1996 was a special year for Singapore football. Two years after we left the Malaysia Cup, the S.League was born - our own professional football competition.
Eight sides took part in the first S.League campaign; Balestier Central, Geylang United, Police, Singapore Armed Forces, Tampines Rovers, Tiong Bahru United, Woodlands Wellington and Sembawang Rangers.
I still remember the excitement of its launch at the old National Stadium. The lights, the crowd, the roar that rolled across Kallang - it felt like the whole country was stepping into a new era of the sport we loved.
From the very start, my heart belonged to Sembawang Rangers. The club was also referred to among supporters as the “Stallions”. Between 1996 and 1999, they were my team. Maybe they didn’t always top the league, but they had a spirit and grit that made me proud to stand behind them.
Thanks to my father’s job with the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), I was lucky. He often brought home free tickets to matches, which meant my weekends were spent under the stadium lights. I became a familiar face at Yishun Stadium, the Stallions’ home ground, and occasionally made the trip to Woodlands Stadium.
Woodlands Wellington, I have to admit, had a special magic. In my eyes, their supporters were among the most passionate fans in the league - drums beating, flags waving, chants echoing through the night. You could feel the energy long before you reached the gates.
Looking back now, the S.League of the late 90s wasn’t just about football scores or league tables. It was about the thrill of live matches, the smell of the grass, the echo of the referee’s whistle, and the way an entire stadium could rise in one voice. It was a time when Singapore football felt alive in every neighbourhood, and for a young fan like me, it was nothing short of magic.
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