Kanjanapat FC
Ground: Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University Stadium
Capacity: 2,000
Club Founded: 2006
Club Dissolved: 2025
Kanjanapat FC had a history of name changes and locations before Maraleina, the Ko Samui sports resort and academy owners, bought the club. They relocated and then dissolved it following Samui United's promotion to the Thai League system.
Club Origins
Kanjanapat's origins went back to the Department of Science Service FC, based in Sisaket. The club relocated to the capital and changed its title, playing in the FS (Friendly Soccer) League from 2009. They became champions in 2010-11.
From there, the club became Kanjanapat FC, a professional football club, representing the Kanjanapat Group, which traded in the air-conditioning industry. Based at the Stadium of Bangkok University Rangsit Campus, Kanjanapat competed in the Thailand Amateur League in 2019.
Promotion to the Thai League
Uthai Ngamcharoen replaced him, followed by Tewet Kamolsin. The following season, Addison Alves and Alexis Vaiani shared the goals after a move to North Bangkok University Stadium. Yossagorn Silaket led the side for owner and manager Winai Kanjanapat.
I wanted to see Kanjanapat in action for some time. I had been to the Kanjanapat Arena, used by the Bangkok Premier League club Chibuna FC, which was deemed not up to scratch for professional football. Now I had a perfect opportunity with my friends from Germany, Thorsten and Maren, who were visiting Thailand.
Pre-Match
I had predicted an away win before kickoff. It looked like a good call when Saraburi went ahead in four minutes after a slide-rule pass released Natthawut Sukaram to slot home past keeper Sathaporn Yothee.
The second followed three minutes later, helped by shambolic defending as Teerasak Phosrithong and Sitthipong Malai allowed Phadungkiat Artkitkarn to nip to steal the ball and extend the lead.
The hosts had a gargantuan defender, Zady Moise, trying but failing to sort out the mess. They tried to fight back with a decent move between Intouch Yamyindee and Christian Sacchini, but Yamyindee overran the ball, allowing away goalie Patcharaphon Kaewkham to extinguish the danger.
Malai saw a shot deflected just wide as Kanjanapat tried to rally before a cross from star man Phosrithong was nodded down by Aba to Yamyindee, who saw his shot saved. But it wouldn’t be long before the home defence was up to more antics.
This time, Moise and Nuttaphol Boonpun decided to act like strangers and make a proper mess. Wongsakorn Saenluecha pounced, but Yothee tipped his shot onto the bar. The action then switched to the other end in what was a watchable contest.
Kaewkham flicked Phosrithong's free kick onto the bar and over before the same two players drew a shot and save through a crowded area. We had a stretch and paid for some more cartons of drinks before seeing an improved Kanjanapat effort.
Whether this was because they'd Moise would be a harsh call, but they looked livelier, but without really looking like scoring. In fact, the more they pressed, the more gaps they left.
The Warlords came close to benefiting when they broke with sub Chokanan Saima-in, putting through Kim Junhyeon, who timed his run from his own half perfectly but was denied by Yothee, who did his best to keep his side hanging on by their fingernails.
Full-Time Taxi Issues
Nigerian Adebayo Gbadebo was appointed head coach for the 2022-23 campaign following another relocation, this time to Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University Stadium, north of Rangsit.
Maraleina Buyout
Rumours circulated in local football that Kanjanapat wanted to sell its football club license. Maraleina owned academies and wanted to have an adult pro side. They bought Kanjanapat FC and renamed it Huahin Maraleina to relocate it to the seaside city.
Maraleina dropped Huahin from their title and relocated to Phetchaburi Rajabhat University Stadium. They withdrew from the Thai League ahead of the 2025-26 season. They had connections with Samui United FC, who had been promoted to Thai League 3 South.
My visit
Kanjanapat 0 Saraburi United 2
Thai League 3 West - Sunday 6th November 2022
👨👨👧👧 162 🎟️ 50 THB (£1.20)
Groundhopping with Friends
They were having a whale of a time groundhopping, with this fixture fitting in perfectly before we headed to Bangkok United v Lamphun Warriors in the evening. They had seen games in Chiang Mai and then at Kasetsart the previous evening before we met at Yaek Kor Por Aor, the penultimate stop on the BTS skytrain light green line.
Pre-Match
A Bolt taxi soon arrived on a sticky, warm afternoon. It took longer than I thought and cost 240 THB. Because we were early, we asked the driver to drop us outside Valaya Alongkorn Rajabhat University so we could visit the nearby Rong Kluea Market.
Maren and I bought a beer each to take with us to the game. It was quite a walk to the stadium through the academic grounds, meaning our drinks had lost a lot of their cool. The ticket came with a small carton of soft drink, the same as handed out when we went to Police Tero nine days earlier.
The stadium was different from Google Maps. It had a new raised stand and an athletics track. The floodlights were perched on the roofs of the student accommodation outside the arena, which we had never seen before.
Maren and I bought a beer each to take with us to the game. It was quite a walk to the stadium through the academic grounds, meaning our drinks had lost a lot of their cool. The ticket came with a small carton of soft drink, the same as handed out when we went to Police Tero nine days earlier.
The stadium was different from Google Maps. It had a new raised stand and an athletics track. The floodlights were perched on the roofs of the student accommodation outside the arena, which we had never seen before.
The Match
The second followed three minutes later, helped by shambolic defending as Teerasak Phosrithong and Sitthipong Malai allowed Phadungkiat Artkitkarn to nip to steal the ball and extend the lead.
Malai saw a shot deflected just wide as Kanjanapat tried to rally before a cross from star man Phosrithong was nodded down by Aba to Yamyindee, who saw his shot saved. But it wouldn’t be long before the home defence was up to more antics.
This time, Moise and Nuttaphol Boonpun decided to act like strangers and make a proper mess. Wongsakorn Saenluecha pounced, but Yothee tipped his shot onto the bar. The action then switched to the other end in what was a watchable contest.
Kaewkham flicked Phosrithong's free kick onto the bar and over before the same two players drew a shot and save through a crowded area. We had a stretch and paid for some more cartons of drinks before seeing an improved Kanjanapat effort.
Whether this was because they'd Moise would be a harsh call, but they looked livelier, but without really looking like scoring. In fact, the more they pressed, the more gaps they left.
The Warlords came close to benefiting when they broke with sub Chokanan Saima-in, putting through Kim Junhyeon, who timed his run from his own half perfectly but was denied by Yothee, who did his best to keep his side hanging on by their fingernails.
Full-Time Taxi Issues
In the final action, a fine reverse pass by Teerasak Tongkaew set up Red Eagles man Phosrithong, who was once again denied by custodian Kaewkham as the gloom descended in stoppage time.
My gloom also grew when a Bolt driver accepted our fare but then cancelled ten minutes later, with no other pilots available. We set off on the long walk to the main road when someone obviously realised that we were decent folk.
Ambulance to the Rescue
My gloom also grew when a Bolt driver accepted our fare but then cancelled ten minutes later, with no other pilots available. We set off on the long walk to the main road when someone obviously realised that we were decent folk.
Ambulance to the Rescue
Each stadium must have an ambulance on duty on a matchday. The driver told us to jump in the back. He took us to the main road by a footbridge and told us to cross the highway so we had a better chance of a taxi to Thammasat University.
What a wonderful man, who epitomised one of many reasons I loved living in such a wonderful country. It made getting to the game at Bangkok United so much easier.
What a wonderful man, who epitomised one of many reasons I loved living in such a wonderful country. It made getting to the game at Bangkok United so much easier.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Many thanks for your comments. They are greatly appreciated.