Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Malaysia's Second Tier
Felda United v PBAPP in the Premier League
It's December 2004 and I've been working in Malaysia for a few months. As it's a Saturday I've taken a bus from my home in Puchong into town for a few beers. KL is heaving as it's Malaysia Cup Final day and it seems like the whole of the north west has decamped to the capital. Perlis v Kedah. For Perlis it's their first ever final and they won. They would go on to appear in the next two finals and that was to be the end of their faint wisp of glory.
Not the most orthodox of introductions to a piece about the second tier now known as the Malaysia A1 Semi-Pro League but I mention Perlis for good reason. When I started taking note of the game they were a feature in the top flight without winning anything. They were a state FA in a league populated by state FAs. But ever since Malaysia decided to go fully professional Perlis, along with the likes of Kelantan, Melaka and Sarawak have struggled and fallen off the radar. I say this because looking at the Semi-Pro League instead of seeing a few familiar faces like the aforementioned, what we have is a hotch potch of newly formed clubs boasting faintly ridiculous names.
So, let's have a gander at the Semi-Pro League 2024/25 and its 15 teams.
Sharing top spot after six games are Melaka and Immigration. This particular incarnation of Melaka bears no relation to the Melaka United where Ilija Spasojevic enjoyed some glory earlier in his career. They were only formed in 2022 and are now coached by the experienced K Devan.
As for Immigration, they are 10 years old and owned by, you guessed it, the immigration department. Their nickname is the Mighty Tigers which I think is a mighty letdown - better be known as the Passport Stampers! Anyway, I hope they get promoted as they have a Nigerian striker in their ranks named Michael Thankgod Ogwuche who has scored seven goals so far this season.
Both those sides could in theory find themselves in the Super League next season!
In third place are Kuala Lumpur Rovers three points behind the joint leaders and they boast a massive 4 year history! Could KL City v KL Rovers be the Derby KL is waiting for? I guess no...
Next up is Bunga Raya Darmansara who seem to play on a field and have an active FB page! They also feature in their ranks the veteran Khyril Muhymeen.
Now, we're getting into silly name territory. Persada Integriti Bersatu Shah Alam are better known as PIB Shah Alam and they were formed in 2011. When they hosted Melaka at the start of the season the crowd was a reported 100! Then we have PT Athletic, or Putrajaya Athletic who were formed in Janauary 2024 - and earned themselves a place in the second tier straight away! They too have some familiar names in their ranks with Indra Putra and Amri Yahya rolling back the years at Stadion MMU!
After Malaysian University and Majung City we come to Armed Forces, formerly known as ATM and coached by English guy Kevin Cooper. Remember a few years ago when they were splashing the cash and were seen as a Malaysian Manchester City?!
Sadly, Gombak have no links to the late, lamented Gombak United in Singapore. Instead, they find themselves in the second tier having won the Malaysia A3 Community League (Selangor Champions League?!) last season. Over in East Malaysia we have Machan FC from Sarawak and again, they're a relative newbie, former in 2022
Back on the peninsula and YP Maintenance sounds less like a football club and more like a repair company based under the arches by Waterloo Station in London. The YP though stands for Yayasan Pahang and they are based in Kuantan
Harini FC are based in Kuala Selangor which is an interesting small town. Sadly, I can't think of anything interesting to say about Harini but do visit Kuala Selangor with its old fort!
In the relegation places, Bukit Tambun come from Penang and are just two years old. They've only played one home game this season and that was at the 40,000 capacity Penang State Stadium - the 273 fans that night would have had plenty of legroom! Meanwhile UiTM United have been around for a while without really exciting anyone.
With crowds across the league averaging less than 400 and no team, perhaps apart from Melaka, capable of attracting any numbers, it's hardly surprising we hear next to nothing about the league. Clubs come and go with regular monotony, they always have, so it's hard to generate any interest in vanity projects which won't be around for long. In such circumstances, little wonder clubs at this level struggle to survive
