SINGAPORE - S. Anthonysamy, the gutsy former S-League footballer who has been paralysed for the last 20 years after a on-pitch collision, has died on Thursday (Oct 6).

The 51-year-old, who has been in poor health recently, died after suffering a chest infection. He was warded in the Singapore General Hospital since last Friday.

Anthonysamy was a former Woodlands Wellington winger, who played for the national team in 1989, who was known for his pace and creativity. On Sept 3, 1996, the part-time footballer and part-time air-con technician suffered a freak injury that changed his life forever.

Fielded in the last 10 minutes in a friendly against Malaysian state team Selangor, Anthonysamy created the final goal in a 4-1 win but two minutes after his assist, Selangor's Mubin Mokhtar landed with his full weight on the Singaporean when both players challenged for the ball.

The accident fractured two vertebrae near the neck, paralysing him since.

The Football Association of Singapore said that the national team players will don black armbands and observe a one-minute silence before kicking off Friday's Causeway Challenge match against Malaysia at the National Stadium.