H8FC Training 7 May 2011

We made a mistake of playing around 12pm. The weather was freaking hot. We didn't dare to play at our forbidden ground because there were police guarding the poll station. So we went to the smaller field. We were shocked to see so many mimosa plants growing on the pitch. We had no choice but to play. Here are the 10 guys who played...

Alex
David
Crazy
Syahrein
Wee Zheng
Tang Yao
Cher Siang
How Meng
Shyong Ming
Keith

Today I'm not going to say what we did last Saturday. I'm revisiting our past and how we've come to where we are right now.

It all started when the Teo brothers decided to play street soccer in 2007. I was already a legend in the street soccer courts and those bad boys call me 'Alex'. (Not to be confused with our Alex). At that time I had no team. I just played GK for any team who needed me. For 5 years I was humiliated by those bad boys treating me like a retard. Then somewhere in 2007, everything changed...

I was at the lower court. I looked back and saw the Teo brothers Alex, David and Crazy play in the upper court. So I politely asked them whether I can join them. Then a primary school Tang Yao and Cher Siang join. There are also others like Kinseng, Andy, Louise, Jackie and many more.

Then one day I joined them at the round hall and David said,'Writer Of The Month'. I was pleasantly surprised as on that day they bought The New Paper and saw my picture in it. This is what sealed my friendship with the Teo brothers. I'm much older than them and I don't think they will let me be their friend if they never see me on TNP.

In 2008 came the arrival of Shyong Ming and Wee Zheng. Also the appearance of a girl that everyone of us fell in love with, Joeleen. I'm going to let out a secret that I've been keeping in my chest for a long time - there was a time when I cried profusely when I think of her. I love her yet I hate her for spending her time with bad handsome pai-kias rather than us. If only she hangs around with us every Saturday, she won't be a slut like she is right now. If I see her again, I'm going to ignore her. All the guys that were with her are bad pai-kias. When I sing Justin Timberlake's 'What Goes Around Comes Around', I think of my ex, my neighbour and Joeleen.

In 2008 I was in Temasek Polytechnic, every Saturday we played street soccer. There was once a bunch of them disrespected me at the lower court. So I went to the upper court and saw Alex and David playing 'tennis'. I also didn't know what a boy called Fat Joe was doing there. I talked to Alex and David we should form a group. Calling ourselves 'The Horsemen'. I roped in Fat Joe and the four of us were the founding members of The Horsemen. The rest of them are called Backside Boys.

I missed those Saturday 7pm time when there is always Horsemen v Backside Boys. I met Andy in the lift and persuaded him to join us again. Fat Joe fucked off so now Horsemen were me, Alex, David and Andy. Sometimes Shyong Ming and Wee Zheng joined us. Oh how I missed those 10-goal matches when most of the times Horsemen win and sometimes Backside Boys win. I played GK and had to endure hard shots from people like Crazy, Kinseng and Cher Siang. There was also Ridzwan who was part of The Horsemen. Sadly, he and Nazri are now gangsters.

2009 our street soccer escapades continued. Then in 2010 we changed our game completely. The Teo brothers' father took us to Buangkok where we now play field football. From street soccer shoes to soccer boots and from concrete ground to grass. That's how we are until now. Thanks to the Teo brothers' uncle who created goalposts for us. Now it's time we look in the future...

The core of us are the 8 - Alex, Crazy, Wee Zheng, David, Cher Siang, Shyong Ming, Tang Yao and me because we were there when it all started. The rest can be part of the core if they sticked with us long. I really hope we will still be playing when we are married with kids. I think by that time we should have money to rent a stadium.

This is my dream - Hougang 8 FC to join a league with me as manager. (I doubt I'll still be playing). Our wives, girlfriends and kids will watch us play every Saturday. Anything can happen.