Warriors FC


Warriors Football Club is a Singaporean professional football club that last played in the Singapore Premier League, the top division of football in Singapore. Before they officially changed their name on 20 January 2013, they were previously known as the Singapore Armed Forces Football Club since their establishment on 16 February 1996. Despite their name back then, membership of the Armed Forces was not a prerequisite for players representing the team, and several international players have played for them.
Using a rhino as club mascot was their second suggestion after the S.League rejected their initial proposal of having a warrior as being out of line with the policy of clubs having animal mascots.
Warriors F.C. is currently the most successful club in the history of the S.League, having won the title a record nine times: in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014 and finishing second in 4 seasons: 1996, 1999, 2001, 2005 in the 22 years since the inception of the S.League.
The Warriors was based in Jurong Stadium till 2000 before moving to their home ground Choa Chu Kang Stadium in 2001. In light of the preparation of the 2015 SEA Games, the Warriors had to vacate Choa Chu Kang Stadium and will instead play their home matches at the Woodlands Stadium for the 2015 season instead. Warriors will move to their Jurong East Stadium in 2019 season and shared with Albirex Niigata Singapore FC.

History

1975–2006

The Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association football team was formed in 1975 to provide talented footballers serving National Service with opportunities to play competitive football. That year, they won the President's Cup, a feat they repeated in 1978, when they also captured the National Football League title to complete The Double. Their Under-19 team won the national Under-19 title in 1979, 1980 and 1983, while the 1981 season of the National Football League saw the SAFSA football team emerge as champions without losing a game. The President's Cup was captured again in 1984 and 1986, the latter time as part of a second Double, as they also won the National Football League on goal difference. In 1990, the Pools Cup went to the SAFSA football team and their convincing displays led to their selection as one of eight clubs to compete in the newly formed S.League.
Singapore Armed Forces FC's entry into the S.League in 1996 also resulted in the withdrawal of SAFSA from the NFL. SAFSA would not participate in the local football leagues again till 1999, when they rejoined the National Football League.
SAFFC finished second in 1996, 1999 and won the league in 1997 and 1998.
Former Singapore international Fandi Ahmad took over from Mladen Pralija in 1999.
Three coaches were at the reins during this period, each lasting only one season. SAFFC finished second in 2005 but otherwise outside the top two.

2006–present

Richard Bok took over as club head coach in 2006 & led the Warriors to 4 consecutive championship 2006, 2007, 2008 & 2009.
In 2008, Armed Forces became the first Singapore club to achieve the "double" back-to-back, after winning both the S.League and the Singapore Cup in 2007 and 2008.
In Asian Football Confederation Club competition, he led Armed Forces to 2 Quarter Finals in 2007 & 2008. In 2009, Armed Forces qualified into the AFC Champions League group stage by defeating Thai Champion PEA FC and PSMS Medan of Indonesia in the East playoff thus Armed Forces making Singapore football history by being the first club from Singapore to qualified for the highest club competition in Asia.
Armed Forces were drawn in a group with J.League champions Kashima Antlers, K.League champions Suwon Samsung Bluewings and Chinese Super League runners-up Shanghai Shenhua, and despite being confirmed as the group losers after a 5–0 loss to Kashima Antlers in Japan, they won their first ever point in the competition with a 1–1 draw against Shanghai Shenhua at home.
In 2010, Armed Forces qualified for their second consecutive AFC Champions League group stage by defeating Sriwijaya of Indonesia 3–0 at Jalan Besar stadium in Singapore and won on penalty in the East playoff Final with Muangthong United F.C. of Thailand in Singapore. Armed Forces were group with former Champion Gamba Osaka of Japan, Henan Jianye of China and again Suwon Samsung Bluewings of Korea. Armed Forces got their first ever away points with a draw against Chinese Super League side Henan Jianye in Henan, China. Thus equalling their 1 point in 2009. In the return leg on 13 April 2010 at Jalan Besar stadium in Singapore, Armed Forces record their first ever historical AFC Champions League win with a 2–1 victory over Henan Jianye. Eventually finishing 3rd in the group ahead of Chinese Super League team Henan Jianye putting Armed Forces and Singapore football on the map in Asia Football.
On 20 January 2013, Armed Forces announced that they had changed their name to Warriors Football Club ahead of the 2013 S.League season.
Alex Weaver, in his first full season as coach of Warriors FC, clinched the 2014 S.League title on the last day of the competition for the Warriors. With Brunei DPMM leading the table until the last day, the Warriors scored a 1–0 win over Albirex Niigata Singapore FC and they received a favour from Tampines Rovers FC, who beat Brunei DPMM FC 2–1 to hand Warriors FC their first title in 5 years and their 9th title in the league's 19 years history.

Seasons

SeasonName ChangedLeaguePos.PWDLGSGAPtsSingapore CupLeague Cup
1996-1Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League4th14536272518
1996-2Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st14950321432
1997Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st161213421137
1998Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st201442461746Runners-up
1999Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League2nd221471632449Winners
2000Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st221642531552Runners-up
2001Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League2nd3324271014674Third place
2002Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st3326611043784Quarter-finals
2003Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League3rd33202–56683769Group stage
2004Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League4th2714310454845Quarter-finals
2005Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League2nd271575544152Semi-finals
2006Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st302082713668Quarter-finals
2007Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st332544953879WinnersWithdrew
2008Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st332454853477WinnersQuarter-finals
2009Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League1st302217733167Round of 16Runners-up
2010Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League4th3316512564153Round of 16Quarter-finals
2011Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League3rd332139743966Quarter-finalsQuarter-finals
2012Singapore Armed Forces FCS.League7th249510434132WinnersSemi-finals
2013Warriors FCS.League7th279810383835PreliminaryGroup stage
2014Warriors FCS.League1st271656533553PreliminaryGroup stage
2015Warriors FCS.League5th2711412405137Quarter-finalsGroup stage
2016Warriors FCS.League7th247710393928PreliminaryGroup stage
2017Warriors FCS.League5th24978333634PreliminaryRunners-up
2018Warriors FCSingapore Premier League5th247710323528Quarter-finals
2019Warriors FCSingapore Premier League7th246513405622Runners-up

CupsChampionsChampionship yearsRunners-upRunners-up years
Singapore Cup41999, 2007, 2008, 201231998, 2000, 2019
Singapore League Cup022009, 2017
Singapore FA Cup41997, 2006, 2008, 201711996
President's Cup31975, 1984, 19860
Singapore Charity Shield32008, 2010, 201512013

Performance in AFC competitions

Current Rank Country Team
126Warriors FC
127Dordoi Bishkek
12825 April
129Than Quảng Ninh
130Salam Zgharta

Player of the Year Award

SeasonName!
1996 Ivica Raguž
2000 Mirko Grabovac
2002 Therdsak Chaiman
2007Aleksandar Đurić
2008Aleksandar Đurić
2011 Mislav Karoglan
2014Hassan Sunny

Top scorers

SeasonNameGoals
1996 Jure Ereš28
1999 Mirko Grabovac23
2000 Mirko Grabovac19
2001 Mirko Grabovac39
2002Mirko Grabovac34
2007Aleksandar Đurić37
2008Aleksandar Đurić28
2009Aleksandar Đurić28
2011 Mislav Karoglan33