:South China AA

{{short description|Hong Kong professional sports club}}

{{for-multi|the volleyball section|South China AA (volleyball)|the basketball section|South China AA (basketball)|and|Nam Ching Basketball}}

{{Multiple issues|

{{more citations needed|date=October 2014}}

{{unreliable sources|date=April 2017}}

}}

{{use Hong Kong English|date=May 2014}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2014}}

{{coord|22.275644|114.187539|display=title|format=dms|type:landmark_scale:3000}}

{{Infobox football club

| clubname = South China

| image = scaa badge.png

| image_size = 180px

| fullname = {{lang|zh-hant|南華體育會}}
South China Athletic Association

| nickname = {{lang|zh-hant|少林寺}} (Shaolin Temple)
The Caroliners

| founded = {{start date and age|1910}}
{{small|(as South China Football Team)}}

| ground = South China AA-Jockey Club Stadium

| capacity =

| chrtitle = President

| chairman = Victor Hui

| mgrtitle = Head coach

| manager = Ku Kam Fai

| league = Hong Kong First Division

| season = 2023–24

| position = 3rd

| website =

| pattern_la1 = _macronpolis1rw

| pattern_b1 = _macronpolis1rw

| pattern_ra1 = _macronpolis1rw

| pattern_sh1 = _mad2122a

| pattern_so1 =

| leftarm1 = FF0000

| body1 = FF0000

| rightarm1 = FF0000

| shorts1 = FFFFFF

| socks1 = FF0000

| pattern_la2 = _macronpolis1rbw

| pattern_b2 = _macronpolis1rbw

| pattern_ra2 = _macronpolis1rbw

| pattern_sh2 = _AJAuxerre2324h

| pattern_so2 =

| leftarm2 = 0000FF

| body2 = 0000FF

| rightarm2 = 0000FF

| shorts2 = FFFFFF

| socks2 = 0000FF

| current =

}}{{Infobox Chinese

| t = 南華體育會

| s = 南华体育会

| p = Nánhuá tǐyù huì

| j = Naam4 Waa4 tai2 juk6 wui6

}}

South China Athletic Association (known simply as South China, SCAA, {{zh|t=南華體育會}}) is a Hong Kong professional sports club with a football team competing 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.

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 its home matches at Happy Valley Recreation Ground.

History

=Early history=

File:HK SouthChinaAthleticAssociation.jpg

File:HK Caroline Hill Road SCAA 05.jpg

The Chinese Football Team was founded in 1904 by a group of Chinese students in Hong Kong,{{cite web |url=http://www.goalgoalgoal.com/attachments/20080402_a4896359e5e06993dd8fFF3b5QObGAX4.gif|script-title=zh:原名為華人足球隊|access-date=12 April 2008|work=南華八十年回憶錄|language=zh|format=GIF}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}{{cite web|url=http://magazine.sina.com/lifeweek/431/2007-05-20/ba33719.shtml |script-title=zh:第一個華人足球會和「足球王國」|access-date=12 April 2008 |publisher=Wenweipao |language=zh |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070903082438/http://magazine.sina.com/lifeweek/431/2007-05-20/ba33719.shtml |archive-date=3 September 2007}} including Mok Hing ({{zh|c=莫慶}}){{cn|date=March 2025}} and Tong Fuk Cheung ({{zh|c=唐福祥}}, the captain of China national football team in the 1910s).{{cite web|url=http://www.zgdazxw.com.cn/NewsPicView.asp?ID=226|script-title=zh:1919中国足球队|access-date=12 April 2008|publisher=China Archives Information|date=3 August 2007|language=zh|archive-date=17 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317233848/http://www.zgdazxw.com.cn/NewsPicView.asp?ID=226|url-status=live}}

In 1910, the team was renamed as South China Football Club and formally adopted the present name of South China Athletic Association in the 1920s.{{cite book |author=Lam, S. F. Chang W, Julian |title=The Quest for Gold: Fifty Years of Amateur Sports in Hong Kong, 1947–1997 |publisher=Hong Kong University Publishing |year=2006 |isbn=962-209-766-9}}{{cite web |title=History of the sport club |url=http://www.scaa.org.hk/main_new_eng.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314062930/http://www.scaa.org.hk:80/main_new_eng.htm |archive-date=14 March 2007 |publisher=South China Athletic Association}}

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. It is the only team in Hong Kong sports history to have accomplished this feat. China lost in the final to the Philippines in the first to be held, in 1913,{{cite web|last=Bojan|first=Jovanovic|title=First Far Eastern Games 1913 (Manila)|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesf/fareastgames13.html|access-date=6 November 2010|date=15 October 1999|archive-date=16 September 2017|website=RSSSF|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170916134051/http://rsssf.com/tablesf/fareastgames13.html|url-status=live}}

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.

Amid the post-WWII competition from league rivals like Eastern, Kitchee, Seiko, KMB, Sing Tao, Jardine, Lai Sun, Bulova, Happy Valley and Double Flower, SCAA had a long and successful time in the top-tier league.

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

In Asian competitions, South China were runners-up in the 1993–94 Asian Cup Winners' Cup final against Al Qadsiah, after having lost 2-6 on aggregate. Nonetheless, this is to date still the best result for Hong Kong clubs in Asian competitions.

Around 1920–1922, the club formally adopted the present name of South China Athletic Association and diversified into other sports such as basketball.{{cite web|url=http://www.scaa.org.hk/main_new_eng.htm |title=History of the sport club |publisher=South China Athletic Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314062930/http://www.scaa.org.hk:80/main_new_eng.htm |archive-date=14 March 2007}}

Outside Hong Kong and Asia, South China not only played well in international club friendlies against Santos, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur and LA Galaxy, they also had produced many great Hong Kong footballers over the years.

=1980s=

Since its foundation, South China had a Chinese only policy whereby the club would only field players of Chinese ethnicity. In keeping with this policy, the club would only sign foreign players who had Chinese ancestry such as Edmund Wee, Chow Chee Keong and Chan Kwok Leung. Up until the 1980s, the policy did not 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 1981–82 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.[http://202.76.19.48/template?series=2&article=30 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] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117230640/http://202.76.19.48/template?series=2&article=30 |date=17 January 2008 }}, [http://www.scaafc.com/ SCAA Fans Club official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424073122/http://www.scaafc.com/ |date=24 April 2015 }}, Accessed on 20 October 2007. 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 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 England 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.{{cite web|title=張廣勇出任新足主 南華換血南美化|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/sport/20140602/index.html|website=on.cc|access-date=2 June 2014|archive-date=5 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605190704/http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/sport/20140602/index.html|url-status=live}} {{in lang|zh-hk}} 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.

=Recent times=

With a heavily strengthened squad and coaching staff team, South China achieving the famous treble in the 2006–07 season, with continued domestic success and a semi-final appearance in the 2009 AFC Cup.

File:AFC CUP.JPG during the 2008 AFC Cup match at the Maldives National Stadium.]]

Ahead of the 2014–15 season, AET chairman Wallace Cheung became the chairman of the club, promising to spend $18–20 million per season.{{cite web|title=張廣勇出任新足主 南華換血南美化|url=http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/sport/20140602/index.html|website=on.cc|access-date=2 June 2014|archive-date=5 June 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140605190704/http://the-sun.on.cc/cnt/sport/20140602/index.html|url-status=live}} {{in lang|zh-hk}}

However, South China's performance in the HKPL era had suffered, as they struggled to keep up against rivals Kitchee and Eastern.

On 5 June 2017, South China announced their self-relegation into the First Division{{cite web |title=Darkest day for Hong Kong football as 'Shaolin Temple' South China withdraw from Premier League |url=http://www.scmp.com/sport/article/2096980/hong-kong-giants-south-china-withdraw-premier-league |website=South China Morning Post |date=5 June 2017 |access-date=5 June 2017 |archive-date=10 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170610144617/http://www.scmp.com/sport/article/2096980/hong-kong-giants-south-china-withdraw-premier-league |url-status=live}} and parted ways with Cheung, fielding an amateur squad with young players ever since.

Current squad

=First team=

{{football squad start}}

{{football squad player|no=1|nat=HKG|pos=GK|name=Chow Long Hei}}

{{football squad player|no=2|nat=HKG|pos=DF|name=Law Man Chung}}

{{football squad player|no=4|nat=HKG|pos=DF|name=Ng Cheuk Hin}}

{{football squad player|no=5|nat=HKG|pos=DF|name=Law Wing Lun}}

{{football squad player|no=6|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Au Man Lok}}

{{football squad player|no=7|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Ho Min Tong}}

{{football squad player|no=8|nat=HKG|pos=FW|name=Ye Jia}}

{{football squad player|no=9|nat=HKG|pos=FW|name=Kwok Ting Him}}

{{football squad player|no=10|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Yung Cheuk Leung}}

{{football squad player|no=11|nat=HKG|pos=FW|name=Yau Ping Kai}}

{{football squad player|no=12|nat=HKG|pos=GK|name=Lit Hoi Yat}}

{{football squad mid}}

{{football squad player|no=14|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Ip Chung Long}}

{{football squad player|no=15|nat=HKG|pos=DF|name=Lee Chun Lok}}

{{football squad player|no=17|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=So Yau Tin}}

{{football squad player|no=18|nat=HKG|pos=DF|name=Ma Kin Chung}}

{{football squad player|no=21|nat=HKG|pos=GK|name=Man Wai Sum}}

{{football squad player|no=22|nat=JPN|pos=MF|name=Takuya Tasaka}}

{{football squad player|no=25|nat=JPN|pos=MF|name=Kohei Ito}}

{{football squad player|no=25|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Yung Cheuk Leung}}

{{football squad player|no=27|nat=HKG|pos=MF|name=Mak Yin Kan}}

{{football squad player|no=30|nat=HKG|pos=GK|name=Wong Ka Kin}}

{{football squad player|no=—|nat=GNB|pos=FW|name=Walter Vaz}}

{{football squad end}}

Retired numbers

File:MatejaKezman.jpg ended his professional football career with South China AA.]]

{{See also|List of retired numbers in association football}}

class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%; text-align:left;"

|+

No.PlayerNationalityPositionYears{{abbr|Ref|Reference}}
38style="text-align:left;"|Mateja Kežman{{flag|Serbia}}Forward2011, 2012{{cite news|last=Kin-wa|first=Chan|authorlink=|url=https://www.scmp.com/article/990537/hk-matches-will-be-kezmans-last?campaign=990537&module=perpetual_scroll_0&pgtype=article |title=HK matches will be Kezman's last |agency=South China Morning Post |date=19 January 2012 |access-date=9 June 2024 |language=en}}[https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E5%9F%BA%E5%A3%AB%E6%96%87%E8%B3%80%E6%AD%B2%E7%9B%83%E4%BD%9C%E5%91%8A%E5%88%A5%E6%88%B0-223000607--spt.html 基士文賀歲盃作告別戰]

Honours

Historically, the most popular club in the city, SCAA is also the most successful football club in Hong Kong.

In November 2001, the team was awarded the AFC Team of the Month by the Asian Football Confederation.

=League=

=Cup competitions=

Continental record

class="wikitable"
Season

! Competition

! Round

! Club

! Home

! Away

! Aggregate

rowspan="2"| 1986

| rowspan="2"| Asian Club Championship

| rowspan="2"| Group C

| {{flagicon|CHN}} Liaoning FC

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|0–1

| rowspan="2"|3rd

{{flagicon|IDN}} Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|1–1

1987

| Asian Club Championship

| Group 6

| {{flagicon|JPN|1947}} Yomiuri FC

| style="text-align:center;"|0–1

| style="text-align:center;"|0–2

| 2nd

rowspan="4"| 1988–89

| rowspan="4"| Asian Club Championship

| rowspan="4"| Group 6

| {{flagicon|PRK}} April 25

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|0–3

| rowspan="4"|4th

{{flagicon|CHN}} Guangdong Wanbao

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|0–1

{{flagicon|JPN|1947}} Yamaha Motors

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|1–1

{{flagicon|MAC|colonial}} Wa Seng

| colspan=2; style="text-align:center;"|3–0

rowspan="2"| 1991

| rowspan="2"| Asian Club Championship

| First round

| {{flagicon|MAC|colonial}} Sporting de Macau

| style="text-align:center;"|9–1

| style="text-align:center;"|5–0

| style="text-align:center;"|14–1

Second round

| {{flagicon|JPN|1947}} Yomiuri FC

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|2–4

rowspan="5"| 1993–94

| rowspan="5"| Asian Cup Winners' Cup

| First round

| {{flagicon|CHN}} Dalian Haichang

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

Second round

| {{flagicon|IND}} East Bengal

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| style="text-align:center;"|4–1

| style="text-align:center;"|5–1

Quarter-final

| colspan=4; style="text-align:center;"|bye

Semi-final

| {{flagicon|JPN|1947}} Nissan

| colspan=3; style="text-align:center;"|(w/o)

bgcolor=silver

| Final

| {{flagicon|KSA}} Al-Qadsiah

| style="text-align:center;"|2–4

| style="text-align:center;"|0–2

| style="text-align:center;"|2–6

rowspan="2"| 1997–98

| rowspan="2"| Asian Club Championship

| First round

| {{flagicon|MAS}} Selangor FA

| style="text-align:center;"|0–0

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

Second round

| {{flagicon|CHN}} Dalian Wanda

| style="text-align:center;"|0–4

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

| style="text-align:center;"|2–5

2000–01

| Asian Club Championship

| Second round

| {{flagicon|JPN}} Júbilo Iwata

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|2–6

rowspan="2"| 2002–03

| rowspan="2"| 2002–03 AFC Champions League
Qualification Round 1

| Second round

| {{flagicon|SIN}} Home United

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–1

| style="text-align:center;"|3–2

Third round

| {{flagicon|JPN}} Shimizu S-Pulse

| style="text-align:center;"|0–5

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|1–8

rowspan="3"| 2008

| rowspan="3"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group D

| {{flagicon|SIN}} Home United

| style="text-align:center;"|2–3

| style="text-align:center;"|1–4

| rowspan="3"| 3rd

{{flagicon|MDV}} Victory SC

| style="text-align:center;"|3–0

| style="text-align:center;"|0–0

{{flagicon|MAS}} Kedah FA

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|0–3

rowspan="6"| 2009

| rowspan="6"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group F

| {{flagicon|IDN}} PSMS Medan

| style="text-align:center;"|3–0

| style="text-align:center;"|2–2

| rowspan="3"| 1st

{{flagicon|MDV}} VB

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

{{flagicon|MAS}} Johor FC

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

| style="text-align:center;"|4–1

Round of 16

| {{flagicon|SIN}} Home United

| colspan=3; style="text-align:center;"|4–0

Quarter-final

| {{flagicon|UZB}} Neftchi Farg'ona

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| style="text-align:center;"|4–5

| style="text-align:center;"|5–5 (a)

Semi-final

| {{flagicon|KUW}} Al-Kuwait

| style="text-align:center;"|0–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–2

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

rowspan="4"| 2010

| rowspan="4"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group G

| {{flagicon|THA}} Muangthong United

| style="text-align:center;"|0–0

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| rowspan="3"| 1st

{{flagicon|MDV}} VB

| style="text-align:center;"|3–1

| style="text-align:center;"|0–1

{{flagicon|IDN}} Persiwa Wamena

| style="text-align:center;"|6–3

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

Round of 16

| {{flagicon|BHR}} Al-Riffa

| colspan=3; style="text-align:center;"|1–3

rowspan="3"| 2011

| rowspan="3"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group H

| {{flagicon|THA}} Muangthong United

| style="text-align:center;"|1–1

| style="text-align:center;"|2–4

| rowspan="3"| 3rd

{{flagicon|THA}} Chonburi FC

| style="text-align:center;"|0–3

| style="text-align:center;"|0–3

{{flagicon|IND}} Kingfisher East Bengal

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

| style="text-align:center;"|3–3

rowspan="3"| 2014

| rowspan="3"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group G

| {{flagicon|VIE}} Vissai Ninh Bình

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|1–1

| rowspan="3"| 3rd

{{flagicon|MAS}} Kelantan FA

| style="text-align:center;"|4–0

| style="text-align:center;"|0–2

{{flagicon|MYA}} Yangon United

| style="text-align:center;"|5–3

| style="text-align:center;"|0–2

rowspan="5"| 2015

| rowspan="5"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group G

| {{flagicon|PHI}} Global FC

| style="text-align:center;"|3–0

| style="text-align:center;"|6–1

| rowspan="3"| 1st

{{flagicon|MAS}} Pahang FA

| style="text-align:center;"|3–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–0

{{flagicon|MYA}} Yadanarbon

| style="text-align:center;"|3–1

| style="text-align:center;"|3–0

Round of 16

| {{flagicon|IND}} Bengaluru FC

| colspan=3; style="text-align:center;"|2–0

Quarter-final

| {{flagicon|MAS}} Johor Darul Ta'zim

| style="text-align:center;"|1–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–3

| style="text-align:center;"|2–4

rowspan="5"| 2016

| rowspan="5"| AFC Cup

| rowspan="3"| Group G

| {{flagicon|MYA}} Yangon United

| style="text-align:center;"|2–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–2

| rowspan="3"| 2nd

{{flagicon|IND}} Mohun Bagan

| style="text-align:center;"|0–4

| style="text-align:center;"|3–0

{{flagicon|MDV}} Maziya

| style="text-align:center;"|2–0

| style="text-align:center;"|1–2

Round of 16

| {{flagicon|PHI}} Ceres

| colspan=3; style="text-align:center;"|1–0(aet)

Quarter-final

| {{flagicon|MAS}} Johor Darul Ta'zim

| style="text-align:center;"|1–1

| style="text-align:center;"|1–2

| style="text-align:center;"|2–3

Recent seasons

{{further|South China AA seasons}}

ImageSize = width:600 height:60

PlotArea = left:10 right:10 bottom:30 top:10

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

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from:01/07/1940 till:01/07/1941 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1941 till:01/07/1945 shift:(0,-4) text:World War II

from:01/07/1945 till:01/07/1946 shift:(0,-4) text:5

from:01/07/1946 till:01/07/1947 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1947 till:01/07/1948 shift:(0,-4) text:5

from:01/07/1948 till:01/07/1949 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1949 till:01/07/1950 shift:(0,-4) text:6

from:01/07/1950 till:01/07/1951 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1951 till:01/07/1952 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1952 till:01/07/1953 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1953 till:01/07/1954 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1954 till:01/07/1955 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1955 till:01/07/1956 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1956 till:01/07/1957 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1957 till:01/07/1958 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1958 till:01/07/1959 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1959 till:01/07/1960 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1940 till:01/07/1941 color:d1 shift:(0,13) text: "D1"

from:01/07/1941 till:01/07/1945 color:nocomp shift:(0,13) text: "No competition"

from:01/07/1945 till:01/07/1960 color:d1 shift:(0,13) text: "Hong Kong First Division"

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DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy

Period = from:01/07/1960 till:01/07/1980

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from:01/07/1960 till:01/07/1961 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1961 till:01/07/1962 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1962 till:01/07/1963 shift:(0,-4) text:6

from:01/07/1963 till:01/07/1964 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/1964 till:01/07/1965 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1965 till:01/07/1966 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1966 till:01/07/1967 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1967 till:01/07/1968 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1968 till:01/07/1969 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 shift:(0,-4) text:7

from:01/07/1970 till:01/07/1971 shift:(0,-4) text:7

from:01/07/1971 till:01/07/1972 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1972 till:01/07/1973 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1973 till:01/07/1974 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1974 till:01/07/1975 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/1975 till:01/07/1976 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1976 till:01/07/1977 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1977 till:01/07/1978 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1978 till:01/07/1979 shift:(0,-4) text:8

from:01/07/1979 till:01/07/1980 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/1960 till:01/07/1980 color:d1 shift:(0,12) text: "Hong Kong First Division"

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from:01/07/1980 till:01/07/1981 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1981 till:01/07/1982 shift:(0,-4) text:7

from:01/07/1982 till:01/07/1983 shift:(0,-4) text:10

from:01/07/1983 till:01/07/1984 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/1984 till:01/07/1985 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1985 till:01/07/1986 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1986 till:01/07/1987 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1987 till:01/07/1988 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1988 till:01/07/1989 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1989 till:01/07/1990 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1990 till:01/07/1991 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1991 till:01/07/1992 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1992 till:01/07/1993 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1993 till:01/07/1994 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/1994 till:01/07/1995 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1995 till:01/07/1996 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1996 till:01/07/1997 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1997 till:01/07/1998 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1998 till:01/07/1999 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/1999 till:01/07/2000 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/1980 till:01/07/2000 color:d1 shift:(0,12) text: "Hong Kong First Division"

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bar:Position width:15 color:white align:center

from:01/07/2000 till:01/07/2001 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/2001 till:01/07/2002 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/2002 till:01/07/2003 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2003 till:01/07/2004 shift:(0,-4) text:7

from:01/07/2004 till:01/07/2005 shift:(0,-4) text:6

from:01/07/2005 till:01/07/2006 shift:(0,-4) text:7

from:01/07/2006 till:01/07/2007 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/2007 till:01/07/2008 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/2008 till:01/07/2009 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/2009 till:01/07/2010 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/2010 till:01/07/2011 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/2011 till:01/07/2012 shift:(0,-4) text:2

from:01/07/2012 till:01/07/2013 shift:(0,-4) text:1

from:01/07/2013 till:01/07/2014 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/2014 till:01/07/2015 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2015 till:01/07/2016 shift:(0,-4) text:3

from:01/07/2016 till:01/07/2017 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2017 till:01/07/2018 shift:(0,-4) text:11

from:01/07/2018 till:01/07/2019 shift:(0,-4) text:8

from:01/07/2019 till:01/07/2020 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2020 till:01/07/2021 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2021 till:01/07/2022 shift:(0,-4) text:10

from:01/07/2022 till:01/07/2023 shift:(0,-4) text:4

from:01/07/2000 till:30/06/2013 color:d1 shift:(0,12) text: "Hong Kong First Division"

from:01/07/2013 till:30/06/2017 color:d1 shift:(0,12) text: "Premier League"

from:01/07/2017 till:30/06/2024 color:d2 shift:(0,12) text: "First Division"

Notable players

{{famous|date=May 2024}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-3}}

;Hong Kong

  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Leung Yuk Tong (梁玉堂)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Lee Wai Tong (李惠堂)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Yiu Cheuk Yin (姚卓然)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Ho Cheung Yau, MBE (何祥友)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Wong Chi Keung (黃志強)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Wong Man Wai (黃文偉) (1967–69), (1972–82)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Chan Kwok Hung (陳國雄) (1972–78)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ROC}} Kwok Kam Hung (郭錦洪)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Choi York Yee (蔡育瑜) (1973–78), (1980–83)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Chan Sai Kau (陳世九) (1968–78)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Fung Chi Ming (馮志明)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Sze Kin Hei (施建熙)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Wu Kwok Hung (胡國雄) (1971–72)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Ku Kam Fai (顧錦輝) (1984–99)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Wan Chi Keung (尹志強)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Cheung Chi Tak (張志德) (1984–87)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} Chan Fat Chi (陳發枝)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ENG}} Tim Bredbury (巴貝利) (1985–88)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|POR}} {{flagicon|ENG}} Leslie Santos (山度士) (1980–98)
  • {{flagicon|HKG|colonial}} {{flagicon|ENG}} Dale Tempest (譚拔士) (1989–91)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|ENG}} Richard Lant Armstrong (岩士唐) (1991–92), (1994–95)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} Shum Kwok Pui (岑國培) (1986–05)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} Lee Kin Wo (李健和) (1995–03)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} Au Wai Lun (歐偉倫) (1993–99), (1999–07)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} Yau Kin Wai (丘建威) (1995–05)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|CRI}} Cheng Siu Chung (鄭兆聰) (1996), (1998–00), (2001–02)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|CHN}} Sung Linyung (宋連勇) (1993–97)
  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|BRA}} Cristiano Cordeiro (高尼路) (1998–03)

{{col-3}}

;Austria

;Australia

;Belgium

;Bosnia and Herzegovina

  • {{flagicon|HKG}} {{flagicon|BIH}} Anto Grabo (基保) (1992–95)
  • {{flagicon|BIH}} Alen Bajkusa (巴古沙) (1993–94), (1995–96)
  • {{flagicon|BIH}} Saša Kajkut (2013–14)

;Brazil

;Canada

;China

  • {{flagicon|CHN}} He Jia (何佳) (1983–86)
  • {{flagicon|CHN}} Chang Weikang (張惠康) (1991–92)
  • {{flagicon|CHN}} {{flagicon|HKG}} Wu Qunli (吳群立) (1993–98)
  • {{flagicon|CHN}} Gong Lei (宮磊) (1997–98)
  • {{flagicon|CHN}} Zhang Enhua (張恩華) (2005–06)
  • {{flagicon|CHN}} Du Ping (杜蘋) (2007)

;Denmark

;Ecuador

;England

;Germany

;Indonesia

;Malaysia

{{col-3}}

;Netherlands

; New Zealand

; Northern Ireland

;Paraguay

;Portugal

;Scotland

;Singapore

  • {{flagicon|SIN}} Edmund Wee (黃文財) (1981–83), (1984–88) [https://web.archive.org/web/20070929155421/http://www.goalgoalgoal.com/viewthread.php?tid=2731&highlight=%B0%EA%B8%7D]

;Slovakia

;South Africa

;South Korea

;Sweden

;Togo

  • {{flagicon|TOG}} {{flagicon|BRA}} Cris (基斯) (2006–07), (2007–09)

;Trinidad and Tobago

;Venezuela

;Former Yugoslavia (current Serbia)

{{col-end}}

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.

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
colspan="2"|Name

!rowspan="2"|Nat

!rowspan="2"|From

!rowspan="2"|To

!colspan="7"|Record

!rowspan="2"|Honours

EnglishChinese

!P

WDLFA%W
align=left|Chu Kwok Lun{{lang|zh-hant|朱國倫}}

|

|align=left|1954

|align=left|1970

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Kwok Shek{{lang|zh-hant|郭石}}

|

|align=left|1970

|align=left|1977

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Ng Wai Man{{lang|zh-hant|吳偉文}}

|

|align=left|1977

|align=left|1981

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Halla{{lang|zh-hant|漢拿}}

|

|align=left|1981

|align=left|1982

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Kwok Kam Hung{{lang|zh-hant|郭錦洪}}

|

|align=left|1982

|align=left|1982

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Peter Wong{{lang|zh-hant|黃興桂}}

|

|align=left|1982

|align=left|1983

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Alex Miller{{lang|zh-hant|米勒}}

|

|align=left|1983

|align=left|1983

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Ng Wai Man{{lang|zh-hant|吳偉文}}

|

|align=left|1983

|align=left|1984

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Casemiro Mior{{lang|zh-hant|米路}}

|

|align=left|1998

|align=left|2002

|colspan=7|?

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Wong Man Wai{{lang|zh-hant|黃文偉}}

|

|rowspan=3 align=left|2002

|rowspan=3 align=left|2006

|rowspan=3 colspan=7|?

|rowspan=3|

align=left|Chan Kwok Hung{{lang|zh-hant|陳國雄}}

|

align=left|Ku Kam Fai{{lang|zh-hant|顧錦輝}}

|

align=left|Jorge Amaral{{lang|zh-hant|阿曼龍}}

|

|align=left|2006

|align=left|24 Nov 2006

|10

622201360

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Ku Kam Fai* & Chan Kwok Hung*{{lang|zh-hant|顧錦輝}} & {{lang|zh-hant|陳國雄}}

|

|align=left|25 Nov 2006

|align=left|27 Nov 2006

|1

10052100

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Casemiro Mior{{lang|zh-hant|米路}}

|

|align=left|28 Nov 2006

|align=left|2007

|20

1532491575

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|1 First Division title, 1 Senior Shield, 1 FA Cup title

align=left|José Luís{{lang|zh-hant|路爾斯}}

|

|align=left|2007

|align=left|2008

|34

19411794155.9

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|1 First Division title, 1 League Cup title

align=left|Tsang Wai Chung{{lang|zh-hant|曾偉忠}}

|

|align=left|1 July 2008

|align=left|Sept 17, 2008

|1

010110

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Liu Chun Fai*{{lang|zh-hant|廖俊輝}}

|

|align=left|Sept 17, 2008

|align=left|7 Dec 2008

|11

91130781.8

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Kim Pan-Gon{{lang|zh-hant|金判坤}}

|

|align=left|8 Dec 2008

|align=left|11 Dec 2010

|27

1944721670.4

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|2 First Division titles, 1 Senior Shield title

align=left|Chan Ho Yin*{{lang|zh-hant|陳浩然}}

|

|align=left|11 Dec 2010

|align=left|28 June 2011

|28

1738593460.7

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|1 League Cup title, 1 FA Cup title

align=left|Ján Kocian{{lang|zh-hant|高世安}}

|

|align=left|28 June 2011

|align=left|9 July 2012

|26

1394613050.0

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Liu Chun Fai{{lang|zh-hant|廖俊輝}}

|

|align=left|9 July 2012

|align=left|30 June 2013

|28

1666632857.1

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|1 First Division title

align=left|Cheung Po Chun{{lang|zh-hant|張寶春}}

|

|align=left|1 July 2013

|align=left|17 February 2014

|

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"| 1 Senior Shield title
align=left|Yeung Ching Kwong{{lang|zh-hant|楊正光}}

|

|align=left|17 February 2014

|align=left|15 December 2014

|

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"| 1 Community Cup title
align=left|Mario Gómez{{lang|zh-hant|馬里奧}}

|

|align=left|15 December 2014

|align=left|30 April 2015

|18

1044331855.6

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Ricardo Rambo*{{lang|zh-hant|列卡度}}

|

|align=left|1 May 2015

|align=left|14 May 2015

|3

2016166.7

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Casemiro Mior{{lang|zh-hant|米路}}

|

|align=left|14 May 2015

|align=left|

|3

2105166.7

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

align=left|Amir Alagić|

|align=left| 2016

|align=left| 2017

|

|align=left style="font-size: 80%"|

;Key

:* Served as caretaker manager.

Branding and partnerships

Under former chairman, Steven Lo, South China had reinvented their image and partnered with several organisations and brands to reignite interest in Hong Kong football.

= Hong Kong Red Cross =

In 2007, South China entered into a partnership with Hong Kong Red Cross.

The partnership is a pioneer between a sports association and a humanitarian organisation in Hong Kong.

South China is the first football team to ever bear the Red Cross emblem on the official kit.

= Giorgio Armani =

South China previously appointed Giorgio Armani as their official tailor.

= Philippe Starck =

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.

= Tottenham Hotspur =

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 was for 2 years with an option to extend further.

Besides planning inandring of best practice in any areas of the technical and business sides of football, Tottenham had the first option on South China players at all age levels and supported 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 explored the possibility of a joint youth Academy and training centre in Hong Kong or in mainland China.[http://www.southchinafc.com/template?series=1&article=5774 Club Partnership – Tottenham Hotspur & South China] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150323065820/http://www.southchinafc.com/template?series=1&article=5774 |date=23 March 2015 }}

=Other former club-level partnerships=

Songs

= 南華歌 ("The song of South China") =

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.

= 擁南躉之歌 ("The song of SCAA fans") =

It was sung by Albert Cheung (張武孝, also known as 大AI or Big Al), and became very well known after being released during the late 1970s and the 1980s, when they're a perennial challenger for the top spots in the league.[https://web.archive.org/web/19991104053006/http://geocities.com/Colosseum/Arena/2177/scsong.html 南 華 會 會 歌 – Song of South China]

Miscellaneous

= "All Chinese policy" =

Since its foundation, South China had a Chinese only policy whereby the club would only field players of Chinese ethnicity.

In keeping with this policy, the club would only sign foreign players who had Chinese ancestry such as Edmund Wee, Chow Chee Keong and Chan Kwok Leung.

Up until the 1980s, the policy did not 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 1981–82 season.

Therefore, on 2 November 1981, the club voted to end its six decade old Chinese only policy.

= Fan behaviour =

On 6 June 1982, after the club drew an all-important match with Caroline Hill that relegated them, 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, prompting the HKFA to intervene.

South China was to be relegated for the first time since 1983 as they failed to beat Citizen in the last game of the 2005–06 season.[http://202.76.19.48/template?series=2&article=30 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] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117230640/http://202.76.19.48/template?series=2&article=30|date=17 January 2008}}, [http://www.scaafc.com/ SCAA Fans Club official site] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424073122/http://www.scaafc.com/|date=24 April 2015}}, Accessed on 20 October 2007. However, on 14 June, the Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the First Division with the promise of strengthening their squad.

Other sports

Aside from football, SCAA fields other sports teams, including but are not limited to, basketball, volleyball, swimming, shooting and archery. They field youth teams in the name of "Nam Ching", meaning "SCAA Youth" in Chinese.

References

{{reflist}}