Friends FC

 

Friends FC is an amateur football club based in the Thai capital of Bangkok, that was originally formed  in 2016 on the best information available, playing matches at Thavee 33 Stadium as a side in Group A of the Bangkok Premier League in the 2016-17 season. 

When the league was restructured for the 2017-18 campaign Friends were placed in Division 2 of the competition. In the 2018-19 campaign the team narrowly miss out on promotion prior to changing their title to Friends Pathum. 

Covid 19 wreaked havoc with local football for some time. Friends once again came close to going up in 2020-21. Pathum was dropped from the club title for the 2021-22 season with the club moving in as tenants at LP CK Stadium and Academy on Soi 34 in the Sai Mai district of northern Bangkok.

Friends FC won in promotion to the Bangkok Premier League Division 2 at the ejd of the 2021-22 season and continued to play until the end of the 2023-24 season as BP Friends FC. 

My visit

Friends FC 1 FC Bangsaotong 4 (Sunday 26^th June 2022) Bangkok Premier League Division 2 (att: c20) 

An easy Sunday of rest of relaxation was high on my agenda after a long walk and very sociable Saturday evening. A chance to catch up with Jamie Clarke and the Bangsaotong boys was a perfect fixture.

It transpired to be an easy journey too, well after I changed from a static minivan to a bus outside Fashion Island. To be fair the van driver did not charge me for the brief ride. The bus was just THB 8 to Wat Phra Sri Mahathat BTS skytrain station. 

The Green Line northern extension was still free of charge, so I got great value. Alighting at the terminus station of Khu Khot I then wandered down the side of the local police station and over a footbridge across Khlong Hok Wa.

Google Maps was once again my friend as I quickly found Sai Mai 15 Alley, which was a long straight road with houses and occasional shops and eateries down both pavements. It was around a mile walk to Thanon Sai Mai.

A 7/11 was found for provisions and get some change for later. It was conveniently located by 34 Alley, which had a helpful signpost indicating that this was the lane required for LP CK Stadium and Academy, which was just over five minutes away with goalposts visible in the distance.

The venue had two pitches, with the further one at right angles to the first. The spectator facilities were basic but there was a food hatch, covered area and bar. With excellent toilets. Both pitches had floodlights and high netting all the way round, which I found to be a regular Thai grass roots feature.

I found Jamie and the boys who were preparing ready to warm up for the 6pm kick off on the first of the two pitches. The 4pm game finished which allowed just a short time stretching out on the pitch for the two sides.

I was taking photos from the pitch side of the net and grabbled a plastic chair from the covered area as I ended up sitting near the FCB subs and Jasmine, girlfriend of striker Simon Murgatroyd.

‘Host’ club, Friends came into the game in third place, a spot behind Bangsaotong on goal difference. I was expecting a good match and I wasn’t to be disappointed. It was a stop start affair at high pace in the early stages as the referee quickly showed that he was not shy of seeking attention.

The visitors were missing defender Lee Hall but had Adam Mather marshalling the troops allowing Clarke to play in the middle of midfield. I quipped online that Friends were without Jennifer Anniston, Courteney Cox and the slightly mad blonde. 

The low sun on the far side was making sight awkward, not that I should complain. I had taken my poncho as I thought that we were in for a storm. The game began to take shape just when FCB took the lead with a superbly worked goal.

Mather supplied the young number 20 down the line. He hurdled a lunging challenge before delivering a pinpoint cross which Kuatrakul Kwankua smashed home on the volley while in full flight. A goal that merited far higher standing than the second tier of the BPL. 

Friends should have equalised almost instantly. A move saw plenty of room down the left with a low cross finding the number 16 at the back post. The chance was denied by a fine stop by the Qons keeper Chaisit Petchrangsee.

The lead came close to being doubled when a cross field pass found top scorer Murgatroyd who wasted no time firing in a dipping half volley which the home goalie Watcharaphon Lohlek did brilliantly to tip onto the crossbar.

The big visiting forward was causing no end of problems with his power backed up by speedy colleagues down the flanks. He was on the receiving end of a cowardly disgusting late lunge from Santisuk Phromsri.

The Qons players were naturally incensed. Somehow the ref thought the incident merited a yellow card to both the offender and the offended. It became increasingly apparent that FCB would not be receiving any benefit of the doubt from him. 

The match continued to be fast and of good quality. Bangsaotong’s quick short passing football was a delight to watch. However, they made it 2-0 with a direct free kick from Crispin Francis, who was having a very steady game at left back.

It was nearly 3-0 when Friends’ Nithichon Thapwan misjudged a bouncing ball to allow Wanlop Suwannarat in, but he was denied by another fine Lohlek save. It remained 2-0 until half time as the teams took stock as an astonishing number of mosquitos tucked into the resting flesh. I’m not sure I had ever been anywhere with so many.

 

Both teams stuck to their guns after the break. FCB constructed a move including plenty of individual skill which would have been a contender for goal of the season had it not broken down just as the final shot was about to be released.

Friends came close to halving the deficit when Aphidej Sang-am saw a curling effort just clear the far top corner. Mather and his defence were generally looking safe but the shot was a reminder that the game was still in the balance.

But any doubts were put to bed, when yet another great move released Kwankua who closed low and hard for Murgatroyd to finish at the back post. It was another goal of the highest quality.

Apichai Kopimpa was also having a fantastic game down the right linking up with Kwankua. The diminutive number 14 who was linked with a move to a Thai League 3 club was brought down in the box from behind by another awful foul.

Unbelievably the referee looked as though he was going to award a free kick outside the area. No card was shown to the offender. Murgatroyd showed no mercy and put away the penalty to make it 4-0.

FCB were close to going nap when a fine diagonal ball put in Suwannarat, but he saw his lob over the advancing keeper go wide. Despite employing some very basic strongarm tactics, Friends were a decent team who continued trying to attack until the very end.

They grabbed a consolation when Phapiti Wangchai, who had been impressive all evening, bent a free kick over the wall into the bottom corner past the Qons sub keeper Pathomporn Uttama.

Friends continued to press with sub, Joseph Amenyo heading against the bar with the follow up being blocked by a defender in the last action of the game. Amenyo obviously feeling confident exchanged Line details with the female fourth official at full time.

It was time for a beer, and the venue was very fair in selling large bottles for THB 75. While relaxing it transpired that an FCB player had worn a different set of numbered shorts to his shirt and that the home club may complain the league, which left a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.

Crispin kindly got their team driver to drop me on the main road so I could head back to Minburi by taxi in time for food, drinks and camaraderie.

Remarkably the Bangkok Premier League decided that the accidental error made by FCB skipper Adam Mather was so horrendous and match changing, that they awarded a 2-0 win to Friends FC a few days later and gave them the three points. It is best that I make no further comment.