Local soccer’s Malaysia Cup years played a big part in the development of Singapore’s nationhood.
They coincided with a period when many of the now Pioneer and Merdeka generations were growing up and also caught up in the tumultuous years leading to self-government and independence.
They – or shared memories of those feel-good years – are now part of the glue, which will help give us a sense of ballast and even gratitude that we were part of that period. They are personal, warm, inspiring and lasting. No one can take them away.
I was introduced to the then-Malaya Cup matches in the late 1950s. A wonderful primary school teacher handpicked two of his students (I was one of them) and asked us to meet him in Jalan Besar Stadium. He knew both of us were staying near the stadium. We met him outside. He had two extra tickets. We followed him into the already packed stadium.
Singapore versus Selangor! I can’t now remember the score. I think we won. This was when I was introduced to S “The Spider” Arumugam, Santokh Singh, Lee Kok Seng, Awang Bakar, referee kayu, kelong!
I was hooked.
There was a 30th-anniversary celebration a few days ago of Singapore winning the Malaysia Cup and league double in 1994. The names of Fandi Ahmad, Abbas Saad, Steven Tan, and Malek Awab, among others, rolled easily off the tips of our tongues as we recalled that event, and others stretched back to the 1950s.
For those heart-warming memories and everything about them which helped make us a multi-racial society, I have a list of people to mention:
The “Combined” Services team
These British/Anzuk-type servicemen were part of the early years of the tournament. They offered an interesting unpredictability whenever they played because physically, they were strong and came from countries with soccer-playing backgrounds.
Soh Ghee Soon
He was a long-serving president of the Singapore Amateur Football Association. The foundation of local soccer was laid during his tenure. He was also the founding vice-president of the Asian Football Confederation.
N Ganesan
A criminal lawyer, he was an active, long-serving president of the Football Association of Singapore. The FAS grew under his leadership.
He was behind the move to hold Malaysia Cup matches at the bigger National Stadium, despite the risk that the “natural” compact home would give a better atmosphere than the much larger and harder to fill the National Stadium. His was the right decision.
Malaysia Cup matches were never the same. Most matches were resoundingly packed to capacity.
Fandi Ahmad
Where would local soccer be without Fandi? At a time when names like Seak Poh Leong, Wilfred Skinner, Awang Bakar, Lee Kok Seng and so on were bandied at household dinners, Fandi was just a young boy.
When he came onto the local soccer scene, he could not be stopped from there on. And he is still giving – through his talented sons.
Uncle Choo
Most people used “colourful” to describe Choo Seng Quee, arguably Singapore’s most successful soccer coach. He was the coach behind spotting and nurturing the talent of Fandi Ahmad.
Another word used was “legendary”. Choo had a lengthy career, having coached Burnley United and done stints in Malaysia, Singapore and the region. He had no less a patron than Tengku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister.
Quah family
So many soccer icons from this family. For their footballing brilliance and contributions, the country and early generations of Singapore owe you all – Kim Lye, Kim Beng, Kim Swee, Kim Siak and Kim Song.
Jeffrey Low
And I reserve the final tribute for my ex-New Nation colleague, Jeffrey Low, the soccer writer.
I believe Jeff Low was one of those who were responsible for getting so many Singaporeans excited about soccer, especially the Malaysia Cup matches, though not necessarily just the Cup soccer. Jeff got me excited about World Cup matches, too.
He had the knack of describing matches to capture attention in the same way that we now get hooked into Internet games. His was an addictive read, and so were the two words he had always used to describe the deafening sound that reverberated throughout the whole National Stadium in Kallang each time Singapore scored a goal – Kallang Roar.
Thank you to everyone named in this column. As they said, thanks for the memories.
Tan Bah Bah is a former senior leader writer. He was also a managing editor of a magazine publishing company