As the night wears on and my eyes grow heavier, I struggle to find the right words to say goodbye to D2D Sports and 15 unforgettable years in Singapore’s amateur football scene.
There will be no grand send-off like those afforded to professional footballers. No packed stadium. No emotional lap of honour.
But the messages, comments and well wishes I received after announcing my departure reminded me that the work we did mattered. For that, I am deeply grateful.
Fifteen years ago, I was searching for direction. After leaving the Singapore Police Force because of an injury, completing National Service and later working as an Allied Educator, I found myself disillusioned.
I questioned whether work had become nothing more than a means of earning a living rather than something that gave me purpose.
Football had always been my passion. When D2D founder Azahari Aziz offered me a role as an account manager, it was an opportunity I never imagined existed.
Under the guidance of Suresh Kannan, I learned the ropes before eventually managing leagues on my own.
Over the years, D2D became far more than a workplace. It became a platform for building football communities, and that remains the achievement I am proudest of.
Rather than focusing on cash prizes and highly competitive teams, I wanted to create leagues where people simply enjoyed playing.
We launched initiatives such as the Women’s Futsal Crazy League, the Fan Club Futsal League, international community leagues, football for migrant domestic workers and, later, the Fit 5s League for players looking to improve their health through football.
Each league had its own story. I witnessed remarkable acts of sportsmanship, including players saving a man’s life by performing CPR during a match. I saw football bring together people from different countries, cultures and backgrounds, proving the game could unite people beyond the final score.
The Migrant Domestic Workers’ League, in particular, showed me how football could provide joy, friendship and a welcome escape from everyday life. Watching the players finish a match, change into their going-out clothes and record TikTok videos was a reminder of how much the league meant to them. Their enthusiasm and gratitude remain among the most rewarding memories of my career.
Football also brought heartbreak. Teams left for rival organisers, aggression on the pitch increased after the pandemic and securing pitches became an ongoing struggle.
Most painful of all was losing a participant who collapsed during a match. It was a sobering reminder that football is about far more than results.
Throughout my time at D2D, my goal was never to build Singapore’s biggest or most prestigious league. My ambition was simply to create communities where people looked forward to playing, enjoying themselves and returning home with a smile.
Unfortunately, the growing emphasis on competition often overshadowed that vision. Even without offering cash prizes, some teams became more focused on winning than embracing the spirit of the game. Over time, that eroded some of the joy I once found in organising leagues.
Running grassroots football has never been as simple as collecting registration fees. Behind every season were countless hours spent organising fixtures, booking pitches, resolving disputes and ensuring the leagues continued despite rising costs and limited support.
D2D remained a small business driven largely by passion, but passion alone could not sustain it. As participation gradually declined, I knew it was time for a new challenge.
That opportunity came with the Football Association of Singapore, where I will begin a new chapter as assistant manager, pro football, working with the Singapore Premier League. It is a role made possible by everything I learned during my years at D2D.
As I leave, I do so with immense gratitude. To my colleagues, vendors, volunteers, players and every team that placed its trust in us over the years, thank you.
Together, we built more than football leagues. We built friendships, communities and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life.
My journey with D2D has come to an end, but my love for football – and for the people who make the game special – never will.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer and do not represent those of Twentytwo13.
