Month: June 2025
The Lion City Sailors’ remarkable 2024/25 season – one that saw them complete a historic domestic treble – was fittingly capped off with a night of accolades at the Singapore Premier League (SPL) Awards Night, which was held at Orchard Hotel on Sunday (1 June).
In leading the Sailors back to the summit of Singapore football with an impressive record of 22 wins and six draws from 32 matches, Aleksandar Ranković deservedly edged out BG Tampines Rovers’ Gavin Lee and Geylang International’s Noor Ali to claim his first-ever POLAR Mineral Water Coach of the Year award.
Crediting the team for the individual honour, the Serb said, “It’s a huge honour to win this award, but this actually belongs to the team – my players, my backroom staff, the management – because everyone played their part in such an incredible season for us. I’m very pleased to be with this special group of people at the Lion City Sailors.
“A huge shout-out to my other coaching colleagues in the other teams as well. I know how difficult the job is, so all of you deserve some praise for the work you’ve done over this long season.”
A stunning lob from the halfway line in a 2-2 draw with BG Tampines on 29 September 2024 saw Shawal Anuar beat seven other nominees to clinch his first-ever SELECT Goal of the Year award.
The 34-year-old becomes only the second Sailors player to win the accolade, following in the footsteps of Sailors alumnus Gabriel Quak, who took home the honour in 2021.
“It’s always a wonderful feeling to win an award, but the most important thing is that the goal helped us secure a crucial point in our title chase,” said Shawal. “I always put the team above myself – as long as my goals or assists contribute to the team, that’s mission accomplished.
“I’d like to thank the judges for selecting my goal, and I hope it can inspire the next generation of young players.”
While Shawal and Bailey Wright missed out on the AIA Player of the Year award – which went to Geylang International’s record-breaking forward Tomoyuki Doi – both were named in the AIA SPL Team of the Year, which was dominated by the Sailors.
Joining them in the star-studded XI were Bailey’s centre-back partner Toni Datković and the attacking trio of Bart Ramselaar, Maxime Lestienne, and Lennart Thy – making it six Sailors in the team. The remaining five spots went to BG Tampines Rovers (three) and Geylang International (two).
The Sailors also picked up two SPL Recognition Awards.
Adam Swandi, who retired at the end of 2024 due to a heart condition, was honoured with a SPL Special Award for his contributions to Singapore football over the past decade.
The club was also recognised for its historic Asian Football Confederation Champions League (ACL) Two campaign, in which they became the first Singaporean side to reach the final of a major Asian club competition.
Capping off an outstanding season both on and off the pitch, the Sailors were also lauded in the media awards category.
Kenneth Tan’s heartfelt feature on the influence of a mother’s support in the rise of Sailors Academy graduate Nur Muhammad Asis – Mother, father, supporter – meet the driving force behind Asis’s rise – was named Story of the Year, beating out strong entries from The Straits Times, CNA Digital, and ESPN Asia.
This is Kenneth’s second straight award in this category, having won in the last edition in 2023. The award was chosen via a panel of public relations experts, academics, and media professionals.
Lion City Sailors’ winners for SPL Awards Night 2024/25
POLAR Mineral Water Coach of The Year: Aleksandar Ranković
SELECT Goal of the Year: Shawal Anuar (vs BG Tampines Rovers, 29 September 2024)
AIA SPL Team of the Year: Bailey Wright, Toni Datković, Bart Ramselaar, Maxime Lestienne, Lennart Thy, Shawal Anuar
SPL Recognition Awards: Adam Swandi – SPL Special Award, Sporting Excellence in Singapore Football (2015 – 2024)
Lion City Sailors FC – Outstanding Performance as Runners-up of the AFC Champions League Two 2024/25
Story of the Year: Mother, Father, Supporter – meet the driving force behind Asis’s rise by Kenneth Tan
The Lion City Sailors capped off a historic 2024/25 season with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over BG Tampines Rovers in the Singapore Cup final at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Saturday (31 May) to complete a stunning clean sweep of all domestic honours.
Having already secured the Community Shield and Singapore Premier League (SPL) title, Bart Ramselaar’s clinical strike in the 49th minute proved decisive in a tense and tightly contested encounter, as the Sailors became the first side to achieve a domestic treble since Albirex Niigata (S) in 2018.
It was a performance that reflected the full spectrum of the Sailors’ quality – combining incisive attacking play with resilient defending to see off a spirited BG Tampines side under the floodlights.
Sailors Head Coach Aleksandar Ranković was full of praise for his players, as he hailed their discipline and composure in navigating the pressures of a cup final.
“In a final, it’s all about winning,” said Ranko after the game. “It doesn’t matter how you do it, but today, I felt we did a great job. My players were in control throughout, and apart from one chance at the end, we didn’t give them many opportunities.
“Tampines are very comfortable playing out from the back, so we knew we couldn’t press them too hastily. But I trusted that if we stayed patient, our chances would come, and we made it count.”
The Sailors fired the first warning shot of the evening through Bart, whose long-range effort flew over the bar in the 8th minute. Maxime Lestienne followed up with two quick attempts within five minutes, but both were comfortably gathered by BG Tampines custodian Syazwan Buhari.
With the reigning SPL champions steadily ramping up the pressure, Maxime went close again in the 33rd minute with a curled shot that went just wide of the right post.
While the first half offered little to separate the sides, the game sparked into life after the restart, with the breakthrough arriving in the 49th minute through Bart. Nipping ahead of Shah Shahiran in the box, he latched onto Maxime’s delivery from the right and unleashed a fierce shot that deflected off Dylan Fox and into the net.
While the Sailors had scored the all-important opener, they knew the job was far from done – and no one embodied that mindset more than the goalscorer himself.
“I chose not to go over the top with my celebration out of respect for the opponents, because I know Tampines are a very good team,” explained Bart. “There were still 40 minutes to go until the final whistle, and I knew nothing was certain until then.”
Indeed, the opener jolted BG Tampines into life, and they nearly found an instant response in the 55th minute. Seia Kunori whipped in a low cross for Itsuki Enomoto to tap home – but the flag went up for offside.
The Sailors then had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the 65th minute when Shawal Anuar was played through on goal, but Syazwan raced off his line to deny him at close range. Maxime was quickest to the loose ball as he teed up Song, but the latter fired his effort over the bar.
With the Stags throwing numbers forward in search of an equaliser, the Sailors dug deep and showed immense character to weather the storm. Zharfan Rohaizad was called into action in the 73rd minute as he parried a stinging drive from Kyoga Nakamura, before Shah volleyed over the bar moments later.
As the clock wound down, Kunori threatened once more – this time rattling the crossbar in the 86th minute to hand the Sailors a late scare. But, even amid a fiery end to the contest – which saw Shah sent off in stoppage time – the Sailors held their nerve and stood tall till the final whistle.
And as the referee blew for full-time, those clad in white collapsed to the ground in a mix of elation and exhaustion, having given their all to seal an unforgettable treble.
Hoisting the Singapore Cup into the night sky marked the culmination of months of dedication, sacrifice, and unrelenting effort from everyone involved with the Sailors. For Ranko, this triumphant season stood as a testament to the unity and hard work displayed both on and off the pitch.
“I’m really happy and proud – not just of my team, but of everyone who has worked so hard throughout this long season,” he said. “Everyone is exhausted, but full credit also goes to my staff – those working tirelessly behind the scenes – and, of course, our fans. They’re the ones who saw us through this amazing season.”
Having laid the groundwork in what will go down as one of the most successful seasons in the club’s young history, Ranko believes this triumph will serve as lasting inspiration for future generations of Sailors.
“I told my players before the match that winning this cup would raise the bar we’ve already set,” said Ranko. “We’ve achieved big things this season – especially in the AFC Champions League Two and by winning the league – but this goes beyond just our team. We want to set the standard for the generations to come.
“By creating this kind of legacy, young players will look at us and say, ‘We want to be like that team.’ That’s what this group has achieved, and I feel truly blessed to be part of it.”
