Tanjong Pagar United (Singapore)

Tanjong Pagar United FC 

Ground: Jurong East Stadium

Capacity: 2,700

Club Founded: 1974

League: Singapore Premier League (current level)

Tanjong Pagar United FC is one of the nine clubs in the Singapore Premier League and has continued to build since 1974, changing names and venues along the way.

The club's first home - Queenstown Stadium

Club History

The Early Years

Tanjong Pagar United FC was formed in 1974 as Tiong Bahru Constituency Sports Club. The club won the National League twice. The President’s Cup was added twice to the trophy cabinet before the Singapore Cup was lifted in 1994, just before the advent of professional football on the island. 

The club changed its name to Tiong Bahru United FC to compete in the new S.League in 1996 as they moved into Queenstown Stadium. After finishing runners-up, the club became Tanjong Pagar United in 1998, as the Singapore Cup was lifted following a 2-0 victory against Singapore Armed Forces under the leadership of Robert Alberts.

Queenstown Stadium, when the Jaguars were in situ

Decline and Return to the Premier League

The Dutchman was succeeded shortly afterwards by Tohari Paijan, as the side continued to finish near the top of the table before a period of decline as other clubs mobilised and the Jaguars left the league to play second-tier National League football for several years.

The club regrouped and reclaimed their S League place for the 2011 campaign under manager Terry Pathmanathan, where they found the going tough. The appointment of French coach Patrick Vallée led to a marked improvement two years later as Tanjong reached the final of the Singapore Cup, where they went down 4-1 to Home United.

Jurong East Stadium, home since 2020

Financial Issues and Another Return

At the end of the 2014 season, the club resigned from the league owing to financial issues before returning to the rebranded Singapore Premier League (SPL) in 2020 to replace Warriors, who also had financial issues of their own. United moved into Jurong East Stadium, where manager Hairi Su'ap was replaced midseason by Hasrin Jailani. 

The side continued to struggle in the lower reaches of the SPL with managers coming and going regularly. Miquel Lladó was appointed in August 2026, with the task of improving performances.

My visit

Queenstown Stadium

Wednesday 29th October 2014

My last S League venue on a heat-sapping afternoon required alighting at Queenstown station on the SMRT system. I had been on that stretch of track the previous evening, heading to Jurong East Stadium for the Albirex Niigata v DPMM game. 

The floodlights were turned on when I passed, quite possibly for local football or training, but I didn’t realise I’d be returning a few hours later.

The heat was a bit much for me. Fortunately, the clever Singapore planners provide plenty of sheltered walkways alongside the housing schemes. Just five minutes after getting off the train, I was walking into Queenstown Stadium. There was no disguising which club used the stadium, with lots of signage around the entrances and on club buildings. 

One advertised Tanjong Pagar’s evening game at Hougang United. That was where I was heading later, so it was good to see actual confirmation that it was on.  It turned out to be quite an impressive arena. Like so many others, the pitch was surrounded by an athletics track. The Main Stand had risen open terracing on either side of it

Open seating occupied part of the far side and in temporary form on the curves behind the goals. I hobbled back to the station as blisters were forming on my feet and toes, for a much-welcomed rest through the city centre to Bedok, the last venue of the afternoon.

Unfortunately, owing to an IT disaster on my return to the UK, I lost most of my pictures from Singapore, so several images on this page have been downloaded from the internet.