SINGAPORE - Five years after stepping down as Valencia president, Chan Lay Hoon will be returning to the Spanish club to take on the role again, the La Liga side announced on Thursday (Aug 18).
Chan, who served as the club's president from December 2014 to June 2017, takes over the helm from her successor Anil Murthy following his exit in June.
Chan had endured a tough tenure at the club previously. After a bright start that saw them finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champions League in 2015, Valencia could only manage 12th place the following year.
That period of time also saw the departure of several coaches, officials and players leaving.
Portuguese manager Nuno Espirito Santo left in November 2015, followed by Englishman Gary Neville who departed after four months and Pako Ayestaran who was there for six months.
Italian Cesare Prandelli was then in charge for three months before quitting with the team just four places off the bottom, before he was replaced by Salvador "Voro" Gonzalez.
At the time of Chan's departure, they were 12th in the table, which was also where they eventually finished that term.
Murthy's own tenure was also marred by discontent from supporters, with the Libertad VCF and Salvem Nostre Valencia CF (Save Our Valencia CF) groups arranging protests at the club's home ground at the Mestalla.
In mass e-mails and on social media, Valencia fans have also accused Lim and Murthy of "negligently managing the club", "deteriorating the value of the team" and "mistreating old legends and club workers".
While widespread media reports had said that Murthy had been axed by the club following the release of audio recordings in which he allegedly made unsavoury remarks about Valencia's Singaporean billionaire owner Peter Lim, players and English cities Liverpool and Newcastle, Murthy refuted these claims, insisting that he had resigned over fears for his family's safety.
Last season, the Los Che finished ninth in La Liga, failing to qualify for any European competition for a third straight season
On Thursday, the club also announced a slew of changes to its board of directors, which included the appointments of Ong Pang Liang and Lim Wee Kiat - Peter Lim's son - as directors.
Khojama Kalimuddin, who was standing in to oversee the administration of the club after Murthy left, has been redesignated as a director, while Joey Lim has resigned as executive director.
It added that general director Sean Bai and Valencia Foundation director general Teo Swee Wei will relinquish their positions at the club.
On its website, the club said: "The board takes this opportunity to reiterate that Valencia CF are fully committed to the long-term growth and success of the club. The board wants to continue strengthening its relationship with the fans and to bring our fans great joy. We also wish to continue working with the authorities and other stakeholders to bring the Club to greater heights."
