# South China AA

22°16′32″N 114°11′15″E﻿ / ﻿22.275644°N 114.187539°E﻿ / 22.275644; 114.187539
South China Athletic Association (known simply as South China, SCAA, Chinese: 南華體育會) is a Hong Kong professional sports club with a football team competing in the Hong Kong First Division, the second-tier league in Hong Kong football league system.

## History
### Early history

The Chinese Football Team was founded in 1904 by a group of Chinese students in Hong Kong, including Mok Hing (Chinese: 莫慶) and Tong Fuk Cheung (Chinese: 唐福祥, the captain of China national football team in the 1910s).
In 1910, the team was renamed as South China Football Club and formally adopted the present name of South China Athletic Association in the 1920s.
Amid the post-WWII competition from league rivals like Eastern, Kitchee, Seiko, KMB, Sing Tao, Jardine, Lai Sun, Bulova, Happy Valley and Double Flower, SCAA had a long and successful time in the top-tier league.
In Asian competitions, South China were runners-up in the 1993–94 Asian Cup Winners' Cup final against Al Qadsiah, after having lost 2-6 on aggregate. Nonetheless, this is to date still the best result for Hong Kong clubs in Asian competitions.
Outside Hong Kong and Asia, South China not only played well in international club friendlies against Santos, Juventus, Tottenham Hotspur and LA Galaxy, they also had produced many great Hong Kong footballers over the years.

### Recent times

With a heavily strengthened squad and coaching staff team, South China achieving the famous treble in the 2006–07 season, with continued domestic success and a semi-final appearance in the 2009 AFC Cup.
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, AET chairman Wallace Cheung became the chairman of the club, promising to spend $18–20 million per season.
However, South China's performance in the HKPL era had suffered, as they struggled to keep up against rivals Kitchee and Eastern.
On 5 June 2017, South China announced their self-relegation into the First Division and parted ways with Cheung, fielding an amateur squad with young players ever since.

## Current squad
### First team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | HKG | Chow Long Hei |
| 2 | DF | HKG | Law Man Chung |
| 4 | DF | HKG | Ng Cheuk Hin |
| 5 | DF | HKG | Law Wing Lun |
| 6 | MF | HKG | Au Man Lok |
| 7 | MF | HKG | Ho Min Tong |
| 8 | FW | HKG | Ye Jia |
| 9 | FW | HKG | Kwok Ting Him |
| 10 | MF | HKG | Yung Cheuk Leung |
| 11 | FW | HKG | Yau Ping Kai |
| 12 | GK | HKG | Lit Hoi Yat |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | MF | HKG | Ip Chung Long |
| 15 | DF | HKG | Lee Chun Lok |
| 17 | MF | HKG | So Yau Tin |
| 18 | DF | HKG | Ma Kin Chung |
| 21 | GK | HKG | Man Wai Sum |
| 22 | MF | JPN | Takuya Tasaka |
| 25 | MF | JPN | Kohei Ito |
| 25 | MF | HKG | Yung Cheuk Leung |
| 27 | MF | HKG | Mak Yin Kan |
| 30 | GK | HKG | Wong Ka Kin |
| — | FW | GNB | Walter Vaz |

## Retired numbers

| No. | Player | Nationality | Position | Years | Ref |
| 38 | Mateja Kežman | Serbia | Forward | 2011, 2012 | |

## Honours

Historically, the most popular club in the city, SCAA is also the most successful football club in Hong Kong.
In November 2001, the team was awarded the AFC Team of the Month by the Asian Football Confederation.

### League

* Hong Kong First Division
** Champions (41): 1923–24, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1939–40, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1950–51, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1965–66, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1999–2000, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2012–13
** Runners-up (16): 1928–29, 1946–47, 1953–54, 1955–56, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1972–73, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1988–89, 1992–93, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2010–11
* Hong Kong Second Division
** Champions (5): 1917–18, 1925–26, 1933–34, 1951–52, 1952–53

### Cup competitions

* Hong Kong Senior Shield
** Champions (31): 1928–29, 1930–31, 1932–33, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1971–72, 1985–86, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2013–14
** Runners-up (16): 1918–19, 1933–34, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1946–47, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1962–63, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1989–90, 1992–93, 2010–11, 2011–12
* Hong Kong FA Cup
** Champions (10): 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2006–07, 2010–11
** Runners-up (5): 1975–76, 1985–86, 1997–98, 2000–01, 2016–17
* Hong Kong League Cup
** Champions (3): 2001–02, 2007–08, 2010–11
** Runners-up (2): 2014–15, 2015–16
* Hong Kong Viceroy Cup
** Champions (8): 1971–72, 1979–80, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98
** Runners-up (7): 1973–74, 1974–75, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1995–96
* Hong Kong Junior Shield
** Champions (9): 1947–48, 1950–51, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1956–57, 1957–58, 1958–59, 1966–67
* Hong Kong Community Cup
** Champions (2): 2014, 2015
* Hong Kong Community Shield
** Runners-up (1): 2009
* Hong Kong Sapling Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2015–16
* Hong Kong FA Cup Junior Division
** Runners-up (1): 2023–24

## Continental record

| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Home | Away | Aggregate |
| 1986 | Asian Club Championship | Group C | Liaoning FC | 0–1 | 3rd |
| 1986 | Asian Club Championship | Group C | Krama Yudha Tiga Berlian | 1–1 | 3rd |
| 1987 | Asian Club Championship | Group 6 | Yomiuri FC | 0–1 | 0–2 | 2nd |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Group 6 | April 25 | 0–3 | 4th |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Group 6 | Guangdong Wanbao | 0–1 | 4th |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Group 6 | Yamaha Motors | 1–1 | 4th |
| 1988–89 | Asian Club Championship | Group 6 | Wa Seng | 3–0 | 4th |
| 1991 | Asian Club Championship | First round | Sporting de Macau | 9–1 | 5–0 | 14–1 |
| 1991 | Asian Club Championship | Second round | Yomiuri FC | 1–0 | 1–3 | 2–4 |
| 1993–94 | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | First round | Dalian Haichang | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| 1993–94 | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Second round | East Bengal | 1–0 | 4–1 | 5–1 |
| 1993–94 | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Quarter-final | bye |
| 1993–94 | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Semi-final | Nissan | (w/o) |
| 1993–94 | Asian Cup Winners' Cup | Final | Al-Qadsiah | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–6 |
| 1997–98 | Asian Club Championship | First round | Selangor FA | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 |
| 1997–98 | Asian Club Championship | Second round | Dalian Wanda | 0–4 | 2–1 | 2–5 |
| 2000–01 | Asian Club Championship | Second round | Júbilo Iwata | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–6 |
| 2002–03 | 2002–03 AFC Champions League Qualification Round 1 | Second round | Home United | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
| 2002–03 | 2002–03 AFC Champions League Qualification Round 1 | Third round | Shimizu S-Pulse | 0–5 | 1–3 | 1–8 |
| 2008 | AFC Cup | Group D | Home United | 2–3 | 1–4 | 3rd |
| 2008 | AFC Cup | Group D | Victory SC | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3rd |
| 2008 | AFC Cup | Group D | Kedah FA | 1–3 | 0–3 | 3rd |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Group F | PSMS Medan | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1st |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Group F | VB | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1st |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Group F | Johor FC | 2–0 | 4–1 | 1st |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Home United | 4–0 |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Quarter-final | Neftchi Farg'ona | 1–0 | 4–5 | 5–5 (a) |
| 2009 | AFC Cup | Semi-final | Al-Kuwait | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–3 |
| 2010 | AFC Cup | Group G | Muangthong United | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1st |
| 2010 | AFC Cup | Group G | VB | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1st |
| 2010 | AFC Cup | Group G | Persiwa Wamena | 6–3 | 2–0 | 1st |
| 2010 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Al-Riffa | 1–3 |
| 2011 | AFC Cup | Group H | Muangthong United | 1–1 | 2–4 | 3rd |
| 2011 | AFC Cup | Group H | Chonburi FC | 0–3 | 0–3 | 3rd |
| 2011 | AFC Cup | Group H | Kingfisher East Bengal | 1–0 | 3–3 | 3rd |
| 2014 | AFC Cup | Group G | Vissai Ninh Bình | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3rd |
| 2014 | AFC Cup | Group G | Kelantan FA | 4–0 | 0–2 | 3rd |
| 2014 | AFC Cup | Group G | Yangon United | 5–3 | 0–2 | 3rd |
| 2015 | AFC Cup | Group G | Global FC | 3–0 | 6–1 | 1st |
| 2015 | AFC Cup | Group G | Pahang FA | 3–1 | 1–0 | 1st |
| 2015 | AFC Cup | Group G | Yadanarbon | 3–1 | 3–0 | 1st |
| 2015 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Bengaluru FC | 2–0 |
| 2015 | AFC Cup | Quarter-final | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–4 |
| 2016 | AFC Cup | Group G | Yangon United | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| 2016 | AFC Cup | Group G | Mohun Bagan | 0–4 | 3–0 | 2nd |
| 2016 | AFC Cup | Group G | Maziya | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2nd |
| 2016 | AFC Cup | Round of 16 | Ceres | 1–0(aet) |
| 2016 | AFC Cup | Quarter-final | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–3 |

## Coaches

As of 30 May 2014. Only competitive matches are counted. Wins, losses and draws are results at the final whistle; the results of penalty shoot-outs are not counted.
| Name | Name | Nat | From | To | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Honours |
| English | Chinese | Nat | From | To | P | W | D | L | F | A | %W | Honours |
| Chu Kwok Lun | 朱國倫 | | 1954 | 1970 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Kwok Shek | 郭石 | | 1970 | 1977 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Ng Wai Man | 吳偉文 | | 1977 | 1981 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Halla | 漢拿 | | 1981 | 1982 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Kwok Kam Hung | 郭錦洪 | | 1982 | 1982 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Peter Wong | 黃興桂 | | 1982 | 1983 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Alex Miller | 米勒 | | 1983 | 1983 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Ng Wai Man | 吳偉文 | | 1983 | 1984 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Casemiro Mior | 米路 | | 1998 | 2002 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Wong Man Wai | 黃文偉 | | 2002 | 2006 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Chan Kwok Hung | 陳國雄 | | 2002 | 2006 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Ku Kam Fai | 顧錦輝 | | 2002 | 2006 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Jorge Amaral | 阿曼龍 | | 2006 | 24 Nov 2006 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 13 | 60 | |
| Ku Kam Fai* & Chan Kwok Hung* | 顧錦輝 & 陳國雄 | | 25 Nov 2006 | 27 Nov 2006 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 100 | |
| Casemiro Mior | 米路 | | 28 Nov 2006 | 2007 | 20 | 15 | 3 | 2 | 49 | 15 | 75 | 1 First Division title, 1 Senior Shield, 1 FA Cup title |
| José Luís | 路爾斯 | | 2007 | 2008 | 34 | 19 | 4 | 11 | 79 | 41 | 55.9 | 1 First Division title, 1 League Cup title |
| Tsang Wai Chung | 曾偉忠 | | 1 July 2008 | Sept 17, 2008 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Liu Chun Fai* | 廖俊輝 | | Sept 17, 2008 | 7 Dec 2008 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 30 | 7 | 81.8 | |
| Kim Pan-Gon | 金判坤 | | 8 Dec 2008 | 11 Dec 2010 | 27 | 19 | 4 | 4 | 72 | 16 | 70.4 | 2 First Division titles, 1 Senior Shield title |
| Chan Ho Yin* | 陳浩然 | | 11 Dec 2010 | 28 June 2011 | 28 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 59 | 34 | 60.7 | 1 League Cup title, 1 FA Cup title |
| Ján Kocian | 高世安 | | 28 June 2011 | 9 July 2012 | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 61 | 30 | 50.0 | |
| Liu Chun Fai | 廖俊輝 | | 9 July 2012 | 30 June 2013 | 28 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 63 | 28 | 57.1 | 1 First Division title |
| Cheung Po Chun | 張寶春 | | 1 July 2013 | 17 February 2014 | | | | | | | | 1 Senior Shield title |
| Yeung Ching Kwong | 楊正光 | | 17 February 2014 | 15 December 2014 | | | | | | | | 1 Community Cup title |
| Mario Gómez | 馬里奧 | | 15 December 2014 | 30 April 2015 | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 18 | 55.6 | |
| Ricardo Rambo* | 列卡度 | | 1 May 2015 | 14 May 2015 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 66.7 | |
| Casemiro Mior | 米路 | | 14 May 2015 | | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 66.7 | |
| Amir Alagić | | | 2016 | 2017 | | | | | | | | |

### Key

    * Served as caretaker manager.

## Branding and partnerships

Under former chairman, Steven Lo, South China had reinvented their image and partnered with several organisations and brands to reignite interest in Hong Kong football.

### Hong Kong Red Cross

In 2007, South China entered into a partnership with Hong Kong Red Cross.
The partnership is a pioneer between a sports association and a humanitarian organisation in Hong Kong.
South China is the first football team to ever bear the Red Cross emblem on the official kit.

### Giorgio Armani

South China previously appointed Giorgio Armani as their official tailor.

### Philippe Starck

In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the establishment of South China Football Team, world-renowned designer Philippe Starck produced a special edition of the "Peninsula Chair", with the faces of the team and the chairman printed on.

### Tottenham Hotspur

On 3 November 2009, South China and Tottenham Hotspur jointly announced a club partnership in Hong Kong.
South China became the first club partner of Spurs in Asia. The partnership was for 2 years with an option to extend further.
Besides planning inandring of best practice in any areas of the technical and business sides of football, Tottenham had the first option on South China players at all age levels and supported South China's coaching development through the exchange of scientific data, coaching materials and visits of coaching staffs to and from both teams.
The two clubs explored the possibility of a joint youth Academy and training centre in Hong Kong or in mainland China.

### Other former club-level partnerships

* Sport Club Internacional
* Yokohama F. Marinos
* S.L. Benfica
* C.D. Nacional
* C.D. Cuenca
* SuperSport United F.C.
* San Jose Earthquakes

## Songs
### 南華歌 ("The song of South China")

A new official cheering song for SCAA. It was introduced in the first home match in the 2006–07 season against HKFC.
The demo version of the song can be accessed on www.bma.com.hk.

### 擁南躉之歌 ("The song of SCAA fans")

It was sung by Albert Cheung (張武孝, also known as 大AI or Big Al), and became very well known after being released during the late 1970s and the 1980s, when they're a perennial challenger for the top spots in the league.

## Miscellaneous
### "All Chinese policy"

Since its foundation, South China had a Chinese only policy whereby the club would only field players of Chinese ethnicity.
In keeping with this policy, the club would only sign foreign players who had Chinese ancestry such as Edmund Wee, Chow Chee Keong and Chan Kwok Leung.
Up until the 1980s, the policy did not have a negative effect on results. However, when professional football took off in Hong Kong, the club could not cope with the influx of foreign players and performed poorly at the beginning of the 1981–82 season.
Therefore, on 2 November 1981, the club voted to end its six decade old Chinese only policy.

### Fan behaviour

On 6 June 1982, after the club drew an all-important match with Caroline Hill that relegated them, the fans rioted outside the stadium that spread onto Causeway Bay. The riot was the largest civil disorder in Hong Kong since the leftist riot in 1967, prompting the HKFA to intervene.
South China was to be relegated for the first time since 1983 as they failed to beat Citizen in the last game of the 2005–06 season. However, on 14 June, the Hong Kong Football Association approved a request from South China to remain in the First Division with the promise of strengthening their squad.

## Other sports

Aside from football, SCAA fields other sports teams, including but are not limited to, basketball, volleyball, swimming, shooting and archery. They field youth teams in the name of "Nam Ching", meaning "SCAA Youth" in Chinese.