Call them niche. Call them cult. Call them overrated. Call them inspirational or call them the greatest success story in global Football fan culture; the groundbreaking work done by Brigata Curva Sud makes PSS Sleman one of the most remarkable Football clubs when it comes to support in the entire world. Read more about their story here.
The caged astro-turf pitch on your block where you learned to play as a kid will always have a special place in your heart. That’s for sure. But there are some 5-a-side courts you see on your travels that just outdo others in terms of location. After a recent browse through some old photo alba, we came across this masterpiece in George Town, Malaysia.
Having added the final signature, Fandi Ahmad Yani threw down the pen with a sigh, turned to his counterpart and extended a firm hand. As Kaji Riki (a representative of Ultras Gresik) shook it, a polite round of applause rippled among the journalists and reporters gathered in the conference room. The six men sat at the table congratulated each other on the business conducted that day before turning to force a smile for the photographers.
It had happened at long last. Gresik United Football Club is owned by Continue reading
Originally constructed in bonnie Newcastle in 1915, the HMS Malaya had been of service both in World War I and II in places as varied as Denmark, Anatolia, Malta, Genoa, Cape Verde and the Caribbean. She gallantly ended her service as target bouncing bomb practice in Loch Striven in Scotland in 1944, but where Football is concerned, the HMS Malaya made her most important trip in 1921 – to the land after which she was named. Continue reading
For part I of Sunnis, Sukarno and Soccer, please click here.
It is easy to make the mental leap that Indonesia is “more Muslim” than its sibling Malaysia is. But if that is the case, why are Koranic prayers read at before Football matches in Malaysia and not in Indonesia? The answer perhaps lies in the path to independence of both modern nation states.
It is something of a sour point to the Chinese and Indian Malaysians that Islam, a faith that is entirely foreign to them, has been chosen as their state religion. In a country where ethnicity is a factor that influences your legal rights and civil status, the Chinese and Indian Malaysians are somewhat used to playing second fiddle.
The British facilitated the migration of their ancestors from Canton and Kerala into their Southeast Asian territories in Continue reading
During my brief stopover in Singapore, the national Men’s XI played host to Hong Kong down at the Jalan Besar Stadium. An entertaining affair between two of Asia’s wealthy micronations finished 1-1, Singapore taking a long time to find a deserved equaliser.
Singapore Continue reading
Indonesian fans waiting for the 2018 Liga 1 to begin be like….
Yes, that gentleman is sleeping outside of his club’s empty stadium.
In 2018, the Indonesian Liga 1 welcomes big boys PSMS Medan, Persebaya Surabaya and PSIS Semarang among its ranks, and Jakarta and Palembang will together host the 2018 Asian Games, making it a pretty big year for Indonesian Football. But we just have to wait for it all to kick-off again….
Football is unquestionably Indonesia’s favourite sport. Java is the most populous island in the world’s 4th most populous country with around 56% of the 265,000,000 Indonesians living there. As such, Java is home to some of the biggest Football clubs and wildest Football fans in the country, and we have done our part to let you know which ones you really should know about.
This is the FBTG list of the biggest Football clubs in Java, based on average match attendance figures and general Continue reading
From Boothferry To Germany 