Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Woodlands Wellington v SAF 1-4
Welcome to bandit country
It would be difficult to describe anywhere in Singapore, an island the size of a hypermart, as bandit country but tonight at Woodlands Stadium it came very close especially for the hardy Warriors fans who had made the relatively short journey north.
Woodlands is up north. Way up north a short drop kick from the Malaysian state of Johor just across the causeway. Indeed some kind souls describe Woodlands as just a southern suburb of Johore Bahru.
It's not of course. And the 'burb has become something of a magnet for afficianodos of Soviet era architecture with the immigration centre there resembling a place the old Russian generals would gaze down on the May Day Parade.
But I digress.
There's a bit of previous between these two sets of fans after the game at Chua Chu Kang earlier in the season when they threw plastic water bottles at each other which is as bad as it gets in Singapore.
Tonight I witnessed one of the best atmospheres at a game here as the Woodlands fans baited the visitors through much of the first half. Bawdy songs, hand signals, good old fashioned verbals, it was raucous stuff.
Far from intimidating. Just ask the auntie who was sat in the middle of it all how scary she was. She just kept reading the paper.
But the home team's officials were concerned enough to have a quiet word with some of the younger, more exuberant fans which calmed things down. If only it was so easy at Millwall!
The second half was more typical Singapore. Quiet reigned on the terraces except for the odd chant and drum beat. Until the final whistle when the visiting fans were advisied to leave the stadium cautiously but there were security officials to take care of them.
The Woodlands fans reacted wildly, mocking the visitors and suggesting that perhaps they all would ,like to meet up outside for a quiet brawl. The home fans charged for the exit ready to do damage and then ...silence. Probably a couple of old ladies outside told them all to fuck off home or there would be no more free chicken rice in future.
With so much in Singapore artificial, the beaches, the heritage, it was refreshing to see this genuine passion coming from the fans. This rivalry between SAF and Woodlands looks to me, an outsider, to be something created on the terraces. Not like the Uniform derby, this seems to be building on some past demeanours getting passed on by word of mouth and lo and behold. You have the makings of a local football culture.
Oh yeah, the game. Comfortable for SAF once Jamil Ali, their former player, had run out of puff. Two goals from Duric and Wilkinson while Hammond netted a pen for the home team. Images here
Five goals last night, five tonight and not a single Singaporean on the scoresheet.
It would be difficult to describe anywhere in Singapore, an island the size of a hypermart, as bandit country but tonight at Woodlands Stadium it came very close especially for the hardy Warriors fans who had made the relatively short journey north.
Woodlands is up north. Way up north a short drop kick from the Malaysian state of Johor just across the causeway. Indeed some kind souls describe Woodlands as just a southern suburb of Johore Bahru.
It's not of course. And the 'burb has become something of a magnet for afficianodos of Soviet era architecture with the immigration centre there resembling a place the old Russian generals would gaze down on the May Day Parade.
But I digress.
There's a bit of previous between these two sets of fans after the game at Chua Chu Kang earlier in the season when they threw plastic water bottles at each other which is as bad as it gets in Singapore.
Tonight I witnessed one of the best atmospheres at a game here as the Woodlands fans baited the visitors through much of the first half. Bawdy songs, hand signals, good old fashioned verbals, it was raucous stuff.
Far from intimidating. Just ask the auntie who was sat in the middle of it all how scary she was. She just kept reading the paper.
But the home team's officials were concerned enough to have a quiet word with some of the younger, more exuberant fans which calmed things down. If only it was so easy at Millwall!
The second half was more typical Singapore. Quiet reigned on the terraces except for the odd chant and drum beat. Until the final whistle when the visiting fans were advisied to leave the stadium cautiously but there were security officials to take care of them.
The Woodlands fans reacted wildly, mocking the visitors and suggesting that perhaps they all would ,like to meet up outside for a quiet brawl. The home fans charged for the exit ready to do damage and then ...silence. Probably a couple of old ladies outside told them all to fuck off home or there would be no more free chicken rice in future.
With so much in Singapore artificial, the beaches, the heritage, it was refreshing to see this genuine passion coming from the fans. This rivalry between SAF and Woodlands looks to me, an outsider, to be something created on the terraces. Not like the Uniform derby, this seems to be building on some past demeanours getting passed on by word of mouth and lo and behold. You have the makings of a local football culture.
Oh yeah, the game. Comfortable for SAF once Jamil Ali, their former player, had run out of puff. Two goals from Duric and Wilkinson while Hammond netted a pen for the home team. Images here
Five goals last night, five tonight and not a single Singaporean on the scoresheet.
# posted by Me @ 7:58 AM 
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Hi "Me"
If I recalled correctly, the hostile atmosphere took placed two years ago at the same venue.
Can't tell who started the "hoo-ha" but it begun with some verbal wars, gesturing before the "charge"!! at the common walkway in front the main stand.
Got one guy even had the guts to shove aside a legend by the name Mr Quah Kim Song,the FAS chief of competition, who tried to stop the madness from escalating!
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If I recalled correctly, the hostile atmosphere took placed two years ago at the same venue.
Can't tell who started the "hoo-ha" but it begun with some verbal wars, gesturing before the "charge"!! at the common walkway in front the main stand.
Got one guy even had the guts to shove aside a legend by the name Mr Quah Kim Song,the FAS chief of competition, who tried to stop the madness from escalating!
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