Sallehuddin Damit

Sallehuddin began his sporting career playing tennis under a government scheme, representing Brunei at the Davis Cup in 1994 and 1995.{{cite web|url=http://www.daviscup.com/en/players/player.aspx?id=800191626|title=Awangku Salehuddin|publisher=Davis Cup|date=|accessdate=14 October 2016}} It was around this time that he also made his football debut in the Malaysia Premier League, appearing for the Brunei representative team.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1309&dat=19940806&id=GlBIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bBMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=1243,2385599&hl=en|title=Terengganu lucky to get a point|via=Google News Archive Search|date=6 August 1994|publisher=New Straits Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}}

Towards the turn of the century Sallehuddin found more playing time in expense of the ageing Martilu Mohamed on the left side of a back three, a formation favoured by David Booth and his successor Mick Jones. He started the 1999 Malaysia Cup final alongside captain and fellow legend Liew Chuan Fue and first-season debutant Norsillmy Taha and claimed a 2–1 victory in Kuala Lumpur through two goals by Rosli Liman.

Sallehuddin inherited the captain's armband from Liew and stayed with Brunei as the severely-depleted team were immediately relegated to Premier Two, managing only two wins and conceding the most goals (53).{{cite web |title=Malaysia First Level ("Premier One") 2000|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/malay00.html|date=10 April 2001|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=14 October 2016}}{{cite web |title=Football - Brunei soccer teams unveiled|url=http://www.e-borneo.com/cgi-bin/np/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=986357099|date=4 April 2001|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=14 October 2016}} He stayed with Brunei in the second tier of Malaysian football until 2005.

File:League Cup 2009 Final- DPMM vs SAFFC, 19 Jun - 3641967338.jpg]]

Sallehuddin played with local club AH United in the B-League (winning the 2005-06 FA Cup){{cite web|url=http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Mar06/140306/nite25.htm|title=AH United Win FA Cup|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|date=14 March 2006|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061112122451/http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Mar06/140306/nite25.htm|archivedate=12 November 2006|accessdate=23 November 2016}} until the middle of 2006 when he transferred to Brunei DPMM FC who were playing in the Malaysia Premier League for the first time after replacing Sallehuddin's own former team, Brunei.{{cite web |title=Brunei DPMM host Kelantan today|url=http://www.eteamz.com/dpmmfc/news/|date=22 April 2006|publisher=Borneo Bulletin|accessdate=14 October 2016}} They achieved promotion to the 2006-07 Malaysia Super League that season and then astoundingly finished third in Malaysia's top tier thanks to goals from topscoring Shahrazen Said.{{cite web |title=Malaysia 2006/07|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/malay07.html|date=3 January 2008|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=14 October 2016}}

DPMM moved to the Singaporean S.League in 2009, after the deregistration of the Brunei Football Association (BAFA) by the Registrar of Societies prompted the Football Association of Malaysia to exempt DPMM from the Super League.{{cite web |title=DPMM FC can't play in new season of MSL, says FAM|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2008/12/19/dpmm_fc_cant_play_in_new_season_of_msl_says_fam|date=19 December 2008|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}}{{cite web |title=DPMM FC to take part in S'pore League |url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2009/02/11/dpmm_fc_to_take_part_in_spore_league|date=11 February 2009|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} Sallehuddin was appointed captain and won the Singapore League Cup of that year, despite being suspended in the final.{{cite web |title=DPMM FC enter League Cup final |url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2009/06/16/dpmm_fc_enter_league_cup_final|date=16 June 2009|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} After an incident in the 39th minute in the game against Home United on 2 August, he was given a one-year ban by the Football Association of Singapore for bringing the game into disrepute.{{cite web |title=Long bans for DPMM FC trio |url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2009/08/14/long_bans_for_dpmm_fc_trio|date=14 August 2009|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} A month later, FIFA suspended Brunei which meant that DPMM could no longer play in the S.League.{{cite web |title=FIFA rejects FAS' DPMM FC appeal|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sport-national/2009/10/17/fifa-rejects-fas-dpmm-fc-appeal|date=17 October 2009|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} With only five matches to go, all of DPMM's results were expunged from record.

Sallehuddin returned to AH United on loan in the 2010 Brunei Premier League 1,{{cite web |title=AH United and Indera FC face off in mid-table clash|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sport-national/2010/01/22/ah-united-and-indera-fc-face-mid-table-clash|date=22 January 2010|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} then AM Gunners for the short-lived 2011 season.{{cite web |title=BPL under watchful eyes of DPMM FC|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/03/03/bpl-under-watchful-eyes-dpmm-fc|date=3 March 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} Recalled to his parent club after their re-entry into the S.League in 2012, the 39-year-old was still being relied on by coach Vjeran Simunic.{{cite web |title=DPMM FC players raring to go: coach|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2011/11/30/dpmm-fc-players-raring-go-coach|date=30 November 2011|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} Sallehuddin won the League Cup and finished second in the league behind Tampines Rovers in 2012,{{cite web |title=Where do DPMM FC go? FOOTBALL|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/2012/11/17/where-do-dpmm-fc-go-football|date=17 November 2012|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} but after a disappointing 2013 campaign, he was released in the close season.{{cite web |title=New players under no illusions|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2014/02/14/new-players-under-no-illusions|date=14 February 2014|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}}

After a year without league football, Sallehuddin lined up one last time alongside Norsillmy Taha at Kota Ranger FC in the 2015 Brunei Premier League.{{cite web |title=DST Premier League leaders Kota Ranger rack up third straight win|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-world/2015/03/04/dst-premier-league-leaders-kota-ranger-rack-third-straight-win|date=4 March 2015|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}} He helped his team go top of the table and win promotion to the 2016 Brunei Super League.{{cite web |title=Kota Ranger win DST Premier League|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/sports-national/2015/08/08/kota-ranger-win-dst-premier-league|date=8 August 2015|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016}}

Since 2017, Sallehuddin works as a coach for Kasuka FC, while also registered as a player despite well being in his forties. (He had said that he plans to retire from football only after the age of 45.)

On 12 April 2019, Sallehuddin scored on the 44th minute against Najip FC in an 8–1 victory at the 2018–19 Brunei Super League. This makes him the oldest scorer in the history of the Brunei leagues, at the age of 45 years, 5 months and 7 days.{{cite web |title=Kasuka FC Menang Besar|url=https://www.brudirect.com/news.php?id=66763|date=13 April 2019|publisher=Media Permata|accessdate=16 March 2021}}

Sallehuddin played three games for the national team at the 20th SEA Games held in Brunei, scoring the third goal in the first game against Cambodia in a 3–3 draw.{{cite web |title=South East Asian Games 1999 Details (Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei)|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tabless/sea99-det.html|date=26 April 2002|publisher=Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation|accessdate=14 October 2016}} His next two international tournaments were the 2000 AFC Asian Cup qualifying and the 2002 World Cup qualifying, both were disastrous campaigns where Brunei scored no goals and conceded 39.

Sallehuddin went with a team composed largely of QAF FC players for the 2006 AFC Challenge Cup held in Bangladesh, Brunei failed to advance from the group stage courtesy of goal difference.{{cite web|url=http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Apr06/020406/nite21.htm|title=Brunei Ready For Sri Lanka |publisher=Borneo Bulletin|date=2 April 2006|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061117005047/http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Apr06/020406/nite21.htm|archivedate=17 November 2006|accessdate=14 October 2016}} His final appearances for the national team were at the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup qualifying held in Cambodia where he scored a penalty in the 76th minute against Timor-Leste in their only win from 4 games.{{cite web|title=DPMM FC head to Cambodia|url=http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2008/10/15/dpmm_fc_head_to_cambodia|date=15 October 2008|publisher=The Brunei Times|accessdate=14 October 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402173841/http://www.bt.com.bn/local_sport/2008/10/15/dpmm_fc_head_to_cambodia|archivedate=2 April 2015|df=dmy-all}}

;Brunei M-League representative team

• Malaysia Cup: 1999

;AH United

• HMYC Cup: 2001{{cite web |title=AH united tundukkan Sengkurong F.C. 1 - 0|url=http://www.brunet.bn:80/news/pelita/07feb/sukan.htm|date=7 February 2001|url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010503085558/http://www.brunet.bn:80/news/pelita/07feb/sukan.htm|archivedate=3 May 2001|publisher=Pelita Brunei|accessdate=12 July 2023}}
• Brunei FA Cup: 2005–06

;Brunei DPMM FC

• Singapore League Cup (2): 2009, 2012

;Kota Ranger FC

• Brunei Premier League: 2015

{{See also|Orders, decorations, and medals of Brunei}}

• 50px Meritorius Service Medal (PJK) (1999){{cite web |title=National Heroes receive Meritorious Service Medals|url=https://www.information.gov.bn/Publication%20listsPDF/Brunei%20Darussalam%20Newsletter/BDN%20DEC%201999_final.pdf#page=4|date=1 December 1999|publisher=Brunei Darussalam Newsletter|accessdate=21 September 2022}}

• {{NFT player|pid=14395}}
• {{Soccerway|pengiran-sallehuddin-damit/73980}}

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sallehuddin Damit}}

Category:1973 births

Category:Living people

Category:Bruneian Muslims

Category:Bruneian male tennis players

Category:Men's association football defenders

Category:Bruneian men's footballers

Category:Brunei men's international footballers

Category:Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota Football Club players

Category:Brunei (Liga Premier team) players

Category:Kota Ranger FC players

Category:Kasuka FC players

Category:Competitors at the 1999 SEA Games

Category:SEA Games competitors for Brunei