Into The Annals
There was no diluting the sheer relief that worked its way through the Grilled players at the end, and it was telling that their immediate reaction was by and large not jumping for joy, but to collapse to the ground. They might have won everything there was to win in Singapore, but for that, they had unquestionably given it their all.
It didn't matter, not if they had to stay curled up with an ice pack for the next days - the S-League title was theirs, and Grilled Birds' first the first time in their long history. Despite the club's near-unrivalled domestic cup record, their failure to win the ultimate prize in the league had always gnawed at their collective soul, and was a persistent blight that rival fans were ever eager to rub in - well, no longer.
"It's done." club captain
Moey Xin Seng said simply. "It's done."
In doing so, Grilled Birds have also become the ninth Singaporean club to do the double, joining the august company of Sarcastic Fringeheads, Parkway Paladins, Be Champions FC (twice), Isle of Flames (four times), Pudgy Penguins, Rollin' Thunder, Herron and Hattrick all the time.
Eren Serpin, who thereby wrote himself into the club's coaching history by achieving the feat in his first season, was rendered nearly speechles. "If you all don't mind, I'd prefer to have some time to let it sink in, thank you." he managed. "I'm sure the players would too."
About this, Serpin might have for once been mistaken, as they all appeared to have recovered by the time the S-League trophy had been prepared for presentation. The Grilled fans would enthusiastically applaud João Infante Amanajás' deserved Golden Boot, and the favour would be returned in large part, as Moey lifted the cup together with Chan, in what will surely be one of the fondest instances in the club's memory.
