Reddy Not Waiting
For a club that had not made any transfers in for nearly two seasons, save for the emergency acquisition of
Phua Ming Xin upon
Chan Ze Han's long term injury, Grilled Birds hadn't done too badly for themselves.
Tian Yonghang was not about to let the fans pine for much longer, for that, and he would unveil the club's biggest buy since Abd Hadi Taib Mazhud seven years ago: the return of former Chicken Wings star winger,
Brian Reddy!
To be sure, Reddy had not raised too much of a fuss when first breaking upon the scene, as he left for England to play for the sadly now-defunct AFC Silkmen, on essentially a free transfer. His improvement with the Silkmen could only be described as meteoric, however, and he would debut for the national youth side aged just over nineteen, if in central defence in a 0-9 thrashing by Vietnam. It was perhaps not the best era for the Young Lions as Reddy got ping-ponged between defending and forward positions, but the experience from the 27 caps was invaluable, in his own telling.
Reddy would collect two goals from those 27 games - both in the U-20 World Cup; the first came against Panama in a four-all draw, and the next would be a memorable winner against mighty Spain, 2-1 in Group B. Although the Young Lions would eventually fail to qualify, he would count it as one of his most enduring memories. His league carrer blossomed in tandem, as he was recognized as the Silkmen's most-improved player for three seasons in succession, which won him a bumper S$16.5 million transfer to ambitious Benin Division Three club Afa International, having just turned twenty-two.
Afa International would return to the second division immediately with Reddy's help, and he would eventually add five Benin Division Three league titles to his two from England, but this was clearly not how Reddy intended to see out his career, notwithstanding a possible shot at the national squad. Feelers were thus put out back to the Birds, and after some background negotiations, Tian would okay a S$14 million deal to bring Brian back to The Pot.
"They said he was Born Reddy at the Silkmen, and so he was." Tian declared, as he presented the beaming returnee to a throng of journalists outside the clubhouse. "I am not exaggerating when I say that we may not have seen a winger of his class here yet, and yes, I'm counting the likes of Wu Jinglong, Cyril Künzler and Heng Dong Chu in this. And he's one of ours from the start, no less!"
Reddy will keep his favoured Number Seven shirt from his time with Afa International, with former owner and captain Moey gracefully agreeing to don double-seven instead. The 42 year-old club elder wished the new bearer all the best with it. "It's been worn by a bunch of legends for Grilled, and I'm not counting myself amongst them yet." Moey said humbly. "It's been a little quiet these couple of years, however, and I would like Brian to have it make some noise once more!"
