Brian Fok

{{Infobox football biography

| image =

| fullname = Brian Fok

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1994|3|8}}

| birth_place = Kaduna, Nigeria

| height = 1.90m

| position = Centre back

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1999

| youthclubs1 = Kaduna Football Academy

| youthyears2 = 2004

| youthclubs2 = HKFC Soccer Section

| youthyears3 = 2009

| youthclubs3 = Yau Tsim Mong

| youthyears4 = 2010

| youthclubs4 = Rangers (HKG)

| youthyears5 = 2012

| youthclubs5 = Brooke House College

| youthyears6 = 2013

| youthclubs6 = Jamie Lawrence Football Academy

| years1 = 2010–2011

| clubs1 = Rangers (HKG)

| caps1 = 6

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2011–2012

| clubs2 = Rangers (HKG)

| caps2 = 3

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2014–2019

| clubs3 = Shanghai Shenhua

| caps3 = 0

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2015

| clubs4 = → CF Cracks (loan)

| caps4 = 6

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2016

| clubs5 = → ACS Berceni (loan)

| caps5 = 0

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2016

| clubs6 = → AZAL (loan)

| caps6 = 4

| goals6 = 0

| years7 = 2018

| clubs7 = → Juventud (loan)

| caps7 = 0

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2018–2019

| clubs8 = → Académico Viseu (loan)

| caps8 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2019–2020

| clubs9 = Kitchee

| caps9 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2021–2022

| clubs10 = HKFC

| caps10 = 0

| goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2022–2023

| clubs11 = Happy Valley

| caps11 = 24

| goals11 = 6

| nationalyears1 = 2010–2012

| nationalteam1 = Hong Kong U17

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| nationalyears2 = 2012–2014

| nationalteam2 = Hong Kong U20

| nationalcaps2 =

| nationalgoals2 =

| nationalyears3 = 2014–2017

| nationalteam3 = Hong Kong U23

| nationalcaps3 = 14

| nationalgoals3 = 1

| pcupdate =

| ntupdate =

}}

Brian Fok ({{zh|t=霍斌仁}}; born 8 March 1994) is a former professional footballer who played as a centre back. Born in Nigeria, he represented Hong Kong at youth level.

Club career

Born in Kaduna, Nigeria to a Nigerian Yoruba mother and a Hong Kongese father,{{cite web|url=https://www.sl10.ng/news/articles/Category/nigeria-players-abroad/shanghai-shenhua-s-hong-kong-youth-teamer-brian-fok-pledges-international-future-to-nigeria/200324|title=Brian Fok pledges his international future to Nigeria}} Brian started to have professional football training in Kaduna Football Academy at the age of 5. In 2004, he moved from Nigeria to Hong Kong. After moving in Hong Kong, Brian trained and played for the youth football team of HKFC Soccer Section, Yau Tsim Mong and Hong Kong Rangers. Brian completed his high school education at Sir Ellis Kadoorie Secondary School (West Kowloon). Brian was also the 200 meter dash champion for 4 years running at the Hong Kong Schools Sports Federation (HKSSF) Athletics Meet.

In 2010, Fok played as an amateur for Rangers in Hong Kong Second Division. In 2011, Brian rejoined Rangers and made his professional debut in February 2012 as a late substitute against Tai Po. On 20 May 2012, Brian started as line-up against Kitchee and played for the whole match which they lost 1–4.

In 2012, Fok studied in England at the Brooke House College Football Academy for 1-year professional football training. In 2013, Brian moved to train and play for Jamie Lawrence Football Academy.

In 2014, Fok went for trial at Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua, going on to sign a three-year deal with the club.{{cite web|title=WEF EXCLUSIVE: HONG KONG YOUTH INTERNATIONAL BRIAN FOK SIGNS FOR SHANGHAI SHENHUA|url=https://wildeastfootball.net/2014/03/wef-exclusive-hong-kong-youth-international-brian-fok-signs-for-shanghai-shenhua/|website=wildeastfootball.net|publisher=Wild East Football|accessdate=25 October 2016|date=1 March 2014}}

In December 2014, Fok joined Spanish Club CF Cracks on a half season loan, played 6 matches for the club as a centre back and also as a centre forward.

In February 2016, Shanghai Shenhua allowed Brian to join Berceni on a half season loan to gain first team experience.[http://www.sportcalarasean.ro/mihalcea-vrea-sa-aduca-un-chinez-nigerian-de-la-berceni/ Mihalcea vrea sa aduca un chinez nigerian de la Berceni - Romanian teams want to sign Brian FOK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921052027/http://www.sportcalarasean.ro/mihalcea-vrea-sa-aduca-un-chinez-nigerian-de-la-berceni/|date=21 September 2016}} 《sportcalarasean.ro》 11 July 2016

In August 2016, Fok joined Azerbaijan Premier League club AZAL PFK on a half season loan deal, making his debut as a substitute in a 3–0 defeat to Gabala on 19 September 2016. The appearance meant Fok was the first Hong Kong player to play in Azerbaijan and the 4th Hong Kong player to play in Europe. On 6 November 2016, Brian started and played full match against Gabala, the match ended at a draw 0:0. Fok left AZAL on 24 December 2016 following the conclusion of his loan.{{cite web|title=AZAL 6 futbolçu ilə yollarını ayırdı|url=http://www.azalpfc.az/shownews.php?id=409#top|website=azalpfc.az|publisher=AZAL PFK|accessdate=26 December 2016|date=24 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227130851/http://www.azalpfc.az/shownews.php?id=409#top#top|archive-date=27 December 2016|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

On 21 February 2018, Fok joined Uruguayan Segunda División club Juventud on a half season loan.{{cite web|title=下一站南美﹗前U22港腳霍斌仁轉戰烏拉圭次級聯賽|url=https://www.upower.com.hk/article/163380-%E3%80%90%E6%B8%AF%E5%B0%87%E5%A4%96%E6%B5%81%E3%80%91%E4%B8%8B%E4%B8%80%E7%AB%99%E5%8D%97%E7%BE%8E%EF%B9%97%E5%89%8Du22%E6%B8%AF%E8%85%B3%E9%9C%8D%E6%96%8C%E4%BB%81%E8%BD%89%E6%88%B0%E7%83%8F|website=Upower|accessdate=21 February 2018}} {{in lang|zh-hk}}

On 13 August 2018, Fok signed a 2 years deal and transferred to LigaPro club Académico de Viseu.

On 15 July 2019, Fok returned to Hong Kong and signed for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee.{{cite web|title=霍斌仁回流香港成傑志來季首名新後衛|url=https://www.sportsroad.hk/archives/258578|website=Sportsroad.hk|accessdate=15 July 2019}} {{in lang|zh-hk}} He played his first game for the club on 10 September 2019 against Lee Man in a Senior Shield match, in which Kitchee was beaten 5-1 and Fok was substituted in the 2nd half.

In October 2020, Fok retired from professional football. However, he came out of retirement in 2021 when he joined newly promoted HKFC for the 2021–22 season of the HKPL.

2021 Hong Kong match fixing scandal

In October 2021, Fok offered a bribe to fellow HKFC players Jean Maciel and Marcus McMillan to play an unfair match against Hong Kong Rangers.{{Cite web |last=Pao |first=Ming |title=涉假波賭外圍 3球員1「艇仔」被控起訴行賄及串謀賭博作弊兩隊友拒受賄告發 |url=http://www.mingpaocanada.com/TOR/htm/NEWS/20240216/HK-gaa1_r.htm |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=www.mingpaocanada.com |language=en}} However, both players rejected the offer and reported it to the club. In May 2023, the ICAC arrested 11 football players, including Fok.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-15 |title=假波案⎮ 廉署去年拘 23 人今落案控三球員一艇仔 |url=https://hk.news.yahoo.com/%E5%81%87%E6%B3%A2%E6%A1%88%E2%8E%AE-%E5%BB%89%E7%BD%B2%E5%8E%BB%E5%B9%B4%E6%8B%98-23-%E4%BA%BA-%E4%BB%8A%E8%90%BD%E6%A1%88%E6%8E%A7%E4%B8%89%E7%90%83%E5%93%A1%E4%B8%80%E8%89%87%E4%BB%94-054104448.html |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Yahoo News |language=zh-Hant-HK}}

On 15 February 2024, Fok was charged by ICAC for match-fixing.{{Cite web |last=Standard |first=The |title=Three footballers and betting agent charged for bribes and match-fixing |url=https://www.thestandard.com.hk/breaking-news/section/4/213426/Three-footballers-and-a-betting-agent-charged-for-bribing-players-and-match-fixing |access-date=2024-02-15 |website=The Standard |language=en}}

International career

Since 2005, Brian has been playing for different age groups of Hong Kong National youth team.[http://www.sl10.ng/news/articles/categories/nigeria-players-abroad/shanghai-shenhua-s-hong-kong-youth-teamer-brian-fok-pledges-international-future-to-nigeria/200324 Brian FOK pledges his international future] 《SL10 Nigeria》 6 Feb 2015