Happy Valley FC may kick on after winding-up ruling

The high court has ordered former first division club Happy Valley Football Club, one of the oldest in Hong Kong, to be wound up following an application by one of its former players Charlie Scott, who hadn't been paid by the club.

High court master Lawrence Yip Sue-pui said yesterday Happy Valley Football Club Ltd did not object to the liquidation request by Scott, an English midfielder who played for the club in 2020.

Last month, the club's former chairman, Chan Chi-sat, told the court that Happy Valley and himself had not paid HK$1.35 million in salaries on time.

The winding-up petition was filed on September 29 by Scott, 26, who now plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Kitchee Sports.

Happy Valley didn't have representatives in court yesterday.

Yip then pointed out that Scott's side had completed the winding-up procedures and ordered the immediate liquidation of the club.

The liquidation hearing yesterday came after Chan was handed a 240-hour community service order at a Kwun Tong magistrate's court on Tuesday and the club was fined HK$147,000.

Chan last month admitted to a total of 30 court summonses on behalf of himself and the club for withholding HK$1.35 million in salaries from Happy Valley staff and football players.

In an earlier hearing in October, Chan revealed that the club faced insolvency and he had stopped injecting funds since the pandemic due to financial difficulties. He had settled all unpaid salaries this year using his personal funds.

Founded in 1950, the club has won the Hong Kong Football League championships 15 times throughout its history of over 70 years.

But the club has been under a match-fixing cloud, after 23 people - including a coach and 11 footballers - were arrested by the Independent Commission Against Corruption in May.

Despite the club being ordered to wind up, it may not mean Happy Valley will disappear from the Hong Kong Football League, according to an industry insider.

The football club is part of the Happy Valley Athletic Association, which also operates other recreation activities, while Happy Valley Football Club Ltd is a company established in 2019 after Chan invested in the club.

The company was responsible for handling legal, financial, and administrative issues for the club.

The insider added it is feasible that the club can participate in future football matches again by setting up a new company.

"It is the same as when a restaurant closes its doors and later opens up again under a new name," he said.