LionsXII facts for kids
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| Full name | LionsXII | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Lions | |||
| Founded | 5 December 2011 | |||
| Dissolved | 4 December 2015 | |||
| Ground | Jalan Besar Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 8000 | |||
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LionsXII ("Lions Twelve") was a Singaporean football club. They played in the Liga Super, which is Malaysia's top football league. The club was formed in 2011 and stopped playing after the 2015 season. Their home ground was the Jalan Besar Stadium, which could hold 8,000 fans.
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) managed the team. LionsXII brought Singaporean football back to Malaysia after the Singapore FA team left in 1994. The name "LionsXII" combined "Lions" with "XII" (the Roman numeral for 12). This was a special way to honor their fans, who are often called the "12th Man" in football. The club's motto was "For Country, For Fans. For Passion.”
LionsXII wore royal red for their home games, matching the colors of Singapore's national flag. Their away kit was blue, like the jerseys worn by Singaporean teams in the 1980s. The club's badge looked like a lion's paw. It showed a fierce lion, representing the team's fighting spirit.
LionsXII won their first trophy, the 2013 Liga Super title, in their second season. They had finished second in 2012. Their second major win was the 2015 Malaysia FA Cup. They beat Kelantan 3–1 in the final, showing a great performance at the Bukit Jalil Stadium.
Contents
Club History: The Lions' Journey
In 2011, the football associations of Singapore (FAS) and Malaysia (FAM) agreed to work together more closely. This agreement meant that a Singaporean Under-23 team would play in Malaysia's Liga Super and Piala Malaysia starting in 2012. This was the first time a Singaporean team played in a Malaysian league since 1994. That year, Singapore won both the Malaysian League and the Malaysia Cup.
The new Singapore team, LionsXII, was mainly made up of Under-23 players. However, some older, experienced players also joined to help guide the younger ones. No foreign players were allowed, as the project aimed to develop local talent.
2012: First Season in Malaysia
LionsXII played their first 2012 Liga Super game on January 10, 2012. They lost 1–2 at home to the defending champions, Kelantan FA. Their first win came on January 17, a 2–1 victory over Kuala Lumpur FA. The team also won their first away game, beating Sabah FA 1–0 on January 21.
In the 2012 Piala FA (FA Cup), LionsXII started with a 3–0 win against UiTM FC. They reached the quarter-finals but were beaten by Terengganu FA. On June 16, 2012, LionsXII had their biggest win of the season, defeating Sabah FA 9–0 at home.
LionsXII finished second in the league, just behind Kelantan FA. They reached the semi-finals of the 2012 Piala Malaysia (Malaysia Cup). However, they lost in a penalty shoot-out to ATM FA.
2013: Becoming League Champions
For the 2013 Liga Super season, LionsXII aimed to finish in the top five. Five experienced players, including Shahril Ishak and Isa Halim, joined the team. Their main goal was to help the Under-23 players get ready for the 2013 Southeast Asian Games.
LionsXII started strong, beating ATM FA 1–0 away and their rivals Selangor FA. However, they lost three games away from home, including one that knocked them out of the 2013 Piala FA. After these losses, LionsXII went on a long winning streak. They secured important home wins against Pahang FA (3–0), Kelantan FA (1–0), and ATM FA (3–1).
On July 2, 2013, LionsXII won the league title with a 4–0 victory over FELDA United FC. Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, watched the match at a sold-out Jalan Besar Stadium. LionsXII became the first foreign team to win the MSL. They also had the best defense in the league, letting in only 13 goals. Their home stadium, Jalan Besar, became a "fortress," as they won 10 games and drew 1 at home.
In the 2013 Piala Malaysia, LionsXII struggled in the group stage. They nearly left the tournament early. Coach V. Sundramoorthy announced he would leave the team at the end of the season. On September 28, LionsXII won the first leg of their quarter-final against ATM FA 1–0. But they lost the second leg 1–4 and were knocked out.
2014: A New Coach
Sufian Anuar and Khairul Amri joined LionsXII for the 2014 season. This was after some key players like Baihakki Khaizan and Shahril Ishak moved to other Malaysian clubs.
On December 7, 2013, former Singapore international player Fandi Ahmad became the new head coach of LionsXII. He signed a three-year contract. LionsXII began their league season with a 1–0 defeat against Pahang FA on January 17, 2014.
2015: FA Cup Champions and Disbandment
LionsXII won their first ever Piala FA (FA Cup) in 2015. They beat Kelantan FA 3–1 in the final at Bukit Jalil Stadium. Faris Ramli scored early, and after Kelantan equalized, Sahil Suhaimi scored two late goals to secure the win for Singapore.
On November 25, 2015, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) decided not to continue their agreement with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). This meant LionsXII could no longer play in Malaysian football tournaments. Because of this, the Football Association of Singapore announced that LionsXII would be disbanded. The players had to find new clubs for 2016.
Club Identity: Crest and Colors
The LionsXII club crest looked like a lion's paw. This was important because Singapore is known as the "Lion City." If you look closely at the crest, you can see a lion hidden within it. The lion looked fierce and aggressive, showing the team's fighting spirit and determination. It also represented their strong desire to win games.
The "XI" in "LionsXII" was black, representing the eleven players on the field. The "I" was red, showing that the fans, the "12th Man," made a big difference to the team's success. The crest aimed to show energy, readiness, and passion.
Kit Colors
The first kit launched in 2011 used white, red, and blue. For home games, players wore white, red, and red. For away games in Malaysia, they wore blue, blue, and blue. Many T-shirt designs used white and red, which are Singapore's national colors. White also stood for the team's purity and humbleness.
Home Ground: Jalan Besar Stadium
Since the team was formed, LionsXII played all their home matches at Jalan Besar Stadium. This stadium was known as the "Lions' Den" and a "fortress." LionsXII were undefeated there during the entire 2013 season.
Fan Support
LionsXII usually attracted more than 6,200 fans to Jalan Besar Stadium for their games. The stadium was always at least half-full for all their matches across all seasons.
Team Rivalries
LionsXII had a strong rivalry with the Malaysian club ATM FA (the Armed Forces team). They often met in important cup games, like in the 2013 Piala Malaysia. In 2012, ATM FA ended LionsXII's dream of reaching the 2012 Piala Malaysia final. In 2013, LionsXII got revenge by beating them 1–0 in the league opener. However, ATM FA later defeated LionsXII 4–2 in the 2013 Piala Malaysia quarter-finals.
LionsXII also had ongoing issues with Liga Super teams PKNS FC and T-Team FC. Even though these teams were not title contenders, LionsXII often struggled to win against them in away games.
Partners and Sponsors
In 2012, Kingsmen became the official marketing and sponsorship representative for LionsXII. Yolk also partnered with the club for their website.
LionsXII's success attracted many sponsors. Their Facebook page gained over 80,000 likes. Other social media partners included Temasek Polytechnic and Tiger Beer Football.
Kit Manufacturer and Shirt Sponsor
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2012–15 | Nike | StarHub |
On January 5, 2012, the Football Association of Singapore announced that StarHub would be the Official Broadcaster and Principal Sponsor of LionsXII. StarHub would show all LionsXII games on TV, online, and on mobile phones. Two days later, LionsXII signed another big sponsorship deal with SilkPro, worth S$1 million for their first season. On February 23, 2012, Shop N Save, a Singaporean supermarket, also became an official sponsor.
Team Captains
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2012–2013 | Shahril Ishak |
| 2014 | Isa Halim |
| 2015 | Izwan Mahbud |
Club Management and Coaches
Head Coaches
V. Sundramoorthy and Fandi Ahmad were both famous players for the Singapore Lions team in the 1990s. They helped Singapore win the 1994 Malaysian League and Malaysia Cup.
| Name | From | To | P | W | D | L | Win% | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 V. Sundramoorthy |
January 2012 | 7 October 2013 | 49 | 27 | 12 | 10 | 55.1 | 1 Liga Super |
| Fandi Ahmad |
7 December 2013 | Present | 32 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 34.38 | 1 Piala FA |
Team Achievements and Records
LionsXII had some impressive records during their time in Malaysian football.
League and Cup Performance
| Season | Liga Super | Piala FA | Piala Malaysia | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |||
| 2012 | 2nd | 26 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 48 | 23 | 50 | Quarter-finals | Semi-finals |
| 2013 | 1st | 22 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 32 | 15 | 43 | 1st round | Quarter-finals |
| 2014 | 8th | 22 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 2nd round | Group stage |
| 2015 | 7th | 22 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 36 | 32 | 33 | Winner | Quarter-finals |
Club Records
- Biggest Win: 9–0 against Sabah in the Liga Super on June 16, 2012.
- Biggest Loss: 4–0 against Selangor in the Liga Super on April 18, 2015.
- Most League Goals Scored in a Season: 53 goals in 26 matches in 2012.
- Fewest League Goals Conceded in a Season: 15 goals in 22 matches in 2013.
Player Records
- Most Goals in a Season: 14 goals by Shahril Ishak in 2012.
- Most Goals in a Single Match: 3 goals by Hariss Harun (vs. Sabah, 2012) and Sufian Anuar (vs. Pahang, 2014).
Trophies and Honours
LionsXII won two major trophies during their time in Malaysian football.
League Titles
- Liga Super
- Winners: 2013
Cup Titles
- Piala FA
- Winners: 2015
See also
- Singapore FA
