| Full name | Geylang United Football Club | ||
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| Nickname(s) | The Eagles | ||
| Founded | 1973 | ||
| Ground | Bedok Stadium Bedok, Singapore (Capacity: 3,864) |
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| Chairman | Patrick Ang | ||
| Head Coach | Mike Wong | ||
| League | S.League | ||
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Geylang United Football Club is a professional football club from Singapore, currently playing in the S.League. The club is based in Bedok and their home ground is Bedok Stadium. Their mascot is an eagle, and hence the team is also known as "the Eagles".
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Geylang were founded as International Contract Specialists (ICS) in 1973 and won the 1974 Non-League Championships. During their early years, the club were funded by donations from well-wishers and the players were not paid. After a change of name to Geylang International, they debuted in the revamped National Football League (NFL) in 1975, bagging the league and President's Cup double. They won the President's Cup again in 1977 and the league the following year. A relegation in 1981 prompted the arrival of a new management committee that guided the club back to the top division in 1983.[1]
In 1984, club president Kasim Chik financed the club and businessman Patrick Ang managed to secure sponsors for the Eagles. Despite being relegated that year, they returned to Division I of the NFL the following season and a golden era began. The FAS Premier League, formed in 1988, was dominated by Geylang, as they won six consecutive titles, then finished third in 1994 (behind two guest clubs from Australia) and runners-up to the national team in 1995. Hence they were one of eight clubs selected for the S.League (which replaced the FAS Premier League from 1996 onwards) and renamed to Geylang United.[1]
The club were founder members of the S.League in 1996, and captured the inaugural championship title that year. In its inaugural season, the S.League competition was split into two series. In each series, the eight teams in the league played each other home and away, and the table-topping teams from each of the two series then met each other in a season-ending play-off match to determine the champions. Captained by Singapore's most famous football star Fandi Ahmad, Geylang won the first series. The second series was won by Singapore Armed Forces Football Club (SAFFC). Geylang beat SAFFC 2-1 in the season-ending play-off match to be crowned the first S.League champions, with Mohammad Khakpour scoring one of the best free kicks to be seen in the S.League in that match. One week later, the Eagles completed the double by beating SAFFC again, this time on penalties, in the Singapore FA Cup final.
The club captured the S.League title for a second time in 2001 under South Korean coach Jang Jung, the defensive wall of Lionel Lewis, Hasrin Jailani, Winston Yap, Zulkarnaen Zainal, winger Noor Ali, key midfielder Billy Bone plus star strikers Aleksandar Duric and Brian Bothwell.
Geylang finished 6th in both the 2007 and 2008 S.League seasons, and have undergone a major overhaul for the 2009 season in hopes of finishing within the Top 4. This was something they failed to do in 2009, and in 2010, the same performance was repeated. This resulted in the club undergoing a second overhaul for the 2011 season, in which they hoped to finish in the top 4.
Geylang United FC started of as ICS Football Club and founded by Colin Ng Managing Director of International Contract Specialist Private Limited a Company in waterproofing contracts and at the same time distributors of Stylo Soccer boots and Bauer Ice Skating Shoes. During this time footballers in the National Team namely Arshad Khamis and Gulam Mohammed was employed by the Company together with another Player Isman Kwek. Players from the National side like Samad Allapitchay, Dollah Kassiam, Omar Ashiblee and Samsuddin Rahmat and more were drawn in to the team playing the Division 3 league. The team was fully sponsored by International Contract Specialist Private Limited and were paid accordingly to play and a coach Sebastian Yap was also brought in to trained the players. The team won the Division 3 tiltle and even went on to win the FA Cup beating the division 1 teams. Thus the team was encouraged to promote to Division 1 and played in the league formed then as Geylang United Football Club.Everything was paid for including the players allowances. After winning several championship cups from 1973 to 1978 the founder and president Colin Ng had sponsors and together with his own personal funds rewarded the team to England, Philippines and Brunei playing in several friendly tournaments. In 1979, the President then decided to moved to the United States and also to England where his parents and family members lived to try a new life. All players were paid accordingly including the coach brought in. That was how the then Patrick Ang was brought it by another official from the Club to join in. Then came the start of the Singapore S-League.
Nationality given from place of birth Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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*Players in bold have National Team appearances.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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