Nicky Butt Will Play in The AFC Cup

According to BBC Sport, former England international Nicky Butt has agreed to a contract that will see him feature for Hong Kong giants South China until May 2011.

This will also probably be quietly celebrated among the fans in India, Thailand and Indonesia as the former Manchester United, Birmingham City and Newcastle United midfielder is also going to play for his new employers at the group stage.

One-time semi-finalists South China are pooled in Group H of the AFC Cup alongside Indian club Kingfisher East Bengal, Thai FA Cup winners Chonburi FC and Indonesian side Persipura Jayapura.

Imagine the bald midfield general commanding his colleagues at sweltering heat in the dusty pitch in India, bear with the equatorial humidity in Thailand as well as deal with more fanatical and crazed fans in Indonesia, especially all calling out for his name. That will be a very nice sight.

Tampines Rovers v Nicky Butt no more...

Nicky Butt (right) celebrates after scoring on his debut for South China. (Photo by AP, taken from BBC Sport.)

It could have been more than 5,000 turning up at Jalan Besar if former England international and Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt extends his present three-month contract with Hong Kong champions South China and plays in Singapore for his club in the AFC Cup 2011.

Alas, this is not to be as South China are drawn into Group H alongside Thai FA Cup champions Chonburi FC, Indonesian side Persipura Jayapura and Indian side Kingfisher East Bengal.

While Tampines Rovers will await one of the losers of the 2011 AFC Champions League playoffs, V-League champions Hanoi T&T and Maldivian FA Cup winners Victory SC, it is the fate of the draw that ensures Butt will not step onto Singapore soil since the Red Devils' Asian tour in 1999.

The Indonesians will be relatively cool about all things English football, but the Thais and Indians could go crazy over this potential appearance of one of the most famed Fergie Fledglings, who emerged alongside David Backham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and the Neville brothers to become one of the stars for Manchester United.

The Thais will fancy their aging ace Therdsak Chaiman pitting his abilities against the one-time World Cupper while the Indians, with their one-time affiliation with English club side Leicester City, could relish his presence on their soil.

As for the Singaporeans, they will have to keep waiting for the next English star after Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Bryan Robson in 2009. Until then, they will have to be content with the Maldivians, Vietnamese and possibly the Arab shiekhs.

Group Draws for 2011 AFC Champions League and AFC Cup

AFC Cup 2011

Group A: AFC Champions League Loser 2 (West), Nasaf Qrashi (Uzbekistan), Al Ansar (Lebanon), Al Tilal (Yemen)
Group B: AFC Champions League Loser 1 (West), Al Qadsia (Kuwait), Shurtan (Uzbekistan), Al Saqr (Yemen)
Group C: Al Faisaly (Jordan), Duhok (Iraq), Al Nasr (Kuwait), Al Jaish (Syria)
Group D: Al Suwaiq (Oman), Al Whedat (Jordan), Al Talaba (Iraq), Kuwait SC (Kuwait)
Group E: Al Ahed (Lebanon), Al Oruba/ Fnjaa (Oman), Al Karamah (Syria), Arbil (Iraq)
Group F: AFC Champions League Loser 2 (East), TSW Pegasus (Hong Kong), Song Nam Le Ahn (Vietnam), VB (Maldives)
Group G: Tampines Rovers (Singapore), AFC Champions League Loser 1 (East), Hanoi T&T (Vietnam), Victory (Maldives)
Group H: South China (Hong Kong), Persipura Jayapura (Indonesia), Chonburi (Thailand), Kingfisher East Bengal (India)

AFC Champions League

Playoff West

Round 1: Al Sadd (Qatar) v Al Ittihad (Syria)
Round 2: Winner of Round 1 v Dempo SC (India)

Playoff East

Round 1: Sriwijaya (Indonesia) v Muangthong United (Thailand)
Round 2: Winner of Round 1 v Al Ain (UAE)

Group A: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Foolad Sepahan (Iran), Al Jazira (UAE), Al Garafa (Qatar)
Group B: Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), Esteghal (Iran), Pathakor (Uzbekistan), West playoff winner
Group C: Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia), Piroozi (Iran), Al Wahda (UAE), Bunyodkor (Uzbekistan)
Group D: Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia), Zob Ahan (Iran), Emirates Club (UAE), Al Rayyan (Qatar)
Group E: Jeju United (South Korea), Tianjin Teda (China), Gamba Osaka (Japan), Melbourne Victory (Australia)
Group F: FC Seoul (South Korea), Hangzhou Greentown (China), Nagoya Grampus Eight (Japan), East playoff winner
Group G: Jeonbuk Motors (South Korea), Shandong Luneng (China), Cerezo Osaka (Japan), Arema Indonesia (Indonesia)
Group H: Suwon Samsung Bluewings (South Korea), Shanghai Shenhua (China), Emperor's Cup winner or Kashima Antlers (Japan), Sydney FC (Australia)