Hong Kong First Division League

Hong Kong First Division League

Country	Hong Kong
Confederation	AFC
Founded	1908
Number of teams	10
Levels on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Hong Kong Second Division
Domestic cup(s)	Hong Kong Senior Shield Hong Kong FA Cup
League cup(s)	Hong Kong League Cup
International cup(s)	AFC Cup
Current champions	South China (41st title) (2012–13)
Most championships	South China (41 titles)
TV partners	Now TV
Website	http://www.hkfa.com/en/
2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League

Hong Kong First Division League (Chinese: 香港甲組聯賽) is the top division football league in Hong Kong which was established in 1908, the oldest in Asia. It does not affiliate to any football leagues in the rest of People's Republic of China.

Competition format

A 2006–07 football match between South China and Rangers in Mong Kok Stadium.

• Each team plays the other teams twice, one home and one away game. The ticket profits go to the home team. If there are two matches in the same stadium on the day, the profits are shared between the two home teams.
• Since most of the teams do not have a home ground, the games are mostly played in Hong Kong Stadium or Mongkok Stadium. It happens that one team plays their home games in both stadiums in the same season.
• The bottom two teams are relegated to the Hong Kong Second Division League.
• Each season, HKFA decides the maximum number of foreign and mainland Chinese players each club can have and how many can play in each game. This season, a maximum of 7 foreign players (mainland Chinese players included) can be registered for a team, where no more than 5 of them could be played simultaneously on the pitch, with 1 more can be placed as substitutes.

Exceptions

There were two teams, The Army and The Police, that are not required to be relegated. The league explained that soldiers in The Army team were frequently redeployed to another country and hence it was very difficult to establish teamwork. The Police team were not required to be relegated as they supply the venue Police Sports and Recreation Club for the league.

Another relegation exception was made to South China Athletic Association during the 2006/07 season. The Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the first division on June 14, 2006. The reason for exception was not disclosed. The public believed that this application was allowed probably because South China has a long history in the First Division League and it would otherwise be humiliating for the club to be relegated to the Second Division. Another reason is that other football clubs rely on the large fan base of South China to generate revenues. Relegation would have resulted in a lose-lose situation for all sides.

Stadia

As Hong Kong is a small place, most clubs do not have space to build home stadiums. Even if they have their own training ground (as in the case of South China), the league matches are played elsewhere. The First Division League games are usually played in Hong Kong Stadium or Mong Kok Stadium.

List of football facilities used in season 2008–09:

• Mong Kok Stadium
• Hong Kong Stadium
• Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground
• Tai Po Sports Ground
• Yuen Long Stadium

The following table is a list of stadiums of the clubs in 2012/13.

Team	Stadium	Capacity
Citizen	Mong Kok Stadium	6,680
Kitchee	Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground	3,500
Rangers	Sham Shui Po Sports Ground	2,194
Wofoo Tai Po (R)	Tai Po Sports Ground	3,000
South China	Hong Kong Stadium	40,000
Southern District	Aberdeen Sports Ground1	9,000
Sunray Cave JC Sun Hei	Mong Kok Stadium	6,680
Sun Pegasus	Yuen Long Stadium	4,932
Tuen Mun	Tuen Mun Tang Shiu Kin Sports Ground	2,200
Yokohama FC Hong Kong	Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground	12,000

¹After successfully gaining the right to play in the 2012–13 Hong Kong First Division League on 8 April 2012, Southern District plan to continue using Aberdeen Sports Ground as their home ground in the First Division League.

Competing clubs

2012–13 season

The following 10 clubs are competing in the Hong Kong First Division League during the 2012–13 season.

Club	Position in 2011–12	First season in top division	Last title
Biu Chun Rangers	1st, Second Division	1965-66	1970-71
Citizen	5th	2004–05	n/a
Yokohama F.C. (Hong Kong)	7th	2008-09	n/a
Kitchee	1st	1947–48	2011–12
Wofoo Tai Po	8th	2006–07	n/a
South China	3rd	1918–19	2009–10
Southern District	2nd, Second Division	2011-12	n/a
Sunray Cave J.C. Sun Hei	4th	2000-01	2004–05
Sun Pegasus	2nd	2008–09	n/a
Tuen Mun	6th	2010–11	n/a

Records

Unbeaten teams

References:

Since 1945 (i.e. after WWII, when HKFA has held a complete record of the competition), there are 4 teams which have remained unbeaten throughout the whole season.

• Navy B (1945–46)

1945–46 There were 10 teams in the First Division. Navy B finished as 4th with a result of 5 wins, 4 draws and 0 losses. Navy B became the first team to go unbeaten in all league and cup matches in a season.

• South China (1977–78, 1985–86)

1977–78 There were 12 teams in the First Division. South China finished as the Champions with a magnificent result of 20 wins, 2 draws and 0 losses. South China became the first team in the League to go unbeaten in a season. The two drawn matches were against Eastern and Tung Sing.
In 1985–86 there were 2 unbeaten teams in the league. Both South China and Happy Valley topped the league with 10 wins and 8 draws. South China won the league with a goal difference of +21 five goals better than the +16 held by Happy Valley. South China became the first team to hold a record of 2 unbeaten seasons.

• Seiko (1978–79)

1978–79 In the season immediately after South China becoming the first unbeaten team, Seiko became the second team which achieved this result. With a slightly poorer result (19 wins and 3 draws) compared to the previous year's South China, Seiko still became the Champion of the season. The draw matches were against Kui Tan, Eastern and Caroline Hill. A more marvellous result for Seiko was that it won 5 out of the 6 competitions that season. The only trophy it failed to get was FA Cup, losing to Yuen Long by penalty kicks.

• Happy Valley (1985–86, 2002–03#)

1985–86 Happy Valley was unbeaten in the season, same as South China (10 wins and 8 draws). However, Happy Valley just claimed the runners-up because a worse goal difference. It became the first unbeaten team which could not gain the title for the season.
2002–03# Actually, according to the league table Happy Valley did not go unbeaten during this season. The 'losing' match was against Fukien. In that match, Happy Valley was originally the winning team. However, it was later discovered that an ineligible player was used during the game. Happy Valley was penalised with a 0–3 loss.

• Sun Hei (2002–03)

2002–03 Sun Hei became the fourth team to go the whole season without losing a game in the history of the league. However, they were only able to achieve a second place finish, one point behind Happy Valley.

Top goal scorers

References:

• Ho Cheung Yau (Chinese: 何祥友) (Most goals in a season)

Season: 1957–58

Number of goals: 40

Team: South China

• Dale Tempest (Most times winner for Top Goal Scorer prize)

Winning seasons: 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95

Total goals: 160

Played teams: Eastern, South China, Kitchee

• Yuen Kuen To (4 times Top Goal Scorer runner-up)

Runner-up seasons: 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1972–73

Goalkeeper records

References:

• Ian Hesford (Longest Clean Sheets)

Record: 827 min

Season: 1992–93

He assisted Eastern to maintain a record of 0 conceded and 9 straight wins in the first 9 matches of 1992–93 season. His record ended when they played the second round match against South China at the 17th minute. The goalscorer was Loh Wai Chi.

Champions

Main article: List of Hong Kong football champions

Team	Champions			Winning seasons
	Overall	Before WWII	After WWII
South China	41	9	32	1923–24, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13
Seiko	9	–	9	1972–73, 1974–75, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85
Happy Valley	6	–	6	1964–65, 1988–89, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2005–06
R.G.A.	5	5	0	1909–10, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1915–16, 1917–18
Kitchee	5	0	5	1947–48, 1949–50, 1963–64, 2010–11, 2011–12
Eastern	4	0	4	1955–56, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
C.A.A.	3	3	0	1927–28, 1928–29, 1929–30
Sun Hei	3	–	3	2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05
Buffs	2	2	0	1908–09, 1910–11
King's Own Rifiles	2	2	–	1911–12, 1922–23
South Welsh Borderers	2	2	–	1931–32, 1933–34
K.M.B.	2	–	2	1953–54, 1966–67
Double Flower (Instant-Dict)	2	–	2	1995–96, 1997–98
D.C.L.I.	1	1	–	1913–14
Royal Engineers	1	1	0	1916–17
Royal Navy	1	1	0	1918–19
HKFC	1	1	0	1919–20
Wiltshire Regiment	1	1	–	1920–21
HMS Curiew	1	1	–	1921–22
East Surrey Regt.	1	1	–	1924–25
Kowloon FC	1	1	–	1925–26
Recreio	1	1	–	1926–27
Ulster Guards	1	1	–	1936–37
Royal Air Force	1	0	1	1945–46
Sing Tao	1	0	1	1946–47
Yuen Long	1	–	1	1962–63
Jardines	1	–	1	1969–70
Rangers	1	–	1	1970–71

See also

• The Hong Kong Football Association
• Hong Kong national football team
• Hong Kong Second Division League

External links

• (Chinese) The Hong Kong Football Association
• (English) Hong Kong Football
• (English) Club Profiles