Singapore Branch Articles

LEEDS fans in Singapore will have a lot to cheer when the season starts this weekend.

The LUSC Singapore Branch is launching its first official meet this Saturday, 18 August 2001 at 8.00pm at the Lot Stock & Barrel pub (next to Raffles Hotel) in Singapore. The branch was granted official approval recently.

While the Leeds game against Southampton will not be telecast live to Singapore, the branch decided that the season kick-off would be an opportune time for Leeds fans to meet each other and reaffirm their support for the club.

In the last few weeks, an initial core of committee members have been working hard to raise awareness of the newly formed branch.

The branch's Chairman, Gregory Phua, said: "All we want is for all Leeds fans to come and meet the committee and other members at this fun night. And with LS&B pub agreeing to host all LUFC fans, this brilliant alliance will give us a 'home' ground to watch all Leeds matches that are shown 'live' in Singapore".

Besides the pub meets, the branch also has plans for other social activities, a football team to participate in friendly matches, trips to Elland Road, website service, and many other goodies as more fans come on board.

"So come on down to the LS&B and join in our debut night and to be part of an exciting beginning for all Leeds United fans", quipped Publicity and Promotions Officer, Diana Cheng.

To find out more, Leeds fans in Singapore can contact the branch at leedsunitedsingaporewhites@hotmail.com

by Gregory Phua and Herman Phua

<<This article first appeared in the Official Leeds United site on 16th August 2001>>

MARCHING ON IN SINGAPORE

THE national flag of Singapore sports just two colours. But it is the affinity that most of the country's English football fans have had towards the brighter of these colours that has made Leeds United fans in the little island state see Red for many years.

And if members of the newly-formed Leeds United Supporters Club Singapore Branch have it their way, this unhealthy preoccupation with the three red teams of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal will not be dominating the football spotlight much longer.

The branch, or LUSCSB, had its beginnings in April 2001 when a few long-time Leeds fans got together and decided it was finally time to proudly fly the Whites' flag in Singapore.

Many of them, led by branch chairman Gregory Phua, had already been meeting at a local pub over the past year, to cheer the team whenever Leeds United matches were telecast 'live' to Singapore. But due to the huge time difference with the UK, Greg says there were days when the Sunday game was so late that it was down to only him sitting there in the team colours, yelling his head off.

Thankfully, that's unlikely to happen again.

Over the past two weeks, the LUSCSB has gone on a recruitment drive to seek out Leeds fans in Singapore. The branch launched the membership campaign with a bang on the first day of the Premiership season.

Invitations were extended to the club's fans -- from an e-mail list that was painstakingly built up over the past year -- to don their colours for the first-ever meeting of the LUSCSB. An article titled 'Singapore Whites to Kick Of' in the official LUFC.com website also gave the branch the club's stamp of approval and helped attract fans to the launch.

The meet, held at the Lot, Stock & Barrel pub on August 18, proved to be a resounding success with a better-than-expected turnout. After all, it was a long-awaited opportunity for many fans to finally acquaint themselves with other Leeds supporters.

And while most of those at the pub have been hooked on Leeds since the golden days of Don Revie's team, it was heartening to see younger supporters like 11-year old Krystle Lim and 16-year old James Mortimer turning up to support the club.

Despite the distance, many of the Singapore fans proved to be as die-hard as those in the home city. Long-time Leeds fans like executive committee member, Chang Tou Yuen and branch treasurer, Dennis Lim even have wardrobes of the team's kits from as far back as the 1970s.

Encouraged by the warm response to the branch's first official meeting, the executive committee continued the LUSCSB membership drive with a match meet when the team played at Upton Park last Saturday. That gave a chance to many Leeds fans who had missed the branch's launch, to meet the executive committee and sign up.

LUSCSB's executive committee is now keen to build on the branch's strong start. Besides regular pub meets, there are plans for other social activities, a football team to participate in friendly matches, trips to Elland Road and a local website service.

So for those Leeds fans who have yet to touch base with the LUSCSB, now is the time to pull on your White shirt and put a stop to the Red fever that has engulfed the football scene in Singapore for far too long.

To find out more, contact the branch at leedsunitedsingaporewhites@hotmail.com

by Herman Phua

<<This article first appeared in the Official Leeds United site on 31st August 2001>>

SINGAPORE ROLLS OUT WHITE CARPET

UNITED fans passing through Singapore will still be able to enjoy the crowd-like atmosphere of a live match, thanks to the Singapore Whites.

The Leeds United Supporters Club's branch in Singapore has an open invitation to all Whites fans visiting the island state, to join them for its match meets.

The branch holds match meets at their 'home' pub, the Lot Stock & Barrel, whenever United's games are telecast 'live' to Singapore. The pub is conveniently located in the heart of the city, close to the country’s famous Raffles Hotel.

The branch has been building up a good membership base since it was set up three months ago and its meets are very well attended with members turning up in team colours. "The atmosphere at the meets are tremendous with lots of passionate cheering and singing which makes you feel like you’re at Elland Road," says the branch's chairman, Gregory Phua.

Interestingly, the branch's match meets have also managed to catch the attention of some Leeds fans visiting Singapore. "We've had a lot of Leeds United fans from the UK, Australia and neighbouring countries popping into the pub to watch the games," says Greg who attributes this to the publicity the Singapore Whites got from two articles published in www.lufc.com a couple of months ago.

Many of the visiting fans were thrilled to find such fervent Leeds United supporters in Singapore.

That sparked the idea to issue the 'Open Invitation'. "It's great to meet Leeds fans from other countries. And as visitors to Singapore, they are our guests and its nice if they have a place where they can enjoy a pint, watch the match live and get to know our local members," Greg says.

In fact, the Singapore branch is the only one in Asia that's officially affiliated to the main UK supporters club. That has attracted interest from United fans in the region with a few already signing up as overseas members. Like the local members, they will get a membership pack that includes the branch's specially designed T-shirt and cap.

Besides the match meets, the branch's committee are also planning other activities for its members. On Sunday, it held its first football session so that members could bring their families for a casual kick-about and to make new friends. The committee is also hoping to organise a trip to Elland Road next year.

The branch now has a website, www.luscs.org, which provides information on its membership, committee, events and articles about its members. United fans travelling to Singapore are advised to check the website for details of the branch's upcoming meets and the location of the Lot, Stock & Barrel pub.

by Herman Phua

<<This article first appeared in the Official Leeds United site on 15th November 2001>>