[Obitury] RIP Captain Marvel

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An honorable member of the Coffee Shop Has Just Posted the Following:

Football: RIP Captain Marvel



Tuesday, August 26, 2014 - 13:17
David Lee
The New Paper


SINGAPORE - Lee Kok Seng, one of Singapore's best post-war centre halves and one who fellow footballers looked up to as the captain of all captains, died of pneumonia on Friday.

He was 81. He had been hospitalised for a month with medical complications.

He leaves behind two sons and one daughter.

In the 1950s and 60s, Lee, nicknamed "The Horse" for his power and stamina, skippered Singapore for 11 years and, before independence, also captained Malaysia at the 1954 and 1958 Asian Games.

In 1965, he led the Lions to Malaya Cup (now known as the Malaysia Cup) glory when they beat arch-rivals Selangor 3-1.

His brother Lee Kok Leong, 75, a former match official who received the prestigious Fifa Referee Special Award, said: "Kok Seng was a real hero in many sense of the word, as an outstanding police officer and footballer, inspiring me to do likewise."

Indeed, Kok Seng was not just a model footballer but also a respected senior police officer who retired as a deputy superintendent of police.

The tributes flew in thick and fast for the respected defender.

Former Singapore striker Quah Kim Lye, 72, said: "We played together for Singapore and the Singapore Chinese.

"Kok Seng was a very disciplined centre half and, with his police background, an excellent commander. When he told the team we couldn't lose, we wouldn't dare to disappoint him.

"In turn, if anything happened to us, he was always at the front fighting for us.

"I remember an away game in Malaysia when the home fans wanted to attack us, but he was at the front, getting ready to protect us and rally us for battle.

"It's very hard to find another captain like him these days."

Former Asian Football Confederation general secretary Peter Velappan called Kok Seng "a shining example of a gentleman footballer" and bemoaned "a great loss".

Former national skipper Samad Allapitchay added: "He had already retired by the time I was in the national team in the 70s, but Kok Seng was a real inspiration for me as a centre half.

"He was tall, brave and possessed great leadership abilities and he will be missed by those who love Singapore football."

Journalist Suresh Nair saw Kok Seng as a "football gentleman".

He said: "He seldom talked about his glorious past. As a senior police officer, he was very well-liked by his subordinates.

"Kok Seng always let his boots do the talking and never saw the need to crave for publicity or to boast of his playing exploits. He was a distinct role model and a rare breed of football gentlemen."

The wake is at Blk 792B, Choa Chu Kang Drive. The cortege will arrive at Saint Joseph's Church tomorrow for mass at 3.30pm before cremation at Mandai at 5pm.

He was tall, brave and possessed great leadership abilities and he will be missed by those who love Singapore football. - Former national skipper Samad Allapitchay on Lee

Kok Seng was a very disciplined centre half and, with his police background, an excellent commander. When he told the team we couldn't lose, we wouldn't dare to disappoint him.

- Former national striker Quah Kim Lye on the late Lee Kok Seng.




This article was first published on August 24, 2014.





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