Hong Kong First Division League

Hong Kong First Division League
Countries Hong Kong
Confederation AFC
Founded 1908
Number of teams 10
Levels on pyramid 1
Relegation to Hong Kong Second Division
Domestic cup(s) Hong Kong Senior Shield
Hong Kong FA Cup
Hong Kong League Cup
International cup(s) AFC Cup
Current champions Kitchee
(2010–11)
Most championships South China (40)
Website http://www.hkfa.com/en/
2011–12 season

Hong Kong First Division League (Chinese: 香港甲組聯賽) is the top division football league in Hong Kong which was established in 1908, the oldest in Asia. It does not affiliate to any football leagues in the People's Republic of China.

Contents

Competition format

Exceptions

There were two teams, The Army and The Police, that are not required to be relegated. The league explained that soldiers in The Army team were frequently redeployed to another country and hence it was very difficult to establish teamwork. The Police team were not required to be relegated as they supply the venue Police Sports and Recreation Club for the league.

Another relegation exception was made to South China Athletic Association during the 2006/07 season. The Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the first division on June 14, 2006.[1] The reason for exception was not disclosed. The public believed that this application was allowed probably because South China has a long history in the First Division League and it would otherwise be humiliating for the club to be relegated to the Second Division. Another reason is that other football clubs rely on the large fan base of South China to generate revenues. Relegation would have resulted in a lose-lose situation for all sides.

Stadia

As Hong Kong is a small place, most clubs do not have space to build home stadiums. Even if they have their own training ground (as in the case of South China), the league matches are played elsewhere. The First Division League games are usually played in Hong Kong Stadium or Mong Kok Stadium.

List of football facilities used in season 2008–09:

The following table is a list of stadiums of the clubs in 2011/2012.

Team Stadium Capacity
Biu Chun Rangers Tsing Yi Sports Ground 6,680
Citizen Mong Kok Stadium 6,680
Hong Kong Sapling Kowloon Bay Park 1,200
Kitchee Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground 3,500
NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po Tai Po Sports Ground 3,000
Sham Shui Po Sham Shui Po Sports Ground 2,194
South China Hong Kong Stadium 40,000
Sun Hei Mong Kok Stadium 6,680
TSW Pegasus Yuen Long Stadium 4,932
Tuen Mun Tuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports Ground 2,200

1As Mutual has withdrawn from 2011–12 Hong Kong First Division League, Hong Kong Sapling is formed to replace.

Competing clubs

2011–12 season

The following 10 clubs are competing in the Hong Kong First Division League during the 2011–12 season.

Club
Position
in 2010–11
First season in
top division
Last title
Biu Chun Rangers 7th 2008–09 n/a
Citizen 6th 2004–05 n/a
Hong Kong Sapling n/a n/a n/a
Kitchee 1st 1947–48 2010–11
NT Realty Wofoo Tai Po 5th 2006–07 n/a
Sham Shui Po 1st, Second Division n/a n/a
South China 2nd 1918–19 2009–10
Sun Hei 4th 1994–95 2004–05
TSW Pegasus 3rd 2008–09 n/a
Tuen Mun 8th 2010–11 n/a

1As Mutual has withdrawn from 2011–12 Hong Kong First Division League, Hong Kong Sapling is formed to replaced.

Records

Unbeaten teams

References:[2][3]

Since 1945 (i.e. after WWII, when HKFA has held a complete record of the competition), there are 4 teams which have remained unbeaten throughout the whole season.

1945–46 There were 10 teams in the First Division. Navy B finished as 4th with a result of 5 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses. Navy B became the first team to go unbeaten in all league and cup matches in a season.

1977–78 There were 12 teams in the First Division. South China finished as the Champions with a magnificent result of 20 wins, 2 draws and 0 losses. South China became the first team in the League to go unbeaten in a season. The two drawn matches were against Eastern and Tung Sing.
In 1985–86 there were 2 unbeaten teams in the league. Both South China and Happy Valley topped the league with 10 wins and 8 draws. South China won the league with a goal difference of +21 five goals better than the +16 held by Happy Valley. South China became the first team to hold a record of 2 unbeaten seasons.

1978–79 In the season immediately after South China becoming the first unbeaten team, Seiko became the second team which achieved this result. With a slightly poorer result (19 wins and 3 draws) compared to the previous year's South China, Seiko still became the Champion of the season. The draw matches were against Kui Tan, Eastern and Caroline Hill. A more marvellous result for Seiko was that it won 5 out of the 6 competitions that season. The only trophy it failed to get was FA Cup, losing to Yuen Long by penalty kicks.

1985–86 Happy Valley was unbeaten in the season, same as South China (10 wins and 8 draws). However, Happy Valley just claimed the runners-up because a worse goal difference. It became the first unbeaten team which could not gain the title for the season.
2002–03# Actually, according to the league table Happy Valley did not go unbeaten during this season. The 'losing' match was against Fukien. In that match, Happy Valley was originally the winning team. However, it was later discovered that an ineligible player was used during the game. Happy Valley was penalised with a 0–3 loss.

2002–03 Sun Hei became the fourth team to go the whole season without losing a game in the history of the league. However, they were only able to achieve a second place finish, one point behind Happy Valley.

Top goal scorers

References:[4][5][6]

Season: 1957–58
Number of goals: 40
Team: South China
Winning seasons: 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Total goals: 160
Played teams: Eastern, South China, Kitchee
Runner-up seasons: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73

Goalkeeper records

References:[7]

Record: 827 min
Season: 1992–93
He assisted Eastern to maintain a record of 0 conceded and 9 straight wins in the first 9 matches of 1992–93 season. His record ended when they played the second round match against South China at the 17th minute. The goalscorer was Loh Wai Chi.

Champions

Team Champions Winning seasons
Overall Before WWII After WWII
South China 40 9 31 1923–24, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10
Seiko 9 9 1972–73, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85
Happy Valley 6 6 1964–65, 1988–89, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2005–06
R.G.A. 5 5 0 1909–10, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1917–18
Eastern 4 0 4 1955–56, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Kitchee 4 0 4 1947–48, 1949–50, 1963–64, 2010–11
C.A.A. 3 3 0 1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30
Sun Hei 3 3 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05
Buffs 2 2 0 1908–09, 1910–11
King's Own Rifiles 2 2 1911–12, 1922–23
South Welsh Borderers 2 2 1931–32, 1933–34
K.M.B. 2 2 1953–54, 1966–67
Double Flower (Instant-Dict) 2 2 1995–96, 1997–98
D.C.L.I. 1 1 1913–14
Royal Engineers 1 1 0 1916–17
Royal Navy 1 1 0 1918–19
HKFC 1 1 0 1919–20
Wiltshire Regiment 1 1 1920–21
HMS Curiew 1 1 1921–22
East Surrey Regt. 1 1 1924–25
Kowloon FC 1 1 1925–26
Recreio 1 1 1926–27
Ulster Guards 1 1 1936–37
Royal Air Force 1 0 1 1945–46
Sing Tao 1 0 1 1946–47
Yuen Long 1 1 1962–63
Jardines 1 1 1969–70
Rangers 1 1 1970–71

See also

References and notes

External links