Grakcu Sai Mai United FC
Ground: Grakcu United Stadium
Capacity: 2,000
Club Founded: 2009
Club Dissolved: 2022
The story of Grakcu Sai Mai United follows the pattern of many other football clubs in the Land of Smiles, with several name and location changes before dropping out of the Thai League, before disappearing from the scene.
The club's origins are traced back to Rose Asia Pathum Thani FC. They played their home games at Queen Sirikit's 60th Anniversary Stadium. They joined the newly formed Regional League Central East Division in 2009. Their inaugural season was a disaster as they finished bottom of the table.
In the Bangkok Area division of the Regional League, the team again finished bottom of the pile before changing their name to Thanyaburi Rose Asia United. Another name change followed in 2011 to Thanyaburi United after a Korean national purchased the club.
In the Bangkok Area division of the Regional League, the team again finished bottom of the pile before changing their name to Thanyaburi Rose Asia United. Another name change followed in 2011 to Thanyaburi United after a Korean national purchased the club.
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| Me in my Looktabfah shirt outside the Grand Palace in 2013 |
Form improved as Kwabena Boateng topped the scoring chart. Grakcu were placed in Thai League 4 Bangkok in 2017, finishing one place away from the bottom of the table. The name change to Grakcu Sai Mai United paid dividends a year later, when they moved to the local Grakcu United Stadium.
The team qualified for the promotion playoffs, where any hopes of going up were soon extinguished. Krittanon Thanachotjaroenphon top-scored, before the Egyptian Basam led the way twelve months later.
Grakcu were placed in League 3 Bangkok following Thai League restructuring, with Ghanaian Emmanuel Kwame Akadom leading the scoring charts. In 2021-22, the team, coached by Tewesh Kamonsin, finished bottom of the table and were relegated from Thai League 3.
The club stopped posting online after October 2022. It is thought that the academy continued.
My visits
At Tupatemee Stadium
Grakcu Looktapfah Pathumthani 1 Futera Seeker 1
Grakcu Looktapfah Pathumthani 1 Futera Seeker 1
Thai Regional League Central West - Wednesday 27th March 2013
👨👨👧👧 c200 🎟️ 50 THB (£1.20)
I had a spare day in Bangkok before my friends arrived for the Chiang Mai International Cricket Sixes, and I'd put it aside for my favourite hobby.
I'd already visited several stadiums for photos and to broaden my knowledge before arriving at Tupatemee Stadium well in time for the 5pm kick-off. As with most lower league matches I'd seen in the country.
Amazing Story Awaits
Holiday Adventures
I'd already visited several stadiums for photos and to broaden my knowledge before arriving at Tupatemee Stadium well in time for the 5pm kick-off. As with most lower league matches I'd seen in the country.
Amazing Story Awaits
The car park outside had quite a few fans gathering to use the catering facilities and to look inside the club shop. A gent was making announcements to those outside, and he shook my hand as he saw a curious visitor trying to take it all in.
The fixture intrigued me. I could only realistically stay for the first half, as my main event of the evening was the Premier League clash between Police United and Suphanburi. However, I wanted to see as much as I could because the visitors had an amazing story to tell.
Futera Trading Cards
The fixture intrigued me. I could only realistically stay for the first half, as my main event of the evening was the Premier League clash between Police United and Suphanburi. However, I wanted to see as much as I could because the visitors had an amazing story to tell.
Futera Trading Cards
Futera Seeker FC, owned by Futera, the card trading company, joined the Thai Regional League for the start of the 2013 season after trialling their project on a team in a London league. They became the first professional football club interactively managed live by an international Online Community. I wanted to find out more.
As I stood outside the Main Stand with a drink, I met Mark Watson, one of Futera's project managers. After a brief chat, he invited me into the press area once the game was underway.
Several members of the Air Force marched by and chanted as if on parade inside the stand. I paid my admission fee, had my hand stamped and went inside to take my seat in the only covered area.
More details about Tupatemee Stadium can also be read on the Air Force United page. After the usual handshakes and the King's Anthem, the game kicked off a few minutes late, which I found to be the norm in the Land of Smiles.
The servicemen chanted, with a leader taking them through songs, while the vocalists read from the song sheets. The temperature was in the late thirties, and the pitch appeared bobbly, so I didn't expect a classic.
Both sides had an African import in their starting elevens. Tapfah's number five wasted the best early chance volleying over from a corner. A poor back pass let in the Seeker centre forward, but the home keeper got his teammate out of strife with a fine save. The same forward, the best on show, had a good run and shot, which went just wide.
I laughed as a local slugged away on his whisky. His wife watched the action. Tapfah almost took the lead, but their number thirteen hit the outside of the post from a narrow angle. I was getting right into the action, but wanted to learn more.
As I stood outside the Main Stand with a drink, I met Mark Watson, one of Futera's project managers. After a brief chat, he invited me into the press area once the game was underway.
Stadium Ambience
More details about Tupatemee Stadium can also be read on the Air Force United page. After the usual handshakes and the King's Anthem, the game kicked off a few minutes late, which I found to be the norm in the Land of Smiles.
The Match
Both sides had an African import in their starting elevens. Tapfah's number five wasted the best early chance volleying over from a corner. A poor back pass let in the Seeker centre forward, but the home keeper got his teammate out of strife with a fine save. The same forward, the best on show, had a good run and shot, which went just wide.
Seeing is Believing
I accepted Mark's offer with around half an hour on the clock, hoping that the Futera system would be in full flow. I must admit I rubbed my eyes in case I was seeing things. A cameraman filmed the game live so worldwide subscribers could watch. Commentary was provided in Thai and English.
Someone sitting in his bedroom on a Wednesday morning in England could determine a game on the other side of the world. I found that frightening. Not least the potential betting implications. Or knowing just how clueless some so-called experts could be.
Staggering Experience
Mark was on his laptop, fielding suggestions from subscribers who could vote on things like tactics, formation, playing style, substitutions, and other decisions. He passed on their instructions to the coaches, who told the players on the pitch.
What Could Go Wrong?
As the game continued, the most popular suggestions were sent by walkie-talkie to an interpreter. He passed on the info to the Thai coach. I was absolutely staggered. So many things could go wrong. Apparently, the coach was happy with the situation and understood it when he accepted the role.
Up to 400 subscribers were enjoying the experience, which I thought was remarkable. It was certainly a way to engineer involvement in a football club. In fairness, the team were playing quite well on the pitch, but it looked like a nightmare waiting to happen to me.
At Grackcu United Stadium
Grakcu Sai Mai United 1 Nonthaburi United S Boonmeerit 2
Grakcu Sai Mai United 1 Nonthaburi United S Boonmeerit 2
Thai League 3 Bangkok - Wednesday 22nd December 2021
👨👨👧👧 c50 🎟️ 50 THB (£1.20)
Immigration Adventures
Immigration Adventures
I visited Grakcu in their new home a few weeks after relocating to Minburi, Bangkok. I was already getting out and about, watching football after making valuable contacts.
This Wednesday afternoon fixture fitted in perfectly. I needed to extend my 30-day tourist visa by a month on the same side of the city. I eventually found the huge Immigration centre at Chaeng Wattana. I was redirected to a temporary office next to the Thunderdome home of Muang Thong United.
Pre-Match Shenanigans
This Wednesday afternoon fixture fitted in perfectly. I needed to extend my 30-day tourist visa by a month on the same side of the city. I eventually found the huge Immigration centre at Chaeng Wattana. I was redirected to a temporary office next to the Thunderdome home of Muang Thong United.
Pre-Match Shenanigans
I’d had a hassle with my bank back home, which had stopped card payments. I arrived at the Muang Thong Thani office just as they were adjourning for lunch, a reminder of how things used to work in simpler, more civilised times.
I made sure I was first in the queue when they returned and felt confident I’d reach the match by public transport. My naivety and lack of local pronunciation were to put an end to that. A taxi driver assisted, helped by my Google Maps App. The ground really would be difficult to find without the App.
Discovering Sai Mai
I made sure I was first in the queue when they returned and felt confident I’d reach the match by public transport. My naivety and lack of local pronunciation were to put an end to that. A taxi driver assisted, helped by my Google Maps App. The ground really would be difficult to find without the App.
Discovering Sai Mai
It’s in a narrow road community, a couple of miles from the nearest main road. However, the ride only cost the equivalent of a couple of quid, and I arrived ten minutes before kick-off. All good. I had time to pop into the convenience store across the road from the ground for provisions before paying for my ticket and taking a few snaps.
Grackcu United Stadium was no thing of beauty, but it was homely. I’m not sure the floodlights were up to scratch for League 3 football. I guess they’re not alone in that department, and that’s why games generally kick off in the afternoon.
Making Friends
Grackcu United Stadium was no thing of beauty, but it was homely. I’m not sure the floodlights were up to scratch for League 3 football. I guess they’re not alone in that department, and that’s why games generally kick off in the afternoon.
Making Friends
It consisted of covered enclosures on either side of a double-decker building with facilities for players, officials and media. A high net surrounded the pitch.
I took a place at the back of one of the covered areas with a steep rake for sitting, where I met an Irish fella from Dublin called Adam, who enjoyed this division’s football for its affordability and entertainment. We had a good chat throughout the game.
Funky Moped
I took a place at the back of one of the covered areas with a steep rake for sitting, where I met an Irish fella from Dublin called Adam, who enjoyed this division’s football for its affordability and entertainment. We had a good chat throughout the game.
Funky Moped
He, too, was trying to live like a local to integrate and save money. It certainly beat working on the tube as far as I was concerned. He was a proper connoisseur of this division, and he recognised me from the previous Sunday’s game at Nonthaburi.
Adam encouraged me to buy a moped to get to games. Those who know my clumsiness would readily disagree unless they were connoisseurs of dark comedy. His knowledge of the finer points was impressive. I go more for light entertainment.
The Match
Adam encouraged me to buy a moped to get to games. Those who know my clumsiness would readily disagree unless they were connoisseurs of dark comedy. His knowledge of the finer points was impressive. I go more for light entertainment.
The Match
Out on the pitch, we saw a reasonable game, at least in my eyes. My new friend did not rate the visitor's head coach, Abdoul Coulibaly, who he said didn’t coach at all. I must admit that he was found wanting in his previous game when Nonthaburi gave up a two-goal lead.
A change from Nonthaburi’s previous game was that their Brazilian star Lima played a little deeper. He set up Moussa Abakar to score in the sixteenth and thirty-fourth minutes, putting his side 2-0 up.
The visitors were missing their commanding centre back, Sajja Sangsuwan. It would nearly cost them their advantage for the second game running. His replacement, Wakhim Churat, was ponderous. The Grakcu players quickly worked him out.
They fought their way back, cheered on by a gaggle of locals drinking beer under a canopy beyond the netting behind the goal. A couple of efforts came close, while their defence caught the away side offside on several occasions.
Grakcu reduced the deficit five minutes before the break. Sattanan Pomsaard scored after keeper Nattapon Meesaeng had saved an initial shot. The pressure continued. One can imagine the halftime whistle was a relief to the Nonthaburi contingent.
The hosts pressed for an equaliser after the resumption. For a time, it looked like it was coming, but Nonthaburi held firm. Padungsak Phothinak had a fine game. Woraphot Somsang hit the post as they looked to extend their lead.
We agreed in the stand that it should have been 3-1. It looked a poor decision when Jetsada Batchari's goal was disallowed. As it happens, his side deservedly saw out the game to take all three points.
A change from Nonthaburi’s previous game was that their Brazilian star Lima played a little deeper. He set up Moussa Abakar to score in the sixteenth and thirty-fourth minutes, putting his side 2-0 up.
The visitors were missing their commanding centre back, Sajja Sangsuwan. It would nearly cost them their advantage for the second game running. His replacement, Wakhim Churat, was ponderous. The Grakcu players quickly worked him out.
They fought their way back, cheered on by a gaggle of locals drinking beer under a canopy beyond the netting behind the goal. A couple of efforts came close, while their defence caught the away side offside on several occasions.
Grakcu reduced the deficit five minutes before the break. Sattanan Pomsaard scored after keeper Nattapon Meesaeng had saved an initial shot. The pressure continued. One can imagine the halftime whistle was a relief to the Nonthaburi contingent.
The hosts pressed for an equaliser after the resumption. For a time, it looked like it was coming, but Nonthaburi held firm. Padungsak Phothinak had a fine game. Woraphot Somsang hit the post as they looked to extend their lead.
We agreed in the stand that it should have been 3-1. It looked a poor decision when Jetsada Batchari's goal was disallowed. As it happens, his side deservedly saw out the game to take all three points.
Adam said goodbye and headed off on his scooter. I had my own plans after watching as I travelled to the game. I waited at the top of the lane. Before long, a songthaew turned up.
Local Transport
I wasn’t sure of its destination, but I knew it was towards the main road and buses. A local saw I was confused and said, “to BTS”.
A kind lady helped me, pointing out BTS when we neared Saphan Mai station. Now that I knew how everything worked, I wouldn’t mind repeating the journey. It’s strange how much different and easier things are in real life.
The Green Line extension was free at the time to encourage new passengers to try it, which was a bonus. With the 26 bus home from Wat Phra Sri Mahathat, my return journey cost just 29 THB. A grand and cheap day out. Just the sort I enjoy!
A kind lady helped me, pointing out BTS when we neared Saphan Mai station. Now that I knew how everything worked, I wouldn’t mind repeating the journey. It’s strange how much different and easier things are in real life.
The Green Line extension was free at the time to encourage new passengers to try it, which was a bonus. With the 26 bus home from Wat Phra Sri Mahathat, my return journey cost just 29 THB. A grand and cheap day out. Just the sort I enjoy!
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