The 2012 season was Woodlands Wellington's 17th competitive and consecutive season in the top flight of Singapore football and 25th year in existence as a football club.
Review
In the pre season, captain Sazali Salleh left the club for Tampines Rovers on 1 January 2012. Sazali played 54 times for the Rams between 2010 and 2011, and he had appeared a total of 158 times in total for Woodlands. Goalkeeper Ahmadulhaq Che Omar and defender Daniel Hammond rejoin Woodlands Wellington for the second time. Ahmadulhaq spent two seasons with Balestier Khalsa while Hammond joins the Rams from Geylang United.
On 12 January, coach R. Balasubramaniam, whose contract expired end of December 2011, was not given a new contract. On 13 January, former Balestier Khalsa coach, Salim Moin, was appointed as the head coach of Woodlands Wellington.
The Rams' first match in the 2012 S.League is a goalless draw against Gombak United, ending a three-game losing streak for the Rams.
- 15 April 2012: A 2âÂÂ1 loss to Harimau Muda in the Causeway Derby sees Woodlands Wellington embark on a five-game losing streak in the S-League. The match was particularly controversial as there was a total of four penalty kicks awarded in the game, with three awarded in favour of the Young Tigers. Woodlands custodian Ahmadulhaq Che Omar managed to keep Wan Zack Haikal's 37th minute spot kick out, but Gary Robbat and Affize Faisal made no mistake with their penalties to ensure that Harimau Muda emerged winners in a match laden with yellow cards and a sending off for Woodlands winger Goh Swee Swee.
- 19 May 2012: Woodlands Wellington is knocked out of the RHB Singapore Cup following a 2âÂÂ1 loss to Kanbawza FC in the first round. The match was played at Jalan Besar Stadium as Kanbawza FC was denoted as the home team.
- 15 June 2012: Courts Young Lions and Woodlands Wellington agree on the transfer of Navin Neil Vanu. Neil is assigned jersey number 34 for the Rams.
- 21 June 2012: Woodlands Wellington draws 1âÂÂ1 with Geylang United at Bedok Stadium to arrest a five match losing streak. The match also saw Neil Vanu start his first game for Woodlands in 2012 upon his return to the Rams after his stint with the Courts Young Lions.
- 11 July 2012: Referee Leow Thiam Hoe hands out 5 yellow cards to Woodlands in their 2âÂÂ0 loss to Albirex Niigata (S), setting the current record for the most number of cards handed out to Woodlands Wellington in a single match during the 2012 season. The five yellow cards also meant that Woodlands would be slapped with an automatic fine of S$500 for receiving at least that many cautions in a single match, in accordance with league regulations.
- 12 July 2012: The Starhub League Cup draw was made at Jalan Besar Stadium, and Woodlands was drawn into group D together with Tampines Rovers and Gombak United. The 2012 edition of the Cup, which will run from July 26 to August 11, 2012, will be played in a new format that will see four groups of three teams each battle it out for a place in the semi-finals. The four teams that finish third in their respective groups will also play in a separate Plate Competition consisting of two semi-finals and a final.
- 20 July 2012: Woodlands Wellington sees their lowest attendance this season with only 277 fans attending their match against Balestier Khalsa. The match also resulted in Woodlands' third loss in a row after consecutive losses to Albirex Niigata (S) and Tampines Rovers before this match. Woodlands custodian Ahmadulhaq Che Omar makes his second penalty save of the season in the same match.
- 30 July 2012: Woodlands Wellington draws their second game of the Starhub League Cup preliminary round with Gombak United and remain rooted to the bottom of Group D, leaving their fate of advancing to the quarter-finals to be decided by the match between Gombak United and Tampines Rovers on 2 August.
- 2 August 2012: Gombak United and Tampines Rovers draw their League Cup preliminary round match and both teams advance to the quarter-finals. Woodlands Wellington finish bottom of the Group D table and advance to the semi-finals of the newly created Plate Competition.
- 6 August 2012: Woodlands Wellington crashes out of the League Cup Plate Competition after losing 1âÂÂ0 to Balestier Khalsa in the semi-final, conceding a 67th goal to former Ram Zulkiffli Hassim.
- 26 August 2012: Woodlands's 1âÂÂ2 loss to Gombak United marks their 20th game of the season without a win.
- 21 October 2012: Ahmadulhaq Che Omar's save against Ivan JerkoviÃÂ's penalty was his third penalty save of the season. The 1âÂÂ2 loss against DPMM in the same match also meant that the Rams would finish the 2012 season as the wooden spoonists for the third season in a row.
- 25 October 2012: The Rams pick up their fifth draw of the season, ending their match against Home United with a 0âÂÂ0 scoreline following 3 consecutive losses against SAFFC, Harimau Muda and DPMM.
- 4 November 2012: Woodlands Wellington's final match day 3âÂÂ2 win over Tanjong Pagar United gets them only their third win of the season. All of the Rams' three goals were scored within the first 12 minutes of the match.
Team Kits
The team kits for 2012 were produced by Thai sports apparel maker, Acono.
Transfers
In
Pre-season
Mid-Season
Out
Pre-season
Mid-Season
Squads
First Team Squad
Club
Coaching staff