South China AA

South China Athletic Association (also known as South China, SCAA, Chinese: 南華體育會) is a football club which currently competes in the Hong Kong First Division, the second-tier league in Hong Kong football league system. The club is historically one of the most successful football clubs in Hong Kong, having won a record 41 First Division titles, a record 31 Senior Shields, a record 10 FA Cups and 3 League Cups. The club has a very long history in playing in the top-tier league, but decided to self-relegate after the end of the 2016–17 season.

For the volleyball section, see South China AA (volleyball). For the basketball section, see South China AA (basketball) and Nam Ching Basketball.

South China
Full name南華體育會
South China Athletic Association
Nickname(s)少林寺 (Shaolin Temple)
The Caroliners
Founded1910 (1910), as South China Football Team
GroundHappy Valley Recreation Ground
PresidentAlbert Hung
ManagerPoon Yiu Cheuk
LeagueHong Kong First Division
2018–19Hong Kong First Division, 8th of 14

Nicknamed "Shaolin Temple" and "Caroliners", South China has produced many great Hong Kong footballers over the years. In November 2007, the club entered into a charity partnership with Hong Kong Red Cross. The partnership is a pioneer between a sports association and a humanitarian organisation in Hong Kong.

The club plays most of its home matches at Happy Valley Recreation Ground.

History

Early history
The club house building on Caroline Hill.
The club's entrance on Caroline Hill.

The Chinese Football Team was founded in 1904 by a group of Chinese students in Hong Kong,[1][2] including Mok Hing (Chinese: 莫慶)[3] and Tong Fuk Cheung (Chinese: 唐福祥, the captain of China national football team in the 1910s).[4] In 1910, the team was renamed as South China Football Club.[1][2][3]

In the 1917 Far Eastern Games and 1919 Far Eastern Games (also known as the Far East Olympics Tournament), the club represented the Republic of China and won the football championship.[5] It is the only team in Hong Kong sports history to have accomplished this feat.[5] China lost in the final to the Philippines in the first to be held, in 1913,[6] but in the next nine it won every time, right through until the last FECG to be held in 1934. On that occasion China was a joint winner with Japan. Throughout these tournaments, the majority of the China team was composed of SCAA players.

In 1920, South China which began as a club called the South China Athletic Association founded by Mok Hing.[5]

Around 1920–1922, the club formally adopted the present name of South China Athletic Association and diversified into other sports such as basketball.[5][7]

1980s

Since its foundation, South China had a Chinese only whereby the club would only field players of Chinese ethnicity. In keeping with this policy, the club would only sign foreign players had Chinese ancestry such as Edmund Wee, Chow Chee Keong and Chan Kwok Leung. Up until the 1980s, the policy did have a negative effect on results.

However, when professional football took off in Hong Kong, the club could not cope with the influx of foreign players and performed poorly at the beginning of the 1981–1982 season. Therefore, on 2 November 1981 the club voted to end its six decade old Chinese only policy. Although the club was able to avoid relegation that season, it was not incident-free. On 6 June 1982, after the club drew an all-important match with Caroline Hill, the fans rioted outside the stadium that spread onto Causeway Bay. The riot was the largest civil disorder in Hong Kong since the leftist riot in 1967.

2000s

As they failed to beat Citizen in the last game of the 2005–06 season, South China was to be relegated for the first time since 1983.[8] However, on 14 June 2006, the Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the Hong Kong First Division with the promise of strengthening their squad. Staying true to their word, South China heavily strengthened their squad and coaching staff. As a result, South China successfully regained the First Division League title in the 2006–07 season, and also winning the Hong Kong FA Cup and the Hong Kong Senior Shield, achieving the famous treble.

The team has gone from strength to strength, while the team has had continued success on the domestic front, winning three consecutive league titles in the process, it has also had success in other international club competitions. The team has reached the semi-finals of the 2009–10 AFC Cup. South China's success has seen the team climb in world club rankings to their new high of 145th, even surpassing other Mainland Chinese clubs which are widely considered to be of a better standard than clubs in Hong Kong. In recent years the South China has taken part in several pre-season exhibition matches with European clubs, with the most notable being a 2–0 win against the English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur.

Much of the recent success has been attributed to the former chairman, Steven Lo, and with his shrewd business sense he rebuilt the team as a brand, and played a major role in reigniting interest in the Hong Kong Football League. South China has reinvented their image and have partnered with several organisations and brands. In 2007, South China has enter into a partnership with Hong Kong Red Cross. The partnership is a pioneer between a sports association and a humanitarian organisation in Hong Kong, and South China is the first football team to ever bear the Red Cross emblem on the official kit. The appointment of the fashion brand Giorgio Armani as the official tailor, has allowed South China to join some of the world's elite, with the brand being associated with Chelsea Football Club and the English national team. In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of South China Football Team, world-renowned designer Philippe Starck produced a special edition of the "Peninsula Chair", with the faces of the team and the chairman printed on.

Nicky Butt and Mateja Kežman played for South China during the 2010–11 season.

2010s

Ahead of the 2014–15 season, AET chairman Wallace Cheung became the conveynor of the club, promising to spend $18–20 million per season.[9] The domestic season was not initially a successful one as the club finished fourth in the league and did not win any silverware. The saving grace was a Season Playoff victory which allowed the club to directly qualify for the 2016 AFC Cup group stage.

In 2016–17 South China reached their first cup final in six years, facing Kitchee in the 2016–17 Hong Kong FA Cup Final. However, they were defeated 2–1 and were unable to capture the trophy.

On 5 June 2017, South China made the shocking announcement that they would voluntarily self-relegate into the First Division.[10] The club and Cheung had recently parted ways, leaving the club with no financial benefactor to support their large salary budget.

Current squad

First team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  HKG Chow Long Hei
2 DF  HKG Law Man Chung
4 DF  HKG Ng Cheuk Hin
5 DF  HKG Law Wing Lun
6 MF  HKG Au Man Lok
7 MF  HKG Ho Min-Tong
8 MF  HKG Ye Jia
9 MF  HKG Kwok Ting Him
10 MF  HKG Yung Cheuk Leung
11 FW  HKG Yau Ping Kai
12 GK  HKG Lit Hoi Yat
No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF  HKG Ip Chung Long
15 DF  HKG Lee Chun Lok
17 MF  HKG So Yau Tin
18 DF  HKG Ma Kin Chung
20 DF  HKG Poon Yiu Cheuk (captain)
21 GK  HKG Man Wai Sum
22 MF  JPN Takuya Tasaka
25 MF  JPN Kohei Ito
25 MF  HKG Yung Cheuk Leung
27 MF  HKG Mak Yin Kan
30 GK  HKG Wong Ka Kin

Honours

Historically the most popular club in the city, SCAA is also the most successful football club in Hong Kong, winning the Hong Kong First Division 41 times (all-time ranking 1st), the Senior Shield 31 times (all-time ranking 1st), the now-defunct Hong Kong Viceroy Cup 8 times, the Hong Kong FA Cup 10 times (all-time ranking 1st) and the Hong Kong League Cup 3 times. The team had captured all 4 trophies in seasons 1987–88 and 1990–91. In November 2001, the team was awarded the AFC Team of the Month by the Asian Football Confederation.

Domestic

League
Champions (41): 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, 2012–13
Runners-up (16): 1928–29, 1946–47, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2010–11
Champions (5): 1917–18, 1925–26, 1933–34, 1951–52, 1952–53

Cup competitions
Champions (31): 1928–29, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2013–14
Champions (10): 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2010–11
Runners-up (5): 1975–76, 1985–86, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2016–17
  • Hong Kong League Cup
Champions (3): 2001–02, 2007–08, 2010–11
Runners-up (2): 2014–15, 2015–16
  • Hong Kong Viceroy Cup
Champions (8): 1971–72, 1979–80, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98
Runners-up (7): 1973–74, 1974–75, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1995–96
Champions (9): 1947–48, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1966–67
Champions (2): 2014, 2015
  • Hong Kong Community Shield
Runners-up (1): 2009
Runners-up (1): 2015–16

Continental record
Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
1986 Asian Club Championship Group C Liaoning FC 0–1 3rd
Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian 1–1
1987 Asian Club Championship Group 6 Yomiuri FC 0–1 2–0 2nd
1988–89 Asian Club Championship Group 6 April 25 3–0 4th
Guangdong Wanbao 1–0
Yamaha Motors 1–1
Wa Seng 3–0
1991 Asian Club Championship First round Sporting de Macau 9–1 0–5 14–1
Second round Yomiuri FC 1–0 3–1 2–4
1993–94 Asian Cup Winners' Cup First round Dalian Haichang 2–0 1–0 2–1
Second round East Bengal 0–1 4–1 5–1
Quarter-final bye
Semi-final Nissan (w/o)
Final Al-Qadisiya 2–4 2–0 2–6
1997–98 Asian Club Championship First round Selangor FA 0–0 2–0 2–0
Second round Dalian Wanda 0–4 2–1 2–5
2000–01 Asian Club Championship Second round Júbilo Iwata 1–3 3–1 2–6
2002–03 2002–03 AFC Champions League
Qualification Round 1		 Second round Home United 2–1 1–1 3–1
Third round Shimizu S-Pulse 0–5 3–1 2–5
2008 AFC Cup Group D Home United 2–3 4–1 3rd
Victory SC 3–0 0–0
Kedah FA 1–3 3–0
2009 AFC Cup Group F PSMS Medan 3–0 2–2 1st
VB 2–1 1–2
Johor FC 2–0 1–4
Round of 16 Home United 4–0
Quarter-final Neftchi Farg'ona 1–0 5–4 5–5 (a)
Semi-final Al-Kuwait 0–1 2–1 1–3
2010 AFC Cup Group G Muangthong United 0–0 0–1 1st
VB 3–1 1–0
Persiwa Wamena 6–3 0–2
Round of 16 Al-Riffa 1–3
2011 AFC Cup Group H Muangthong United 1–1 4–2 3rd
Chonburi FC 0–3 3–0
Kingfisher East Bengal 1–0 3–3
2014 AFC Cup Group G Vissai Ninh Bình 1–3 1–1 3rd
Kelantan FA 4–0 2–0
Yangon United 5–3 2–0
2015 AFC Cup Group G Global FC 3–0 1–6 1st
Pahang FA 3–1 0–1
Yadanarbon 3–1 0–3
Round of 16 Bengaluru FC 2–0
Quarter-final Johor Darul Ta'zim 1–1 3–1 2–4
2016 AFC Cup Group G Yangon United 2–1 2–1 2nd
Mohun Bagan 0–4 0–3
Maziya 2–0 2–1
Round of 16 Ceres 0–1(aet)
Quarter-final Johor Darul Ta'zim 1–1 2–1 2–3

Recent seasons
Hong Kong First Division LeagueHong Kong First Division LeagueWorld War II
Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong First Division League
Hong Kong First Division LeagueHong Kong Premier LeagueHong Kong First Division League

Coaches

As of 30 May 2014. Only competitive matches are counted. Wins, losses and draws are results at the final whistle; the results of penalty shoot-outs are not counted.

Name Nat From To Record Honours
EnglishChinese PWDLFA%W
Chu Kwok Lun朱國倫 1954 1970 ?
Kwok Shek郭石 1970 1977 ?
Ng Wai Man吳偉文 1977 1981 ?
Halla漢拿 1981 1982 ?
Kwok Kam Hung郭錦洪 1982 1982 ?
Peter Wong黃興桂 1982 1983 ?
Alex Miller米勒 1983 1983 ?
Ng Wai Man吳偉文 1983 1984 ?
Casemiro Mior米路 1998 2002 ?
Wong Man Wai黃文偉 2002 2006 ?
Chan Kwok Hung陳國雄
Ku Kam Fai顧錦輝
Jorge Amaral阿曼龍 2006 24 Nov 2006 10622201360
Ku Kam Fai* & Chan Kwok Hung*顧錦輝 & 陳國雄 25 Nov 2006 27 Nov 2006 110052100
Casemiro Mior米路 28 Nov 2006 2007 201532491575 1 First Division title, 1 Senior Shield, 1 FA Cup title
José Luís路爾斯 2007 2008 3419411794155.9 1 First Division title, 1 League Cup title
Tsang Wai Chung曾偉忠 1 July 2008 Sept 17, 2008 1010110
Liu Chun Fai*廖俊輝 Sept 17, 2008 7 Dec 2008 1191130781.8
Kim Pan-Gon金判坤 8 Dec 2008 11 Dec 2010 271944721670.4 2 First Division titles, 1 Senior Shield title
Chan Ho Yin*陳浩然 11 Dec 2010 28 June 2011 281738593460.7 1 League Cup title, 1 FA Cup title
Ján Kocian高世安 28 June 2011 9 July 2012 261394613050.0
Liu Chun Fai廖俊輝 9 July 2012 30 June 2013 281666632857.1 1 First Division title
Cheung Po Chun張寶春 1 July 2013 17 February 2014 1 Senior Shield title
Yeung Ching Kwong楊正光 17 February 2014 15 December 2014 1 Community Cup title
Mario Gómez馬里奧 15 December 2014 30 April 2015 181044331855.6
Ricardo Rambo*列卡度 1 May 2015 14 May 2015 32016166.7
Casemiro Mior米路 14 May 2015 32105166.7
Amir Alagić 2016 2017
Key
* Served as caretaker coach.

Partnerships

On 3 November 2009, South China and Tottenham Hotspur jointly announced a club partnership in Hong Kong. South China became the first club partner of Spurs in Asia. The partnership is for 2 years with an option to extend further. Besides planning in sharing of best practice in any areas of the technical and business sides of football, Tottenham Hotspur has the first option on South China players at all age levels. Tottenham Hotspur will support South China's coaching development through the exchange of scientific data, coaching materials and visits of coaching staffs to and from both teams. The two clubs will explore the possibility of a joint youth Academy and training centre in Hong Kong or in mainland China.[11]

Songs
  • 1) 南華歌

A new official cheering song for SCAA. It was introduced in the first home match in the 2006–07 season against HKFC. The demo version of the song can be accessed on www.bma.com.hk.

  • 2) 擁南躉之歌[12]

This is not the official song of South China, and neither was the original official fans' song. It was sung by Albert Cheung 張武孝(also known as: 大Al/Big Al), and became very well known after being released in 1977, especially during late 1970s and the 1980s; during that period South China was a perennial challenger for the top spots in the league, and the song describes how strong and famous the team was.

Notable players
For a list of notable players, see List of South China AA footballers.
gollark: You never know if they might randomly be truncated.
gollark: They add a new and exciting dimension to your values.
gollark: They're very ethical, actually.
gollark: (reference implementation here: https://github.com/osmarks/random-stuff/blob/master/length_terminated_strings.c)
gollark: Why would you do that instead of length-terminated values?

References
  1. 原名為華人足球隊 (GIF). 南華八十年回憶錄 (in Chinese). Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  2. 第一個華人足球會和「足球王國」 (in Chinese). Wenweipao. Archived from the original on 3 September 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  3. 莫家後人「點將錄」 (in Chinese). Sina. 26 January 2008. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  4. 1919中国足球队 (in Chinese). China Archives Information. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 12 April 2008.
  5. Lam, S. F. Chang W, Julian (2006). The Quest for Gold: Fifty Years of Amateur Sports in Hong Kong, 1947–1997. Hong Kong University Publishing. ISBN 962-209-766-9.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. Bojan, Jovanovic (15 October 1999). "First Far Eastern Games 1913 (Manila)". RSSSF. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  7. "History of the sport club". South China Athletic Association. Archived from the original on 14 March 2007.
  8. 傳媒報導 – 1 August 2006 羅傑承主政班費千萬增兵 南華搵摩連奴師兄執教 Archived 17 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine, SCAA Fans Club official site, Accessed on 20 October 2007.
  9. "張廣勇出任新足主 南華換血南美化". on.cc. Retrieved 2 June 2014. (in Chinese)
  10. "Darkest day for Hong Kong football as 'Shaolin Temple' South China withdraw from Premier League". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 5 June 2017.
  11. Club Partnership – Tottenham Hotspur & South China Archived 23 March 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  12. 南 華 會 會 歌 – Song of South China
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