BoLASEPaKO.COM - A Blog on Singapore Football

The 10,000-seater stadium in TPID (credit: Playmaker SG ) The groundbreaking of the Toa Payoh Integrated Development (TPID) earlier today (5/1) at the former site of the Toa Payoh Sports Centre should bring some smiles to football fans in this country. One of the key features of the new development, which is scheduled to be completed in 2030, is a 10,000-seater stadium that should answer the prayers of those who long to see another football-centric arena besides those at Jalan Besar Stadium (JBS) and Jurong East Stadium (JE). AT LEAST THREE ATTEMPTS IN LAST 30 YEARS Based on what I gathered, there were, at least, three attempts to have such arena for that sole purpose in the last thirty-odd years. Tampines Rovers SC's blueprint in 1992 (NLB Archive) The first plan I came across was mooted by Tampines Rovers Sports Club (not to be confused with the Singapore Premier League club of the same name) in a TNP (The New Paper) article back in January 1992 . Another plan for "one...

"This is, after all, just an artist's impression," I told myself as I looked at the image depicting the football stadium in the upcoming Toa Payoh Integrated Development Project , plastered on the hoardings surrounding the site where the Toa Payoh Stadium  once stood. The mural of the football stadium From the mural, it appears that the stadium will be somewhat similar to Our Tampines Hub (OTH) , except there will be a spectator stand behind one of the goalposts positioned near the Pan Island Expressway (PIE).  However, it remains unclear whether a similar arrangement will be made for the area facing the main stand or behind the goalposts near Toa Payoh Lorong 6, based on the drawing. THE CHALLENGE OF MULTI-PURPOSE SPACES Given how the "Town Square @ OTH" (the football field at OTH) is utilised, it wouldn't be surprising if football has to compete with other activities once this integrated development, scheduled for completion in 2030, is finished. Meanwhi...

Many motorists would be forgiven if that unassuming small stadium located next to the huge SAFRA clubhouse failed to grab their attention when they drove past it after entering Toa Payoh from the westbound Pan Island Expressway (PIE). OFTEN FORGOTTEN OBSCURITY After all, the awkward positioning of that above-mentioned brutalist arena along the busy Lorong 6 stretch does no favour to help any random visitor to have a clear visible sight of it when there is a car park in front of it. The brutalist facade of Toa Payoh Stadium Nonetheless, the 3,800-capacity Toa Payoh Stadium has a special place in local sporting folklore for being part of the then newly erected Toa Payoh Sports Complex which served as a venue for competition and training of the 1973 SEAP Games - the first major sporting event hosted by the then newly-independent Republic of Singapore. PELE VISITED TOA PAYOH STADIUM IN 1974 It was also this stadium that etched its presence in Singapore football when the legendary Pele c...