Bangkok Christian College

 

Bangkok Christian College is a football club who compete in the Thai Football League in the capital of Bangkok. The football club was formed in 1997, It forms part of a college with a fine tradition of athletes which was formed in 1852.

Within three seasons BCC had won the Ngor Royal Cup and triumphed in the Khǒr Royal Cup on a couple of occasions. In the league the team progressed to Division One by 1999. Two years later Bangkok Christian College won the title and were promoted to the Thai Premier League. However, they were relegated after just two seasons. 

Worse was to come as following further relegation and the instigation of professional football in Thailand, BCC found themselves outside the league set-up. This was eradicated following promotion back to Regional League Two in 2005.

BCC were placed in the Bangkok Area of Regional League Two in 2009 as more clubs were admitted into an enlarged third tier. Unfortunately for BCC, many other clubs were heavily funded while they remained amateur with a low supporter base as they moved into share Thephasadin Stadium with BEC Tero Sasana. 

After several seasons of disappointment, BCC finished in third place in the 2013 season, just missing a Championship Pool place as they decamped to the PAT season as tenants to Singhtarua for the year.

The 2014 saw a return to Thephasadin and a boost of sponsorship from the Tero entertainment conglomerate as the club became known as BCC Tero. The sponsorship ended in 2015 as the club reverted to their original title and moved back in as tenants with Port at PAT Stadium.

Two eighth places followed before the side was placed in Thai League 4 Bangkok Metropolitan Region after league restructuring playing at TOT Stadium and finishing fourth as Platel Remi topped the scoring charts.

BCC failed to pass the licensing process to play in the 2018 Thai League 4. The team was banned from pro football for two years but were permitted to enter the Thailand Amateur League upon appeal. They had unmemorable campaigns in the competition for two years before going into abeyance.

In September 2022, the college started offering places for applicants to enrol and join the football team, while the team competed in a youth tournament and started to play occasional friendlies.

My visit

At Vichupa Football Field V1

Bangkok Christian College 3 Minburi United 1 (Friday 28th July 2023) Friendly (att: c30) 

There were no amateur fixtures over the forthcoming weekend owing to a holiday for the King’s birthday, so two youthful sides got together at Vichupa Football Fields off Ram Inthra in Ram Inthra to the northeast of the capital.

This fine venue has five pitches all with small covers and high nets around them. I'd been to V3 for a game earlier in the year as well as seeing a couple of games on V5, one of two pitches belonging to the same group around half a mile south. 

This game was played on Pitch 1, which was a new one for me, and most convenient as I was up the road with my good lady having the car valeted when I spotted the game on Facebook. A bus dropped me on Nawamin Road before I undertook a ten-minute walk.

I guessed that there would be no catering at the ground, so I bought a toastie from 7/11 and later a passing motorcycle vendor sold me an ice cream while the match was in progress, as I looked on from the unoccupied fourth official's bench. 

The game consisted of three periods of thirty minutes. Everyone in both large youthful squads got a game. I presume this set-up might have been agreed because United had three keepers, giving them half an hour each to impress the coach.

Minburi were competing in the local Thonburi and Thailand Amateur Leagues, while BCC seems to have reassembled well on this evidence, with this being the under-18s team. I would be keeping an eye on their future progress. 

Several parents watched from fold-up chairs beside their cars outside the net. We were treated to a fast-paced encounter full of skill and attacking play. The coaches at both clubs certainly had their lads playing the right way.

There were very few fouls and absolutely no dissent either, which I enjoyed. Volunteers from BCC refereed and ran the line and even updated the scoreboard on the far side. They certainly looked to be a polite and disciplined bunch.

Minburi took an early lead in the early stages when a low free kick was turned in. The scores were levelled when a low cross was put away on sixteen minutes. Neither side had numbers on their shirts, so I had no chance of working out the scorers. Indeed, United wore their sleeveless training tops.

BCC broke quickly but a forward missed a sitter at the near post after receiving a square ball before the Minburi keeper pulled off a smart save. A low cross-shot was tapped in at the back post a couple of minutes before the first break to make it 2-1. 

The United goalie made a miraculous save not long after the restart. BCC saw a half-volley go just over and then another effort cleared off the line prior to the final turnaround. It became 3-1 when a good twist and turn in the box was followed by a low shot into the bottom corner.

A late effort across the goal clipped off the Minburi post before proceedings ended. It had been most watchable fare. Good fun, and an easy cheap bus ride home listening to TMS before watching the Test match action from the Oval with IPA from the local shop and a stunning meal cooked by my beautiful wife.