Lions’ class of 1994 back current pride to seal Asian Cup qualification with win in Hong Kong

SINGAPORE – The banter flowed freely as old friends from Singapore’s 1994 double-winning team gathered, with Fandi Ahmad accused of being a “card cheat”, a bald Abbas Saad teased about his choice of barber and shaving cream, and gold-haired Lee Man Hon suspected of moonlighting with a lion dance troupe.

The trio, along with Malek Awab, David Lee, Rafi Ali, Steven Tan and Rudy Khairon, were guests at the launch of the 1994 Legacy Collection cards at the Cards Collectibles Asia (CCA) event at *Scape on Nov 16.

Featuring moments from that memorable season, the cards were created to commemorate the Lions’ M-League and Malaysia Cup-winning exploits.

Behind the stories and laughter at their meet-and-greet with about 50 fans, the former players’ tight-knit bond was evident as they remain firm friends 31 years on.

They hope the current Lions will show similar unity and passion as they face a

crucial Asian Cup qualifier

in Hong Kong on Nov 18, when the winners will secure historic qualification to the continental showpiece.

Abbas, 57, said: “If you want to win big tournaments and big matches, you have to be united. We love one another and we are like a family.”

Malek, 64, added: “I hope the passion and the love of the game will drive the players.”

Fandi, the talismanic former national skipper whose sons Ikhsan and Ilhan are in the current squad, is encouraged by recent performances.

The 63-year-old shared how he used to visualise himself scoring and winning big games, and said: “The team are playing well now and have shown vast improvement. They dare to take risks now, unlike in the past when they sat back too long and invited opponents to attack them, which is dangerous.

“They are creating more chances now and we trust that they can get the job done.”

The two-day event featured 172 cards-and-collectibles booths, and attracted around 30,000 visitors who filled *Scape’s five levels.

Among these were the Topps booth which featured a Crown Jewels collection valued at more than $6 million. These included a one-of-one 2020 Topps Chrome Lewis Hamilton Superfractor Autograph card that is estimated to be worth at least $2 million.

CCA public relations and communications manager Mason Koh, 26, said: “You see so many of these events happening in the US, in Asia and around the world, so why not Singapore?

“A few years ago, there was not really any show that brought the community together or created something like this for collectors. So we thought, if no one is doing it, why don’t we?

“Our event at Marina Square last year really set the bar for what a collectibles show could be. Right after that, we started seeing more shows pop up locally, which was great. But we have always just wanted to focus on doing one good show a year and putting our best into it each time.

“As for Crown Jewels, the idea came about because we had some connections with private high-end collectors. We realised that a lot of their pieces would probably never see the light of day. They would just stay locked away in vaults or safety deposit boxes. So we thought, why not bring them out and showcase them?”

Visitors were also taken Through The Tunnel in a fifth-storey booth by the Football Association of Singapore, Playback Asia and The Straits Times which featured the highlights of Singapore football that included their four Asean titles and achievements in Malaysia’s domestic football competitions.

ST editor and The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF) chairman Jaime Ho said: “At The Straits Times, we’ve been privileged to have been there through the years to report on the highs and lows of the Lions. This was especially the case in 1994.

“It is therefore extremely gratifying for us to be able to play a small part in initiatives like the 1994 Legacy Collection. We are even more appreciative of CCA’s kind contribution to the STSPMF. Every little bit helps and their gesture is deeply meaningful.”

As part of the collaboration, 1,994 sets of the 1994 Legacy Collection cards have been produced. Priced at $150 per box, they will be available on sale online and on the Lions’ home matchdays. Part of the sales proceeds from the event will go to STSPMF.

Playback co-founder Teh Han Tong, 26, said: “We wanted to work with the FAS to capture our football history and to encapsulate the moment. The 1994 side were a double-winning team many of us grew up hearing about.

“My dad used to tell me how the old Kallang Stadium would be filled on every game day. It feels like such a shame that there is not really much memorabilia of the places that were once so full of life and there is not much that fans can hold on to to remind us of the players who grew our love for Singapore football.

“We want to bring back the feeling of that specific moment... the nostalgia, the passion, the love we all share for the game, and to encapsulate our history and put it into the hands of the fans.

“We hope the current team can qualify for the Asian Cup for the first time, leading to another Legacy Collection.”