Fifty years on, Hong Kong football club Seiko still beacon of excellence, says ex-player Chan Fat-chi
- Chan Fat-chi, 63, cherishes the good old days playing alongside stars such as Tony Morley and Gordon McQueen in front of capacity crowds
- The midfielder also remembers his low when he received a 12-month ban for his involvement in a mass brawl
Fifty years ago, Hong Kong saw the birth of a new era. Seiko were created and they sparked huge interest among fans who were treated to some of the finest football the city had ever seen.
Backed by the Japanese watchmakers, Seiko – or Seiko Sports Association – instantly made their mark in the Third Division in 1970 before gradually climbing up the divisions to eventually dominate the top flight, winning many fans with their attractive, free-flowing football.
They were the team of the stars and within a few years of their creation, they dominated Hong Kong football like no club before them.
Seiko clinched nine top-flight championships, including seven in a row from 1979 to 1985 before they were dissolved the following season as attendances began to dwindle. They also won eight Senior Shield titles and six FA Cups during those heady days when they regularly attracted capacity crowds at Hong Kong Stadium.
It was a golden period in Hong Kong’s football history that is unlikely to be replicated according to Chan Fat-chi, a star midfielder who donned the famous “two V” jersey for two seasons from 1984-86.