'Treasure of Hong Kong Football' Yiu dies

A minute's silence will be observed in today's two League Cup matches at Siu Sai Wan Sports Ground in honour of Hong Kong football legend Yiu Cheuk-yin (pictured), who died yesterday morning, aged 80.

Yiu was the most celebrated player on the domestic scene in the 1950s and 60s. He died at a hospital in Wong Chuk Hang. The former South China striker spent his last days in hospital. He suffered a stroke in the late 1990s and has been on his own since separating from his wife several years ago.

Wong Man-wai, former Hong Kong team coach and a South China player in the 1960s, heard the news when he went to visit Yiu yesterday morning.

Wong said he was trying to locate Yiu's son, but if he could not locate him, Wong and other former footballers would make funeral arrangements. Yiu was known as the 'Treasure of Hong Kong Football' during his heyday, forming the 'Three Aces' strikeforce for the Caroliners with Mok Chun-wah and Ho Cheung-yau.

It was reported that Yiu earned HK$40,000 a season during the 1950s, equivalent to about $12 million today, an amount which could have paid for his four apartments in Happy Valley in those days.