowd of 80,000.
The following year, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced a controversial decision to end the nation's participation in the Malaysia Cup competitions, a participation which had begun 75 years prior. The official stand on the pullout was over the need to expand and self-sustain the growing local football community. The limited participation in the Malaysia Cup campaign had restricted the development of local talents on and off the field and there was a genuine concern over the ability to maintain a high standard of competition as well as cater to the increasing numbers participating in the game.
The league had its first foreign team when Chinese club, Sinchi FC, joined in 2003 as part of a scheme to raise the level of competitiveness and profile of the league. The same year, the Singapore national U-23 side was also included in the league as the Young Lions. To date, seven foreign teams have competed in the S. League- Chinese teams, Sinchi FC, Dalian Shide Siwu FC and Liaoning Guangyuan FC; Japanese team, Albirex Niigata FC; Sporting Afrique FC and Super Reds FC, teams comprising players of African and Korean origin respectively; and DPMM FC, a Brunei-based club.
The teams in the league are not subject to promotion or relegation as the league functions as a stand-alone series. The continued participation of teams however is based on the discretion of the FAS selection committee which selects teams based on several criteria including, but not limited to, financial sustainability and management capability. Hence, several teams have exited the league in the 14 years of competition, having failed the standard of acceptance.
The most notable exclusion came in 2008 when Liaoning Guangyuan FC, who had only entered the league the year before, was not invited again after a match fixing scandal that led to the imprisonment of seven of its players on charges of corruption.
Timeline
1994 : Singapore defeats Pahang 4-0 in the Malaysia Cup Final.
1995 : FAS announces decision to withdraw participation in the Malaysia Cup. Plans for a new domestic league were released later
that year.
1996 : Launch of S. League held at Kallang National Stadium. The first round of S. League matches played, with Bosnian Esad Sedjic
of Balestier Central scoring the first ever goal of the league against Police in a match held at Toa Payoh Stadium. Tiger Beer
Series winner, Geylang United, defeats Pioneer Series winner, Singapore Armed Forces FC, with a 2-1 score in the Grand Final
at the Kallang National Stadium to become the first S. League champions.
1998 : Singapore national team wins its first international championship by winning the Tiger Cup in Hanoi.
1999 : Launch of SCORE betting system to mark the legalisation of football betting in Singapore.
2000 : First case of corruption as Geylang United's Lutz Pfannenstiel and Jurong's Mirko Jurilj are convicted of match fixing and banned
from playing.
2001 : League season extends to 33 matches. Brazilian striker, Egmar Goncalves of Home United, becomes the first player to score
100 league goals.
2003 : S. League's first foreign team, Sinchi FC, enters the league. Three players are banned from playing for a period of six to 18
months after being found guilty of impeding the league's Player's Code of Conduct.
2008 : Seven players from Liaoning Guangyuan are jailed for charges of match fixing in the largest case of football corruption since the
start of the league. The team manager, who face similar charges, absconds.
Author
Bhaskaran Kunju
References
Balestier Khalsa Football Club. (2009). Club History. Retrieved July 5, 2009, from http://www.balestierkhalsafc.com
Chong, C. (2008, April 23). Six match-fixing Liaoning soccer players jailed. The Straits Times. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from Factiva database.
Football Association of Singapore. (2004). History. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.fas.org.sg/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=830
Moore, D. (1999). Thats the goal!: How to win at football. Singapore: Landmark Books.
(Call no.: RSING 796.334077 MOO)
Palakrishnan., & Das, M. (Eds.). (1996). S. League: The kick-off. Singapore: Singapore Professional Football League.
(Call no.: RSING 796.33406095957 S)
Sengkang Punggol Football Club. (2006). Overview/History. Retrieved July 5, 2009, from http://www.spfc.com.sg/history.htmSingapore
Professional Football League. (1996). The S.League handbook. Singapore: The S.League.
(Call no.: RSING 796.33406095957 SPFLSL)
S.League. (2008). About the S.league. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.sleague.com/Web/main.aspx?ID=f716b261-83ec-4f12-9c0f-c6705c44c556
S.League. (2008). Milestones. Retrieved June 18, 2009, from http://www.sleague.com/Web/main.aspx?ID=d8c1c5bf-b9c9-429e-a482-29812592c97f,,&TargetPageID=
The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
Subject
Recreation>>Sports
Football--Singapore
Sports, recreation and travel>>Ball games>>Football
All Rights Reserved. National Library Board Singapore 2009.
