SINGAPORE — Warriors Football Club (FC) has paid a total of S$150,000 in salaries to half of its football squad to settle arrears due to its players, a spokesperson from the club’s management committee said on Monday (Dec 2).

In a statement to the media, the spokesperson added that the players are now being paid in batches, according to the urgency of their needs.

“The players who are in need have been paid first, while others have agreed to give the club a bit more time to restore what is due to them.” 

Warriors FC — the most successful club in the Singapore Premier League — was charged on Nov 7 with 107 counts of failing to pay the monthly salaries of its employees on time.

From August to October this year, the club allegedly failed to pay 30 of its employees — including players and management — which amounted to about S$358,000.

The Football Association of Singapore directed the club in August to remove its general manager and honorary secretary Paul Poh from both his appointments, after discovering “serious and repeated lapses” that the club had failed to take steps to rectify.

Warriors FC said on Monday that money due to the players was raised through loans from management committee members.

“The club is committed to ensuring that all players are paid whatever amounts are due to them soonest, and the MC (management committee) members along with the GM Paul Poh are trying their best to raise the money needed to ensure all players are paid what is due to them as soon as possible,” its spokesperson said.

The case will be heard in court again on Dec 5. If convicted, the club could be fined up to S$15,000 for each charge.