Escobar United

Escobar United FC is an amateur football cub based in Bangkok, Thailand whose earliest origins can be traced back to the 2016-17 season when they competed as Studs FC in Group A of the Bangkok Premier League under coach Somsak Keawlaor.

When the league was restructured for the 2017-18 campaign, Studs were placed in Division 2 of the competition, continuing to play matches at Vichupa Stadium and the venues second pitch at Nawamin 136 Alley.

The team remained at the same level, changing their title to SG FC for the 2021-22 campaign, remaining at the same home ground, prior to becoming Escobar United for the 2023-24 season.

Escobar United FC played in the Bangkok Premier League Division 2 in the 2023-24 season before disappearing off the local radar.

My visit

SG FC 0 FC Bangsaotong 0 (Sunday 6th March 2022) Bangkok Premier League Division 2 (att: c15)

 

One of the beauties of my recent move to Bangkok was finding out about the Bangkok Premier League and its venues via the Facebook page and website. Fortunately, some clubs were not too far away from me.

On this occasion I became unexpectedly free and offered me a pointer as to what I’d rather be doing given the choice on a Sunday afternoon. I shared a cab halfway before escaping to freedom. Time was against me making kick off, so I hailed a second taxi. 

My driver was good and knew the way, dropping me by 7/11 so that I could grab some food and drink. From there it was a short walk to the ground to see how former English and Scottish League player Jamie Clarke and his FCB boys were getting on.

Ideally the game would have been on the adjoining pitch as I’d already seen a game on 5, for a midweek Minburi City friendly, but never mind. Both pitches here and the three up the road have basic covered stands for spectators and high netting all the way around the pitch.

They also have floodlights. Nothing too grandeur but better than most amateur facilities in the UK. Like many others there was a small catering hit selling food and drinks. It wasn’t open the last time, otherwise I’d have bought there rather than the chain up the road.

Three sides win promotion at the end of the season, with the visiting Qons starting in second place in the table against midtable SG. The visitors fielded a threadbare squad, with the reserve goalie at right back and just one sub. Clarke stuck to coaching on this occasion.

Rolling changes are permitted at this level, but no changes can be made apart for legitimate injuries for the final ten minutes, although inevitably enough some take advantage of this condition.

I saw a decent game. Despite SG having plentiful subs, FCB were the fitter side and really deserved all three points forward Leon Nelson led the line. They were turned down two very clear penalties, at least to my eyes. The former Hillingdon Borough man was frustrated into a yellow card after being on the wrong end of plenty of dark arts. 

Coach Clarke, who I joined on the far side in the shade for the second half showed far more restraint than I’d have managed. It was a very frustrating game for his charges. They had lots of possession but couldn’t carve out a clear chance on goal. The ball just wouldn’t run for them.

SG battled and did their job, even going close to a winner near the end as an effort flew across the face of goal with the Qons keeper out of position. I said goodbye to my pals, Jamie was rushing to play the second half for feeder club TOA Dovechem in Sai Mai.

 

I decided to take a good walk afterwards, going past Vichupa’s other three pitches and then grabbing a bus ride home for some live football on TV. Being seven hours ahead of the UK does have advantages on a weekend, if not for watching midweek football.