Hougang United FC

Hougang United
Full name Hougang United Football Club
Nickname(s) Cheetahs
Founded 1998 (1998)
Ground Hougang Stadium
Capacity 3,800
Chairman Bill Ng
Head Coach Clement Teo Caretaker Coach
League Singapore Premier League
2017 S.League, 6th
Website Club website

Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's professional league Singapore Premier League. The club has not won any matches in the 2018 Singapore Premiere League in the entire month of April, as reported in a Fox Sports Asia article. However, on 17 June, captain Nurhilmi Jasni scored a winner against Balestier Khalsa to make the game a 1–0 victory to the cheetahs.

History

Hougang United Football Club was founded as Marine Castle United Football Club, which was formed by Newcastle United fans in the Marine Parade area. Upon successful entry into the S.League in 1998, the club struggled in its early foray in the first few years, finishing in the bottom two for the next four seasons.

Marine Castle changed its name to Sengkang Marine Football Club in 2002 and finished in 8th position consecutively, its highest ever finish in its short history.

Financial difficulties then forced Sengkang Marine out of the S.League in 2004, and Paya Lebar-Punggol Football Club took its place in 2005, finishing the season as wooden-spoonist. The two clubs then merged their resources from 2006 to 2010, to form Sengkang Punggol Football Club, finishing no higher than 10th.

On 1 January 2011, the chairman of Sengkang Punggol Football Club, Mr. Bill Ng, announced the changes that began the rewriting of another chapter of this football club. With improved financial status and a change in name to the present Hougang United Football Club, there was renewed optimism among the Hougang fan base around the club's home stadium since its inception, Hougang Stadium. The club also had its fair share of ‘marquee players’ in the earlier days like Grant Holt (formerly Norwich City), Michael Currie (formerly Queens Park Rangers) and Kim See-man (former South Korea youth international).

In November 2014, it was announced that Hougang United and Woodlands Wellington will merge for the 2015 season.[1][2] With the announcement that Hougang United will retain its name after the merger and assimilation of most of Woodlands staff into Hougang's structure, including players and head coach Salim Moin, Woodlands Wellington ceased to exist in the S.League from 2015.[3]

Partnership

On 22 November 2014, Hougang United announced the partnership with Global Football Academy for the 2015 S.League season.[4]

Scholarship

Hougang United FC Scholarship was launched in May 2015, the aim of the scholarship is to support and facilitate the academic development of young non-professional footballing talents.[5]

Supporters

The club has a group of supporters' community known as the Hougang HOOLS (Hougang Only One Love) which was set up in 2010, for their goal to enhance the matchday atmosphere and support the club. The fan group often organise an annual end of season friendly game against the players whom they sing for the entire season. The fan group main objective is to collate everyone who supports Hougang United, and grow them into a healthy fan community. The fan group also has an amateur band called Gate 3, who write songs about celebrating Hougang United.

Seasons

Season Name Changed League Pos. P W D L GS GA Pts Singapore Cup League Cup
1998 Marine Castle United S.League 11th (Wooden Spoon award) 20231519449 Group stage
1999 12th (Wooden Spoon award) 223316215612 Round of 16
2000 11th 224414184516 Round of 16
2001 11th 337620357127 Group stage
2002 Sengkang Marine 8th 3311616628439 Semi-finals
2003 8th 3378–117326638 Group stage
2004
2005 Paya Lebar Punggol S.League 10th (Wooden Spoon award) 27112523784 Preliminary
2006 Sengkang Punggol 11th (Wooden Spoon award) 304620327218 Quarter-finals
2007 11th 3351018396925 Quarter-finals Runners-up
2008 11th 3331020135419 Round of 16 Preliminary
2009 10th 305619265821 Round of 16 Group stage
2010 11th 337620244827 Round of 16 Semi-finals
2011 Hougang United 7th 3315315556343* Semi-finals Runners-up
2012 8th 24789313329 Quarter-finals Quarter-finals
2013 10th 279315374030 Quarter-finals Group stage
2014 7th 271269494242 Preliminary Semi-finals
2015 10th 274914284221 Preliminary Semi-finals
2016 6th 249510 353932 Preliminary Group stage
2017 6th 249312243130 Semi-finals Group stage
2018 Singapore Premier League
  • 2003 saw the introduction of penalty shoot-outs if a match ended in a draw in regular time. Winners of penalty shoot-outs gained two points instead of one.
  • Sengkang Marine sat out the 2004 S.League season. They merged with Paya Lebar Punggol to form Sengkang Marine on their return to the S.League in 2006.
  • Hougang United deducted 5-point for a pre-match brawl with Etoile during the 2011 season.
  • Hougang United's highest finish in 2016 & 2017 season.

Players

Current squad

As of 14 July 2018[6]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Singapore GK Zulfairuuz Rudy
2 Singapore DF Asraf Zaid
4 Singapore DF Ashrul Syafeeq
6 Singapore MF Syahiran Miswan
7 Singapore FW Fareez Farhan
8 Singapore MF Jordan Chan
9 Italy FW Antoine Viterale
10 Singapore MF Stanely Ng
11 Singapore DF Nazrul Nazari
12 Singapore MF Fabian Kwok
13 Singapore GK Ridhuan Barudin
14 Singapore FW Iqbal Hussain
15 Singapore DF Illyas Lee
No. Position Player
16 Singapore MF Justin Hui
17 Singapore DF Faiz Salleh
18 Singapore GK Khairulhin Khalid
19 Singapore MF Nurhilmi Jasni (c)
20 Singapore FW Muhaimin Suhaimi
21 Singapore FW Syukri Bashir
23 Singapore MF Amir Zalani
24 Singapore MF Shahfiq Ghani
26 South Korea FW Chang Jo-Yoon
32 Singapore DF Syaqir Sulaiman
33 Singapore FW Fazrul Nawaz
57 Singapore MF Nikesh Singh Sidhu
59 Singapore DF Jordan Nicolas Vestering

Managers (head coach)

Name Nat Period Honours
As Marine Castle None
As Sengkang Marine
Trevor Morgan England (2002 -2003)
As Paya Lebar Punggol
Chow Kwai Lam Malaysia (2004 –2005)
As Sengkang Punggol
Trevor Morgan England (2006 -2007)
Saswadimata Dasuki Singapore (2007 -2008)
Mirko Grabovac (caretaker) Croatia (2008)
Swandi Ahmad (interim) Singapore (2008)
Jorg Steinebrunner Germany (2009)
As Hougang United
Aide Iskandar (interim) Singapore (25 June 2009 – 31 December 2009)
Aide Iskandar Singapore (1 January 2010 – 31 December 2011)
Nenad Bacina Croatia (1 December 2011 – 30 November 2012)
Johana Bin Johari (interim) Singapore (30 November 2012 – 31 December 2012)
Alex Weaver England (1 January 2013 – 31 March 2013)
Johana Bin Johari (interim) Singapore (April 2013 – August 2013)
Amin Nasir Singapore (21 August 2013 – 31 December 2014)
Salim Moin Singapore (1 January 2015 – 30 October 2015)
K.Balagumaran Singapore (1 November 2015 – 30 November 2016)
Philippe Aw Singapore (Jan 2017–June 2018)

Sponsors

Kit Sponsors
SeasonSponsor Name
2011Mitre
2012Acono
2013Waga
2014Macron
2015– 2018Vonda
Hools' Sponsor
SeasonSponsor Name
2017–adidas
SeasonSponsor Name
2015–2016ESW Manage
2017Green Rubber
SeasonCo-Sponsor Name
2017ESW Manage
2017Living Star
2017VX Sports
2017Churros Factory
2017Cita Rasa Kitchen
2017Pin Si Restaurant

References

  1. ↑ Ong, Terence (4 November 2014). "Jaguars to sit out next S-League season, Rams to merge with Hougang". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Low, Lin Fhoong (5 November 2014). "Uncertainty over S-League's changes for 2015". Today. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  3. ↑ "S.League.com – Hougang United To Retain Name After Merger". sleague.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "HGFC is pleased to announce the signing... – Hougang United Football Club (HGFC)". facebook.com. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  5. ↑ "Hougang United F.C. Scholarship". hgfc.com.sg. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  6. ↑ "The Team". Hougang United Football Club. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
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