Hougang United’s Tomoyuki Doi and Lion City Sailors’ Nur Adam Abdullah score top honours at FAS Awards Night 2021

Hougang United’s Tomoyuki Doi and Lion City Sailors’ (LCS) Nur Adam picked up the top awards at the annual FAS Awards Night on Tuesday (Oct 12) evening.  

Striker Tomoyuki picked up the Player of the Year accolade, getting the better of Lion City Sailors duo Stipe Plazibat and Jorge Felipe to the top gong. The Japanese striker, who was also nominated for the Player of the Year award in 2020 as an Albirex Niigata (S) player, was the league’s top scorer with 19 goals in 21 games. He also registered six assists and steered Hougang to finish third, matching the club’s all-time highest league position. 

Tomoyuki thanked his teammates and coaches for their help. He said: “Hougang gave me an opportunity to play and am honoured to win this trophy, but it’s just the beginning of my football career and I’m gonna try my best to improve as a striker.” 

Left-back Nur Adam Abdullah was named the Young Player of the Year, ahead of his last year’s award winner and teammate Saifullah Akbar, as well as Albirex’s Ryoya Taniguchi. 

The left-back has been in scintillating form this season, having his breakthrough year. He established himself in the starting 11, completing all 16 matches he played in and was even recently called up to the provisional national team squad for the upcoming Suzuki Cup in December. 

“I’m very honoured and thankful for this award but the most important thing is that we won the league. I am very happy for my teammates and coaches, as without their support and encouragement I wouldn’t be standing on stage winning this award,” said Adam at the awards ceremony. 

Adam also thanked his family members for standing by his side.

Hougang United’s Clement Teo was named Coach of the Year, becoming the first Singaporean to pick up the award in 12 years, since Richard Bok did so in 2009.

Gabriel Quak picked up the Goal of the Year for his sizzling strike against Balestier Khalsa on Apr 18. 

Jansen Foo was named Referee of the Year, while Ronnie Koh was named the Assistant Referee of the Year award for the second year running. 

Albirex Niigata’s Takahiro Koga took home the first ever Singapore Premier League Golden Glove award. The goalkeeper kept eight clean sheets – the highest in the league – in 2021. 

Takahiro was also named in the SPL Team of the Year. Others include defenders Kazuki Hashioka, Shuya Yamashita (Albirex), Jorge Felipe and Nur Adam Abdullah (Sailors); midfielders Ryoya Taniguchi (Albirex), Kaishu Yamazaki (Hougang), Shadan Sulaiman (Sailors), Tomoyuki Doi (Hougang), Stipe Plazibat (Sailors) and Sime Zuzul (Balestier Khalsa). 

A total of 15 FAS Recognition Awards were handed out, including the Vibrant Football Culture Award to Tampines Rovers’ Daniel Bennett, Singapore’s most-capped international who completed a record-extending 23rd league season in 2021.