Lim Soon Seng

Early life

Lim was born to a taxi driver and a housewife. He studied at Balestier Primary School and Thomson Secondary School before enrolling in the mechanical engineering course at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Towards the end of the season, he replaced the injured Singapore international S. Subramani in central defence. He switched to right-back after the return of Subramani and impressed head coach Robert Alberts sufficiently to retain his place as the team's first-choice right-back. The club ended as 1997 S.League runners-up behind Singapore Armed Forces.

Lim established himself as a first-team player for the renamed Tanjong Pagar United in the 1998 season. The club ended as league runners-up to Singapore Armed Forces on goal difference but achieved a Singapore Cup and Singapore FA Cup double. In the same year, Lim was honoured as the S.League Young Player of the Year. His performances led to a call-up to the Singapore national team.

After suffering a motorcycle accident in January 1999, Lim returned to light training with Tanjong Pagar United in March but sat out the entire 1999 season. He stopped training with Tanjong Pagar United after he was enlisted for National Service in September.

By March 2000, Lim was training with Gombak United. S.League rules also stated that a player cannot play for another club for the rest of the season if his contract ends midway through the season.

Tampines Rovers Lim's doctors had initially advised him against a return to football but he passed the S.League medical and was later certified medically fit in 2002. Following the end of his National Service and his release by Tanjong Pagar United, Lim signed a two-year part-time contract with Tampines Rovers in March 2002 after training with them for a month.

International career Lim received his first call-up to the Singapore squad for a training camp in May 1998. Three months later, he was named in the squad for the 1998 AFF Championship. He made his international debut coming on for the injured Aide Iskandar in the 28th minute of the group stage opening match win over Malaysia on 26 August; he assisted Ahmad Latiff Khamaruddin's goal in the 39th minute, Singapore's second goal in the 2–0 win. On 5 September, he came on in the 84th minute as Singapore defeated Vietnam in the final to clinch the AFF Championship, their first international trophy. Lim made a total of five substitute appearances during the tournament.

Lim was named in the 25-man provisional squad for the Dunhill Cup in Vietnam from 29 January to 7 February 1999, but had to withdraw from the squad after his motorbike accident.

Outside football Before 2002, Lim was working as a logistics administrator job at the Tampines Rovers chairman's company.

Personal life Lim met up with national teammates R. Sasikumar and Robin Chitrakar at Clarke Quay on the night of 6 January 1999 after a national team training session was cancelled due to rain. In the early morning of the following day, the trio proceeded to Newton Food Centre. Lim suffered a mild stroke following an impact to his head, which left him with impaired vision, coordination problems and slower reflexes on the left side of his body. He went into a coma for a few days and was discharged after two weeks. He later underwent reconstruction of a ligament in his left knee.

On 16 June 2002, Lim was arrested for alleged disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer and received an eight-week prison sentence in July 2002.

Honours Tanjong Pagar United Singapore Cup: 1998 Singapore FA Cup: 1998

Singapore AFF Championship: 1998

Individual S.League Young Player of the Year: 1998