PEOPLE
SAF WARRIORS BAG S-LEAGUE TITLE
09 Nov 2006
How far will you travel just to support your favourite football club? For Mr Albert Lim and his family, very far, literally.
The Lims live in Aljunied but they always make it a point to travel all the way to Choa Chu Kang Stadium to watch their favourite team, Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC) play in the S-League.
"We'll watch all the matches, home and away," said Mr Lim, who has been supporting the Warriors, as SAFFC is affectionately known as, since the inception of the S-League in 1996.
"Distance is not a problem. We take either the bus or the MRT."
The family was introduced to the club by Mr Lim's colleagues almost a decade ago. They fell in love with the club after watching their first match at the club's previous home ground, Jurong Stadium.
The Lim family was at Bedok Stadium on 8 Nov to support the Warriors as they took on Geylang United Football Club (GUFC) in the season-ender of the NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2006.
More importantly, they were there to witness the crowning of SAFFC as the new S-League champion. This was the fifth S-League title that the club has won. "I'm really very happy that we have won the title!" Mr Lim said with a wide smile. "I think head coach Richard Bok deserves a lot of credit for our win."
The electronics store supervisor added that Mr Bok, having been with the club since 1996, gave the team an edge over the other teams.
But Mr Bok downplayed the credit he deserved in leading SAFFC to its fifth title and chose to praise his charges instead.
He told cyberpioneer: "The players do their best in every game and they give 100 per cent during training.
"Last season, we dropped several points against opponents that we should have beaten, so we kept reminding ourselves this season to try not to let last season repeat itself again."
Minister of State for Defence Koo Tsai Kee presented the trophy to SAFFC captain, Mohd Noor Ali. The team was also presented a cheque of $150,000 for its title triumph.
How the match went
The match was pretty much an academic one for SAFFC because they had already won the title three matches ago. But the 3800-strong spectators who turned up at Bedok Stadium were treated to a cracking match.
The match got off to a great start for Geylang United as Hafiz Rahim gave them the lead in the second minute.
Japanese defender Kenji Arai equalised for the Warriors with a glancing header from a corner in the 23rd minute before Fathi Yunus gave Geylang the lead again two minutes later.
Noor Ali half-volleyed in to make it two-all at half-time, after a superb run by Farizal Basri down the left flank.
Despite their low position in the S-League table, Geylang United played their best football in the entire season to eventually defeat the Warriors 3-2, with Fathi scoring the winner in the 56th minute.
When the final whistle went, no one was complaining about the scoreline. For the SAF Warriors, it was time to bring out the champagne and bask in the glory of being title champion.
The Lims live in Aljunied but they always make it a point to travel all the way to Choa Chu Kang Stadium to watch their favourite team, Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC) play in the S-League.
"We'll watch all the matches, home and away," said Mr Lim, who has been supporting the Warriors, as SAFFC is affectionately known as, since the inception of the S-League in 1996.
"Distance is not a problem. We take either the bus or the MRT."
The family was introduced to the club by Mr Lim's colleagues almost a decade ago. They fell in love with the club after watching their first match at the club's previous home ground, Jurong Stadium.
The Lim family was at Bedok Stadium on 8 Nov to support the Warriors as they took on Geylang United Football Club (GUFC) in the season-ender of the NTUC Income-Yeo's S-League 2006.
More importantly, they were there to witness the crowning of SAFFC as the new S-League champion. This was the fifth S-League title that the club has won. "I'm really very happy that we have won the title!" Mr Lim said with a wide smile. "I think head coach Richard Bok deserves a lot of credit for our win."
The electronics store supervisor added that Mr Bok, having been with the club since 1996, gave the team an edge over the other teams.
But Mr Bok downplayed the credit he deserved in leading SAFFC to its fifth title and chose to praise his charges instead.
He told cyberpioneer: "The players do their best in every game and they give 100 per cent during training.
"Last season, we dropped several points against opponents that we should have beaten, so we kept reminding ourselves this season to try not to let last season repeat itself again."
Minister of State for Defence Koo Tsai Kee presented the trophy to SAFFC captain, Mohd Noor Ali. The team was also presented a cheque of $150,000 for its title triumph.
How the match went
The match was pretty much an academic one for SAFFC because they had already won the title three matches ago. But the 3800-strong spectators who turned up at Bedok Stadium were treated to a cracking match.
The match got off to a great start for Geylang United as Hafiz Rahim gave them the lead in the second minute.
Japanese defender Kenji Arai equalised for the Warriors with a glancing header from a corner in the 23rd minute before Fathi Yunus gave Geylang the lead again two minutes later.
Noor Ali half-volleyed in to make it two-all at half-time, after a superb run by Farizal Basri down the left flank.
Despite their low position in the S-League table, Geylang United played their best football in the entire season to eventually defeat the Warriors 3-2, with Fathi scoring the winner in the 56th minute.
When the final whistle went, no one was complaining about the scoreline. For the SAF Warriors, it was time to bring out the champagne and bask in the glory of being title champion.
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