Abang Nor Sillmy bin Abang Haji Taha (born 11 August 1978) is a Bruneian footballer who plays for Ar Rawda FC of the Brunei-Muara District League.[1] He was a member of the Brunei national representative team for the Malaysian league that won the 1999 Malaysia Cup.[2] He is a versatile player who has played at various positions throughout his career.[3]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Abang Nor Sillmy bin Abang Haji Taha | ||
Date of birth | (1978-08-11) 11 August 1978 (age 44) | ||
Place of birth | Brunei | ||
Position(s) | Defender, Striker | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Ar Rawda | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1999–2005 | Brunei | (22) | |
2002–2008 | Wijaya FC | ||
2009–2010 | Jerudong FC | ||
2011–2012 | DPMM | 0 | (0) |
2012–2013 | Majra FC | (4) | |
2014 | Najip FC | (8) | |
2015–2016 | Kota Ranger | (15) | |
2022– | Ar Rawda | (1) | |
National team‡ | |||
1999–2003 | Brunei | 14 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 August 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2017 |
Initially a central defender, Norsillmy was a relative newcomer to the Brunei squad that was competing in the Malaysian M-League in 1999, coached by Englishman David Booth.[4] Although they finished seventh in Premier One, they began a hot streak in the subsequent Malaysia Cup campaign which concluded with winning the silverware, Brunei's first in 20 years of participation.[5] Norsillmy played in that final, a 2-1 victory over Sarawak hosted at the Merdeka Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.[6]
Due to the restriction of import players in the following season, then coach Mick Jones started to place Norsillmy in attack, complimenting the diminutive Riwandi Wahit in a little-and-large combination.[7] Both of them only managed to score five goals each as the lack of foreign firepower condemned Brunei to the foot of the table and relegation to Premier Two.[8]
Norsillmy stayed with the Wasps until the 2004 season, scoring 22 goals in the role of a striker.[9]
Norsillmy played for Wijaya FC in the domestic B-League, winning the 2002 FA Cup and the 2003 championship.[10] In fact, he scored the solitary winning goal against MS ABDB in the first FA Cup final.[11] He left Wijaya for Jerudong FC in 2009,[12] then accepted an invitation to train and possibly play for Brunei's professional club DPMM FC in late 2011, in view of the 2012 S.League.[13] Despite putting pen to paper on a professional contract,[14] he unfortunately failed the mandatory fitness test required by the S.League and failed to make his debut for the Gegar Gegar men.[15]
Norsillmy joined ambitious Majra FC at the start of the 2012-13 Brunei Super League and finished third in the new league.[16][17] He moved to Najip FC in the following season, one of several big names to join the club that did not gain a single point the season before.[18] His brief but fruitful stay led Najip FC to third-place in the league as well as an FA Cup final appearance.[19][20]
Norsillmy dropped a division in 2015, joining Kota Ranger FC in the Brunei Premier League, and finished in first place unbeaten.[21] Promotion to the 2016 Brunei Super League ensued, and he scored five goals to finish second in the goalscoring charts, despite his club only managing a sixth-place finish.[22]
Norsillmy made his international debut for the Brunei national team on 2 August 1999 against Cambodia in a 3-3 draw at the 20th SEA Games hosted by his home country.[23] He gained 14 caps for the Wasps, his final tournament being the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification games against Maldives and Myanmar in March 2003.[24]
Norsillmy's brother, Nor Hillmy Taha is a football coach who is head coach for Deno FC.[26] His nephew Abang Nur Hilman bin Abang Nor Hillmy is a Bruneian youth international who plays for Kota Ranger FC.[27]
Norsillmy works at the Survey Department at the Ministry of Development of Brunei.[28]