Hougang United FC

Full name

Hougang United Football Club

Nickname(s)

The Cheetahs

Founded

1981

Ground

Hougang Stadium

Capacity

3,400

Chairman

Bill Ng

Head Coach

K. Balagumaran

League

S.League

2016

5th

Website

Club home page

Home colours

Away colours

HGFC Jersey 2016 Home & Away

Hougang United Football Club is a professional football club in Singapore's professional league S.League.

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 known as the Hougang HOOLS (Hougang Only One Love). They are fervent fans who enjoy singing & chanting for 90 minutes for their Hougang United heroes!

Seasons

Season	S.League									Singapore Cup	Singapore League Cup
Season	Club	Pos	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Singapore Cup	Singapore League Cup
1998	Marine Castle United	11th	20	2	3	15	19	44	9	Group Stage
1999		12th	22	3	3	16	21	56	12	Round of 16
2000		11th	22	4	4	14	18	45	16	Round of 16
2001		11th	33	7	6	20	35	71	27	Group Stage
2002	Sengkang Marine	8th	33	11	6	16	62	84	39	Semi-finals
2003	Sengkang Marine	8th	33	7	8–1	17	32	66	38	Group Stage
2004
2005	Paya Lebar Punggol	10th	27	1	1	25	23	78	4	Preliminary
2006	Sengkang Punggol	11th	30	4	6	20	32	72	18	Quarter-finals
2007		11th	33	5	10	18	39	69	25	Quarter-finals	Runners-up
2008		11th	33	3	10	20	13	54	19	Round of 16	Preliminary
2009		10th	30	5	6	19	26	58	21	Round of 16	Group Stage
2010		11th	33	7	6	20	24	48	27	Round of 16	Third Place
2011	Hougang United	7th	33	15	3	15	55	63	43*	Semi-finals	Runners-up
2012		8th	24	7	8	9	31	33	29	Quarter-finals	Quarter-finals
2013		10th	27	9	3	15	37	40	30	Quarter-finals	Quarter-finals
2014		7th	27	12	6	9	49	42	42	Preliminary	Semi-finals
2015		10th	27	4	9	14	28	42	21	Preliminary	Semi-finals
2016		6th	24	9	5	10	35	39	32	Preliminary	Group Stage

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.

Players

Current Squad

As of 6 February 2016 ^[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	GK	Ridhuan Barudin
2	DF	Yusiskandar Yusop
3	DF	Ali Hudzaifi
4	DF	Delwinder Singh
5	MF	Fairoz Hasan
6	DF	Anumanthan Kumar
7	FW	Jozef Kapláň (team captain)
8	MF	Fumiya Kogure
9	FW	Stipe Plazibat
10	FW	Nur Na'im Ishak
11	MF	Nazrul Nazari
12	MF	Nur Ridho Jafri

No.	Position	Player
13	GK	Fawwaz Anuar
14	MF	Iqbal Hussain
15	MF	Huzaifa Aziz
16	MF	Raihan Rahman
17	DF	Faiz Salleh
18	GK	Khairulhin Khalid
19	MF	Nurhilmi Jasni
20	DF	Afiq Mat Noor
21	DF	Khairulnizam Jumahat
22	DF	Wahyudi Wahid
23	FW	Samuel Benjamin
24	DF	Faliq Sudir

Prime League Squad