{{Short description|Singaporean football club}} {{Distinguish|Albirex Niigata Singapore FC}} {{EngvarB|date=May 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Jurong | image = | fullname = Jurong Town Football Club | nickname = The Cobras | founded = {{start date and age|1975}} as Jurong Town <br />{{start date and age|1997}} as Jurong FC | dissolved = {{end date and age|2003}} | ground = [[Jurong Stadium]] | capacity = 8,000 | chairman = | mgrtitle = | manager = | league = [[Singapore Premier League|S.League]] | season = [[2003 S.League|2003]] | position = S.League, 6th of 12 | pattern_la1 = _whiteborder | pattern_b1 = _collar | pattern_ra1 = _whiteborder | leftarm1 = FF0080 | body1 = FF0080 | rightarm1 = FF0080 | shorts1 = 000000 | socks1 = FF0080 | pattern_la2 = _blackborder | pattern_b2 = _blackcollar | pattern_ra2 = _blackborder | leftarm2 = | body2 = | rightarm2 = | shorts2 = | socks2 = }}
'''Jurong Football Club''' was a professional [[association football|football]] club based in [[Jurong]], [[Singapore]]. The club played in the [[S.League]], the top division of [[football in Singapore]] from 1997 to 2003. Their best league finishes were fifth place in both 1998 and 2001.
The club was founded as '''Jurong Town Football Club''' in 1975, and prior to 1997 revamp, they were known as '''Jurong Football Club'''. The team won Singapore's President's Cup (now known as the [[Singapore Cup]]) in 1988 and 1989, and were runners-up in 1999 and 2002.
== History == === Pre S.League Era === The purpose of forming the club was to serve employees and residents in the Jurong Industrial estate.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-10-19 |title=RIP Krishnan Suppaiah: Heart, head and hand for football |url=https://www.sports247.my/rip-krishnan-suppaiah-heart-head-hand-football/ |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=Sports247 |language=en-US |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206022907/https://www.sports247.my/rip-krishnan-suppaiah-heart-head-hand-football/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1975, the club organised the Jurong League which attracted a large number of workers. The club was given the Division One status. It was coached by the well known footballer of the 1960s, the late Rahim Omar. He coached the club for two years, after which it was relegated to Division Two till 1987. In 1988, Jurong Town was back in the top division and sponsored by [[Japan Airlines]], the first company to come into a domestic competition with $100,000 sponsorship.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 December 1988 |title=More incentives for Jurong |pages=35 |work=[[The New Paper]] |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19881203-1.2.33.8 |access-date=6 February 2023 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206144801/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19881203-1.2.33.8 |url-status=live }}</ref> This sponsorship helped the club to engage players like [[V. Sundramoorthy]], [[Jeffrey Lazaroo]], A.R.J. Mani, [[K Kannan]], [[D. Tokijan]] and [[Lim Chiew Peng]]. [[Nazri Nasir]] and [[Lim Tong Hai]] who joined at the age of 16.<ref>{{cite news|author=Hakikat Rai|title=Jurong eager on Suria for League|newspaper=[[The Straits Times]]|page=27|date=28 September 1987}}</ref> Jurong Town won the President's Cup in that year<ref>{{Cite web |title=GROUP PHOTOGRAPH OF WINNING TEAM OF PRESIDENT'S CUP FROM … |url=https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/489d9ee1-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |access-date=2023-02-06 |website=nas.gov.sg |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206022904/https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/489d9ee1-1162-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad |url-status=live }}</ref> and D. Tokijan was awarded the top scorer for the year. Jurong Town signed [[David Lee (Singaporean footballer)|David Lee]] at the end of the 1988 season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 December 1988 |title=David the most expensive player |pages=36 |work=[[The New Paper]] |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19881203-1.2.35 |access-date=6 February 2023 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206144757/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19881203-1.2.35 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the late 1980s and early 1990s, their kits were sponsored by [[Hummel International|Hummel]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-01-30 |title=Football: 'Respect' the way forward for Tampines Rovers as club signs two-year deal with Hummel {{!}} The Straits Times |language=en |website=straitstimes.com |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-respect-the-way-forward-for-tampines-rovers-as-club-signs-two-year-deal-with |access-date=2023-02-06 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206022903/https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/football/football-respect-the-way-forward-for-tampines-rovers-as-club-signs-two-year-deal-with |url-status=live }}</ref>
In 1990, the club signed Australians [[Tommy Marras]] and Peter Murphy. They finished second in the Premier League with goal difference to [[Geylang United]]. In 1991, Jurong Town was relegated to the Second Division. In 1992, the club was promoted again. In 1996, after relegations in the past three years, [[K Suppiah]] wanted to help Jurong Town. He engaged [[Jimmy Pearson]] to be the coach and M. Somasamy as a team manager.
=== 1997–1999: Instability === 1997 saw the former NFL side Jurong Town renamed themselves as '''Jurong FC''' and adopt a scorpion as their mascot. Jurong FC finished seventh out of nine teams in their first top domestic season. The club's notable achievements were ending [[Geylang United]]'s unbeaten run and Alan McTurk scoring the fastest goal of the season. In 1999, Jurong FC star player, [[V Sundramoorthy]], was appointed the coach. He became the first ever player-coach {{citation needed|date=May 2014}} in the [[S.League]] history. Jurong finished in sixth position. That year they have also reached the final of the [[Singapore Cup]]. The club's captain, [[Jason Ainsley]], was the top scorer with 19 goals; he was the third top scorer overall for that season. Jurong FC's main sponsor WSA Lines ended their sponsorship. [[Dalis Supait]] was recalled back to the national team after superb performances.
=== 2003: Pulling out from the S-League === Finally in 2003, Jurong FC's financial problems forced the club to pull out from the S-League indefinitely, much to the dismay of its fans and supporters.
== Club image == In 1997, [[Jurong Reptile Park]] sponsored the club in a 1 million deal<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=8 August 1997 |title=Fans pick Cobra |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19970808-1.2.102.5 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206124729/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19970808-1.2.102.5 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |access-date=6 February 2023 |work=[[The New Paper]] |pages=Fans pick Cobra}}</ref> and Jurong FC set up its first clubhouse at the park.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 December 1997 |title=Attractive offer for Jurong fans |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19971214-1.2.60.4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206150250/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19971214-1.2.60.4 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |access-date=6 February 2023 |work=[[The Straits Times]] |pages=44}}</ref> The club also asked its fans to select a new mascot to associate with the new sponsor,<ref>{{Cite news |date=30 July 1997 |title=Playing the name game |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19970730-1.2.60.4 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206144804/https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/newpaper19970730-1.2.60.4 |archive-date=6 February 2023 |access-date=6 February 2023 |work=[[The New Paper]] |pages=47}}</ref> and the winner was [[cobra]].
== Stadium == The club's original home ground was based at the old [[Jurong Stadium]] from 1975 until 1997. During the construction of the new [[Jurong East Stadium]], Jurong FC used [[Bukit Gombak Stadium]] as their home ground for the [[1997 S.League]] season.
== Sponsors == {| class="wikitable" |+ ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Period ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Kit supplier ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Main sponsor |- |1980–1990 |{{flagicon|DEN}} [[Hummel International|Hummel]] |{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Japan Airlines]] |- |1997 | rowspan="2" |{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Mikasa Sports|Mikasa]] |WSA Lines |- |2000 |{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Maxell]] |}
== Coaches list == {| class="wikitable" |+ ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Manager ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Period ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Achievements |- |{{flagicon|SCO}} [[Jimmy Pearson]] |1996–1998 | |- |{{flagicon|SGP}} Ramasamy Krishnan |1998 (interim) <ref>{{cite news |last=Mohan |first=Matthew |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/roy-krishnan-albirex-niigata-logistics-manager-never-too-old-4109371 |title=Never Too Old: The 72-year-old who has given most of his life to Singapore football |website=[[Channel News Asia|CNA]] |date=11 Feb 2024 |access-date=11 Sep 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Pearson out, Krishnan in – The New Man |url=https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/newpaper19980902-1.2.37.9 |date=2 Sep 1998 |access-date=11 Sep 2025 |publisher=[[The New Paper]] |pages=32}}</ref> | |- |{{flagicon|SGP}} [[V Sundramoorthy]] |1999 – 2003 <ref>{{cite news |last=Tan |first=Noah |url=https://www.todayonline.com/sports/i-would-have-loved-coach-myself-sundram |title=‘I would have loved to coach myself’: Sundram |website=todayonline.com |date=5 Jun 2016 |access-date=11 Sep 2025 }}</ref> |1999, 2002 Singapore Cup runner-up |- |}
== Seasons == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" |- ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Season ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Pos ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |P ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |W ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |D ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |L ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |F ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |A ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |Pts ! style="background:#FF0080; color:white; text-align:center;" |[[Singapore Cup]] |- |[[1997 S.League|1997]] |7th | 16 || 4 || 3 || 9 || 15 || 33 || 15 |Preliminary |- |[[1998 S.League|1998]] |5th | 20 || 9 || 4 || 7 || 32 || 33 || 31 |Preliminary |- |[[1999 S.League|1999]] |6th | 22 || 9 || 4 || 9 || 37 || 32 || 31 | bgcolor=silver|Runners-up |- |[[2000 S.League|2000]] |6th | 22 || 8 || 5 || 9 || 30 || 37 || 29 | Preliminary |- |[[2001 S.League|2001]] |5th | 33 || 15 || 6 || 12 || 65 || 57 || 51 | Preliminary |- |[[2002 S.League|2002]] |7th | 33 || 13 || 6 || 14 || 47 || 48 || 45 | bgcolor=silver|Runners-up |- |[[2003 S.League|2003]] |6th | 33 || 12 || 7–1 || 13 || 35 || 34 || 51 | style="background:#cfaa88;"|Third place |}
* <small>[[2003 S.League|2003]] saw the introduction of penalty shoot-outs if a match ended in a draw in regular time. Winners of penalty shoot-outs gained two points instead of one.</small>
== Honours == === Cup === * '''[[Singapore Cup#President's Cup|President's Cup]]''' ** Champions ('''2'''): 1988, 1989
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20050828095230/http://jurongfc.com.sg/ Official club website] (archived 28 August 2005) * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20030608073431/http://www.sleague.com/clu04.asp S.League website page on Jurong FC]}}
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[[Category:Jurong FC| ]] [[Category:Football clubs in Singapore]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1975]] [[Category:1975 establishments in Singapore]] [[Category:Singapore Premier League clubs]] [[Category:Association football clubs disestablished in 2003]]