Hougang United FC

Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club based in Hougang, Singapore. The club competes in the Singapore Premier League, the top tier of Singaporean football. Founded in 1998 as Marine Castle United, the club changed its name to Hougang United in 2011. Nicknamed the Cheetahs, United has played its home games at Hougang Stadium since its formation.

Hougang United
Full nameHougang United Football Club
Nickname(s)The Cheetahs
Short nameHGFC
Founded1998 (1998) (as Marine Castle United)
2011 (2011) (as Hougang United)
GroundHougang Stadium
Capacity3,800
ChairmanBill Ng
ManagerFirdaus Kassim
LeagueSingapore Premier League
2022Singapore Premier League, 5th of 8
WebsiteClub website

History

Hougang United players holding the Singapore Cup trophy after winning the 2022 edition

Foundation

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.

Renaming

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 the 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.[1] The club also had its fair share of marquee players in the earlier days such as Michael Currie, who formerly played for Queens Park Rangers). Conversely, Grant Holt began his early career at the club, before going on to play for upper division clubs in England, such as Nottingham Forest and Norwich.

In November 2014, it was announced that Hougang United and Woodlands Wellington will merge for the 2015 season.[2]

In 2019, Hougang United in a consolidation of home stadiums had to move out of Hougang Stadium to Jalan Besar Stadium.[1] Just a year later however, Hougang United moved back to their home stadium, much to the delight of its home supporters.

First silverware

On 19 November 2022, Hougang United defeated defending champions Tampines Rovers 3–2 in the Singapore Cup final to win their inaugural Singapore Cup.[3] It is their first ever silverware.

Ownership and finances

Partnership

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

On 16 November 2021, Hougang United announced the signing of main sponsorship with The Physio Circle for 3 years starting from 2022 to 2024.

On 19 October 2022, Hougang United announced the signing of sponsorship with Advance Capital Partners Pte Ltd for its women's team competing in the FAS Women's Premier League.

Scholarship

The 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 uniquely has an enthusiastic supporters' club known as the Hougang HOOLS (Hougang Only One Love), which was set up in 2010. 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's 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.[6]

Seasons

Season Name Changed League Pos. P W D L GS GA Pts Singapore Cup League Cup AFC Champions League FIFA Club World Cup
1998 Marine Castle United S.League 11th 20231519449 Group stage Not qualified
1999 12th 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 27112523784 Preliminary Not qualified Not qualified
2006 Sengkang Punggol 11th 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 249510353932 Preliminary Group stage
2017 6th 249312243130 Semi-finals Group stage
2018 Singapore Premier League 9th 242616224412 Quarter finals
2019 3rd 24134758 4543 Group stage
2020 6th 1443719 2415
2021 3rd 21104748 4034
  • 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.

Continental record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2020 AFC Cup Group F Laos Lao Toyota Cancelled 1–3 3rd
Vietnam Hồ Chí Minh City 2–3 Cancelled
Myanmar Yangon United Cancelled 1–0
2022 AFC Cup Group I Cambodia Phnom Penh Crown
Vietnam Viettel
Laos Young Elephants

Players

Current squad

As of 26 February 2023[7]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF Singapore SGP Anders Aplin
3 DF Singapore SGP Jordan Vestering U23
4 DF Singapore SGP Nazrul Nazari (vice-captain)
5 DF Japan JPN Naoki Kuriyama
6 DF Japan JPN Kazuma Takayama
7 FW Singapore SGP Amy Recha
8 MF Singapore SGP Shahdan Sulaiman
10 MF Croatia CRO Kristijan Krajček
11 FW Singapore SGP Hazzuwan Halim
14 MF Singapore SGP Umar Ramle
16 DF Singapore SGP Ajay Robson U23
17 DF Singapore SGP Irwan Shah
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 MF Singapore SGP Idraki Adnan U23
19 GK Singapore SGP Zaiful Nizam
22 FW Singapore SGP Gabriel Quak
23 FW Singapore SGP Sahil Suhaimi
24 MF Singapore SGP Amir Zalani
25 GK Singapore SGP Zainol Gulam
32 MF Argentina ARG Brian Ferreira
37 MF Singapore SGP Zulfahmi Arifin (captain)
55 DF Singapore SGP Rauf Sanizal U21
60 MF Singapore SGP Raimi Ishraq U21
63 MF Singapore SGP Hariysh Krishnakumar U21
68 DF Singapore SGP Iryan Fandi U21

On loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
DF Singapore SGP Harhys Stewart (to Young Lions)
MF Singapore SGP Nikesh Singh Sidhu (National Service until 2023)
DF Singapore SGP Sahffee Jubpre (National Service until 2023)
MF Singapore SGP Farhan Zulkifli (National Service until 2025)
GK Singapore SGP Aizil Yazid (National Service until 2025, to Young Lions)

Technical staff

Position Name
General Manager Singapore Matthew Tay
Team Manager Nigeria Robert Eziakor
Head coach Singapore Firdaus Kassim
Assistant coach Japan Yuki Fujimoto
Fitness coach Singapore Hairil Amin
Goalkeeper coach Australia Scott Starr
Strength and Conditioning coach Singapore Syaqir Sulaiman
Head Of Development / U-21 coach Croatia Marko Kraljevic
Sports Trainer Singapore Thomas Pang
Physiotherapists United Kingdom Maheen Gul United Kingdom Shoban Rahulapaskaran Singapore Daniel Tan Singapore Ain Hassan
Equipment manager Singapore Richard Lim
Equipment Officer Singapore Wan Azlan Bin Wan Adanan
U-15 coach Singapore Tay Puay Guan
U-17 coach Nigeria Robert Eziakor

Managers

Name Nat Period Silverware
As Marine Castle United
Alan Vest New Zealand (1 January–30 July 2001)
As Sengkang Marine
Trevor Morgan England (1 August 2001 – 30 July 2003)
Abdullah Noor England (1 August–31 December 2003)
As Paya Lebar Punggol
Chow Kwai Lam Malaysia (1 January–4 June 2005)
Qi Yubo China (12 June–31 December 2005)
As Sengkang Punggol
Trevor Morgan England (10 January 2006 – 19 September 2007)
Saswadimata Dasuki Singapore (20 September 2007 – 21 July 2008)
Mirko Grabovac (caretaker) Croatia (29 July–5 October 2008)
Swandi Ahmad (interim) Singapore (6 October–31 December 2008)
Jorg Steinebrunner Germany (1 January–24 June 2009)
As Hougang United
Aide Iskandar (interim) Singapore (25 June–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–31 December 2012)
Alex Weaver England (1 January–31 March 2013)
Johana Bin Johari (interim) Singapore (April–August 2013)
Amin Nasir Singapore (21 August 2013 – 31 December 2014)
Salim Moin Singapore (1 January–30 October 2015)
K. Balagumaran Singapore (1 November 2015 – 30 November 2016)
Philippe Aw Singapore (Jan 2017–June 2018)
Clement Teo Singapore (June 2017–) 2022 Singapore Cup

Manufacturers and sponsors

Kit manufacturers
SeasonName
2011Mitre
2012Acono
2013Waga
2014Macron
2015–2018Vonda
2019–2021Warrix
2022
SeasonName
2015–2016ESW Manage
2017–2020ESW Manage
2020–2021Northstar Group
2022–2024The Physio Circle[8]

Honours

Cup

References

  1. "Eight Singapore Premier League clubs to share stadiums, views divided over 'semi-permanent move'". Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  2. Ong, Terence (4 November 2014). "Jaguars to sit out next S-League season, Rams to merge with Hougang". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  3. Lee, David (19 November 2022). "Football: Hat-trick hero Krajcek hails late brother after helping Hougang beat Tampines in Singapore Cup final | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  4. "Hougang United aim to do more for community". 9 February 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. "Hougang United F.C. Scholarship". hgfc.com.sg. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 15 March 2017.
  6. Lee, David (15 March 2020). "Football: Hools out for Hougang United, but Cheetahs lose despite loyal fans' backing | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
  7. "SPL 2023 Transfer Centre Club Guide: Hougang United". Singapore Premier League. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. "Football: Hougang United aim for better recovery and silverware with new sponsors the Physio Circle | the Straits Times". 15 November 2021.
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