On April 29, 44 Football Association of Singapore (FAS) affiliates voted for a new leadership team to lead Singapore’s football administration and development for the next four years.

At the end of a gruelling campaign, Team LKT led by former FAS Vice-President Lim Kia Tong won in a face-off with Team Game Changers led by Hougang United and Tiong Bahru football club chairman Bill Ng, garnering more than two-thirds of the vote.

If there were any expectations that the election would be a close contest, it quickly dissipated in less than half an hour as news of Team LKT's victory got out to the awaiting media.

Here are 5 thoughts we have after covering the election on Saturday:

1. Team LKT has made history.

This was the first FIFA sanctioned and monitored election in the 125 year history of the FAS.

Previous office holders were appointed by the Government and this practice was found to contravene Fifa's regulations only in 2015.

Reporters had gathered early in the morning in anticpation of the arrival of the two contesting teams and affiliates, and everyone was all set to break the latest news about the victorious side, once voting got underway after 11am.

The election was held at an unfortunately named venue -- The Black Box Auditorium at the Sports Hub, but by and large it was a well-organized event with no major hiccups.

2. The difference in team spirit and cohesion was clear.

Betweem Team LKT and Team Game Changers, it was easy to make out which one has a stronger team spirit.

Team LKT had arranged to assemble inside the Kallang Wave Mall before making their way to the venue of the election together as a team at about 9.40am.

Team Game Changers instead had members arriving separately. There were no signs of outward confidence nor any desire to engage the media.

In fact, presidential hopeful Ng arrived at the venue at 10.20am, only 10 minutes before the close of registration.

3. It was an emphatic defeat for Ng.

The final score was 30-13, in favour of Team LKT, with one invalid vote.

For the flamboyant Ng, who had embarked on a high profile campaign selling a powerful message of driving radical change and progress, and painting his opponents as disconnected and incompetent incumbents, this was a stinging defeat.

Based on Ng's slate, he already has 6 votes from the following S.League and National Football League (NFL) clubs:

- Hougang United (S.League)

- Tiong Bahru FC (NFL Div 1)

- Tampines Rovers (S.League)

- Kaki Bukit SC (NFL Div 2)

- South Avenue (NFL Div 2)

- GFA Victoria (NFL Div 2)

His team's final vote tally of 13 meant that he had persuaded only 7 affiliates out of a possible 38 to buy into his vision for the future of Singapore football.

It all had started so promisingly for Team Game Changers, but ultimately the momentum could not be sustained.

As he emerged from the Black Box after the election, Ng told the waiting media: "The best 11 won... we have to respect the result. We will support them."

"No regrets (in running in the election), I appreciate my team, they tried their best."

4. Not sure if donation saga or donation own goal.

Singaporeans, minus local football fans (not sure how many there are left) may not care about the FAS election, but they would surely be interested about the questionable $500,000 donation to the ASEAN Football Federation, involving Ng, Zainudin (former FAS president and ex-PAP MP) and FAS general secretary Winston Lee (FAS).

Years later when people look back at this election, the bombshell revelation about the donation by Ng on April 13 will remain as the most bizarre development in this whole campaign.

Was it a spectacular own goal scored by an overconfident Ng, or was it a calculated move as he knew he was losing, and had then chosen to make public certain information that would have otherwise be uncovered eventually? Probably no one will ever know.

Ng's public feud with Lee, the police report made by SportsSG on suspected misuse of funds and obstruction to complete audits, the spotlight on his club's jackpot operations certainly did him no favours as it sucked the wind out of his sails, denting his credibility significantly.

Ultimately, it is highly likely that he is perceived to be also part of the problem, and a symbol of what had been wrong with Singapore football for so many years: weak leadership, poor governance and a lack of transparency.

5. Is this really the beginning of a new era?

To outsiders hoping to see some drama in the election outcome, the ending probably felt like a damp squib.

But the truth is, besides the outstanding legacy issues, there is still a season-ending cliffhanger: where will Singapore football go from here?

Looking at the enormity of the tasks ahead, winning the election may turn out to be the easy part.

But by securing a strong mandate, despite being associated with the previous council, Team LKT will have a good platform on which it can start to reform the local football scene.

As what newly-minted Deputy President Bernard Tan told the media:

"It's a fresh start. Don't look at the past. This is the time of optimism. Voters have given us the mandate. They have given us the trust, let's put the past behind. This is the first FAS elected council, this has got to make a difference."

Related articles:

Here’s the result of the election nobody cares because not everybody can vote. And because it’s Saturday

Ex-PAP MP & ex-FAS chairman Zainudin Nordin among 4 arrested & out on police bail for donation saga

FAS Elections: Team LKT strives to distance itself from the donation saga

Former FAS president Zainudin finally free to comment, denies having any business ties with Bill Ng

Football Donation Saga: Former FAS president Zainudin’s silence is deafening

Football Drama: More questions for the FAS before the upcoming election.

Football leadership elections: Power, “donations” and much intrigue revealed in the campaign

All photos by Chiew Teng and Chan Cheow Pong, unless otherwise stated.

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