THE BASE SOCCER 'NUTS'

THE BASE SOCCER 'NUTS'

The Straits Times 23 April 1978 by Bernard Pereria who lived in Block 23 Madras Road.

 Soccer to the local kids living in Singapore’s former British Naval Base at Sembawang was not just a sport to be played on proper marked out pitches.

The kids living in the uninhabited world of their own used to spend hours on end in the open spaces that offered an ideal sanctuary to their sporting needs.

Boots were alien to them nor did they have any formal training by competent coaches.

Observes, national soccer and hockey star Bernard Norbert, ‘The warm and friendly “Peyton Place” like atmosphere and the landscape where everyone knows everyone also contributes to our success.

From the Naval Base came the great veteran Vivian Roberts and the famed Quah brothers Kim Tuan, Kim Beng, Kim Choon, Kim Swee, Kim Saik, Kim Lye, Kim Song who ruled soccer for nearly three decades since 1948.

Patrons of sports

The British knew that sports was a social event integral to a productive and cohesive workforce and made provisions for a recreational field (subsequently named Deptford Field), from the day the construction of the Naval Base kick-started and announced it in The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser on 13 July 1929.

Singapore Indian Association was an example of a Football Club represented by players predominantly from Naval Base. 

A cohesive sporting workforce

 Consequently, they set out to nurture a sports culture in the Dockyard, especially in team sports, where there is a common goal to pursue. A common effort. A common resolve.  Where the more accomplished, inspires the less skilled attain heights, he wouldn't have able to achieve on his own. Where there is teamwork; camaraderie; and harmony. When a team plays in harmony, it plays its best---qualities essential in the arena of sports and workplace.

An inspiring stirring landscape

 Journalist Bernard went on to say: ‘almost all who progressed to dazzling heights attributed success to ‘the natural surroundings that prevail here, more so in the Naval Base”.

To be brutally frank, if all the Sembawang -residing players were to form a team they would have the strength to take on even the national team –and maybe, even beat them. 

  In the face of our National Team’s 4-1 recent drubbing by Malaysia, in the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Electric Cup group stage, the words of Bernard rankle in some of us. 

Feeder club

 The fertile grounds of Naval Base served as a feeder club for many youngsters, many of whom went on to represent various sports clubs, community centers, recreation clubs, community organizations or reach the ultimate goal of donning national colors across a broad spectrum of sports.

Please help us collate a name list of outstanding sports people who went on to represent the nation.

Naval Base Sports Hall of Fame

                                   ATHLETICS 

1	Balasubramaniam
2	Mehar Singh
3	Prema Govindan
4	Quah Kim Tiong
5	S. Pichai Kannu
6	S. Saminathan
7	Sergit Singh
8	V. Haridass
9	Avtar Singh
	BADMINTON
1	Balasingam K
2	Dharmarajah K
3	Chu Poh Koon
4	Maralla Bernard
5	Leong Kay Peng
6	Leong Kay Sinie
7	Wee Choon Seng
	HOCKEY
1	Abdul Karim
2	Harbajan Singh
3	Lee Lai Har
4	Melkit Singh
5	Ng Neo Mui
	SAILING
1	Venugopalan Nair
	SOCCER
1	Anthony Wellesley
2	Bernard Harrison
3	Bernard Norbert
4	Christe Fernandez
5	Dorairaj
6	Elumalai
7	Eapen Carlos
8	Eric Carlos
9	Foo See Ann
10	Ghani
11	Joseph Naidu
12	M. Kumar
13	Munusamy
14	N. Subash
15	P. N. Sivaji
16	Paul Anthonysamy
17	Quah Kim Tuan
18	Quah Kim Beng
19	Quah Kim Choon
20	Quah Kim Swee
21	Quah Kim Saik
22	Quah Kim Lye
23	Quah Kim Song
24	Quah Sin Neo Teresa
25	Quah Chin Choo Doreen
26	Quah Kim Yeh Rosa
27	S. Arumugam
28	S. Manoharan
29	S. Rajagopal
30	Sudheesan Anandan
31	Suresh Anandan
32	Tang Chew Fai
33	Tang Chew Kam
34	Tang Chew Kong
35	Tan Teck Sai
36	Vardaraju aka Gondol
37	V. Sundramoorthy
38	Yusof Ahmat
39	Vivian Roberts
40	Zainuddin Omar
41	Zakaria Ali

 The following also represented the nation in Hockey

Bernard Norbert
Quah Sin Neo Teresa
Quah Chin Choo Doreen
Quah Kim Yeh Rosa 

FOOTBALL REFEREES

S. Gunalingam
Han Say Juan
Raman Bose
Kartar Singh
K. B. Menon
M. K. Mydin
P. Jayaraman

"That though the radiance which was once so bright be now forever taken from my sight. Though nothing can bring back the hour of splendour in the grass, glory in the flower. We will grieve not, rather find strength in what remains behind.” 

~ William Wordsworth

by Alfred Dass
27 January, 2023

Picture courtesy of N Chandra