Linping FC

Linping FC

Ground: APBY Airport Stadium

Capacity: 1,000

Club Founded: 2014

Club Dissolved: 2024

Krung Thep FC and AC Tuttocuoio were the previous names of amateur club Linping FC, which played in Bangkok for ten years before disappearing from the radar.

APBY Stadium

Club Background

The club was founded as Krung Thep FC in 2014, before becoming AC Tuttocuoio, the same name as an Italian club in San Miniato, Pisa province. In what was likely a sponsorship deal, Linping FC was chosen in 2023.

The team established itself in Division 1 of the Bangkok Premier League for several seasons, playing some home games on Port FC's training pitch outside PAT Stadium before making the APBY Airport Stadium on Thanon Hathai Rat their home venue. The club failed to reappear for the 2024-25 season.

My visits

At APBY Airport Stadium

AC Tuttocuoio 0 Harmornious United 4 

Bangkok Premier League Division 1 - Sunday 6th February 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c30 🎟️ Free

Friend Invite

I took another dip into the fifth flight after Oddy, the Harmornious co-ordinator, messaged and invited me along. He had seen my photos from his side's game on Facebook from the previous week, when I had seen his side defeat Phoenix FC 2-1.

APBY Airport Stadium is not near either Bangkok or the airports, which is a bit confusing. I took the local 197 bus and then headed on a four-mile walk along Thanon Hathai Rat. It took me to the excellent venue, which had plentiful cover, seats, and catering facilities.

Quality Venue

Like many local league venues, the pitch was surrounded by high netting, and admission was free. This one had the excellent feature of an open rooftop viewing area offering a fine view of proceedings.

A game from the same division between Ramkhamhaeng University and KNC Safety Glass was taking place on the second pitch. It also had netting and a small, raised, covered stand.

The Match

Harmornious took the lead when a lovely through ball sent their number 10, Komin Samartpattanakit, through on goal, as he finished off the post. He was too strong for the home defenders. He smashed home to double the lead.

The same forward was excellent, setting up a teammate who blasted over the bar. Just before halftime, Komin finished a wonderful passing movement to complete a first-half hat-trick.

Fundi Tresor scored the fourth goal in the second half after Apiwat Nadee released him. The contest was more or less over. Tuttocuoio responded when their Nigerian skipper, Sheriff Adetoyinbo, had a shot blocked and had another half-chance.

In the closing stages, Fitri Hayeloh shot across the face of the goal for Harmornious and then went straight through before squaring to Nadee, whose effort was blocked on the line. The full-time score was about right.

Celebration Time

It had been a good afternoon, as I received a warm welcome. I'd been lucky. Nearly everyone I'd met since relocating seemed to be kind. It was lovely to meet a Facebook friend in the flesh, with several players sending me friend requests after the game.

I was even honoured to be asked to join the United party for the post-match team photo. A taxi home after the game allowed me to grab food and watch the Liverpool game on TV. Another ground tick had been added to my list.

AC Tuttocuoio 3 Prize of Wood 2

Bangkok Premier League Division 1 - Sunday 22nd May 2022

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c10 🎟️ Free

Passion Galore

My pal Steve went with me to this 4pm encounter. We commandeered a taxi from Minburi to the ground. He was most impressed by the venue when we went before, with its local cuisine and coffee shop.

There was certainly no passion missing on the pitch as we took advantage of the upstairs vantage point. Prize of Wood could have gone top if they won this and their game in hand, but they came unstuck against resolute hosts.

The Tuttocuoio goals came from defender Victor Erhahon and Mohammadamin Jafarzadeh, who bagged a brace. Peerapol Chinnarat and defender Phuriwat Nateerat scored for Wood.

The venue was rapidly becoming a favourite of mine, always offering a nice welcome, decent games, and excellent facilities. In this match, we thought things could boil over, but the referee expertly kept matters under control.

We headed back to Minburi, where I had a couple of beers in my favourite local bar before heading home to watch the last round of Premier League games.

Linping FC 6 BP Friends United 2

Bangkok Premier League Division 1 - Sunday 23rd July 2023

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 6 🎟️ Free

Hope Springs Eternal

Joy unbounded as I eventually found a game that went ahead. A fortnight before, I'd turned up to one that was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. A family visit then meant I was busy and football was put on hold. I was rather deflated the previous day, turning up at a game advertised in the Thonburi League, only to find nobody else there.

At least the home club had the courtesy to reply to my message and say that the pitch wasn’t ready. They didn’t bother replying to my suggestion that they let people know before the game in future to avoid annoyance. No big deal, and one of the things you must accept when living in Thailand.

Part of the Day Out

The bar in Minburi mentioned at the end of my previous visit was owned by a lady whom I had since married. Taew was perplexed that I should want to go to amateur games. She shook her head when I headed out with newfound enthusiasm. This time, I took no chances and took a taxi from home 90 minutes before kickoff to confirm that it was on.

I knew there were a couple of options elsewhere. When I arrived, games were being played at the excellent venue available for hire. A player confirmed my match was kicking off at 5pm, so I went for a walk, had a very cheap beer and bought chicken at the Muruay Market, fifteen minutes away.

Surprises Await

That is why I go to all levels of football. There are always new places to explore and to add to the experience of simply watching the ninety minutes of action. I always emphasise this to those wondering whether to make the effort. On my return, it was apparent that the game wouldn’t kick off on time.

I was surprised it would be played on the far pitch, away from the covered facilities, bar and viewing balcony. Fortunately, it still had a small raised covered stand on the halfway line. This was as well. The weather threatened, with thunder and lightning close by. 

Stormy Weather

Fortunately, heavy rain stayed away. It was that time of year in Bangkok, with storms and some ferocious downpours often landing around teatime. The conditions meant parts of the pitch soon churned up in this battle between the bottom two in the top division of the league, which I guess is Step 6 nationally if there were a Thai league pyramid. 

The two divisions below were best decribed as park football with an odd exception. The ironically named visitors were stranded at the bottom of the pile, which didn’t displease me in the slightest.

Inappropriate Team Name

I had become mates with Jamie Clarke, a professional defender for Mansfield, Grimsby, York, Montrose, and Arbroath, among others. He coached FC Bangsaotong, who were neck and neck with Friends. Both sides were going for promotion. FCB defeated them 4-1, and all seemed well when we adjourned to the bar.

That was until the Friends side informed Jamie that they were reporting his club to the league. The number on his skipper's shorts didn't correspond to his shirt. The league awarded Friends a 3-0 win. FCB missed out on the title, though I note they gave their foes a proper thumping on the pitch when they reconvened.

Goals Galore

In this game, Friends at least lived up to their name with abysmal defending, going 3-0 down in no time. Linping had another goal disallowed for offside. The visitors probably did have the best player on display. Warachthadol Supaksinbunphan was miles ahead in pace, thought, and skill.

He grabbed one back before the break. I bought another cheap beer from the bar, resembling the scene from a dodgy 70s club. All went quiet when this stranger entered. Soon, smiles and chat replaced the silence, and all was back to normal. I certainly didn’t fancy being dealt into their card game.

Nice Company

Sheriff Adetoyinbo, the Nigerian playing for the hosts who’d earlier given me the thumbs up about the match, was the star for those in green. His all-action display saw him unluckily see two efforts hit the foot of the post in quick succession.

Under the small cover, I was next to a young American fella and his Thai girlfriend who studied in South London. I wasn’t sure which of the two I felt most sorry for. Then there was a little Thai lad who loved me chatting to him in my basic but improving Thai, and we exchanged high fives when the fifth goal went in. A shame the little sod was wearing a German shirt.

Why I Love Football

The standard wasn’t the best, and the pitch was a quagmire. The rain came down in the muggy heat, but I couldn’t have been happier. Social interaction and lots of smiles, either from those watching, playing or officiating, put me in a fantastic mood. Late goals were exchanged as I made my way around towards the exit. 

More teams were arriving for another match on the main pitch. The venue is ideal for a lazy afternoon and evening, eating and drinking while watching local standard football. I headed home with a couple of meals from the end of the road, and not even the Test Match washout in Manchester on TV could spoil my mood.

At Sitsaman Academy

Linping 2 Prize of Wood 3

Bangkok Premier League Division 1 - Sunday 27th August 2023

👨‍👨‍👧‍👧 c10 🎟️ Free

Confusion Reins

Linping moved this game a couple of miles south from their usual APBY Airport Stadium base to the highly impressive Sitsaman Academy facility. This caused confusion. Three players went to the wrong ground and arrived late. The team had to start the game with ten men despite having a sub goalie waiting for his chance to shine.

Unsurprisingly, the away side led in the thirteenth minute in the battle of two company-owned or sponsored sides. Xekphcn̒ Pho Khao skipped past a desperate lunge from Piyachot Pholdee, rounded keeper Seri Rak Promraj and slotted home.

Match Action

The goalie deflected another Pho Khao effort wide. He then made an astonishing point-blank save from a powerful header from Tanzanian midfielder Michael Mgimwa. Pho Khao again rounded the stopper but skewed wide, before missing another glaring opportunity.

His scattergun approach up front cost his side when Linping levelled things up. Goalie Wanchana Songsi fumbled a low free kick from Thatchawee Suwanpanya, allowing Somnuk Promchan to tap home.

The visitors fielded a second foreigner, the Kiwi Tristan Cooper, while Nigerian Sheriff Adetoyinbo added overseas flair to the home team lineup. Eventually, Pho Khao found the target with the last kick of the first half, making it 2-1 at the interval.

After the break, he continued to waste chances galore. His pace was often too much for the defence, but he dallied too often as he lost confidence. Adetoyinbo forced a good save from Songsi before the away team skipper, Peerapol Chinnarat, reminded his forward how it should be done, going through and finishing neatly.

The otherwise impressive number 15 for Limping missed an opportunity when Songsi, listed as a defender on the website, fumbled, which may have explained his lack of handling prowess. Adetoyinbo grabbed one back with around eight minutes to go, but his side couldn’t claw back an equaliser. 

I’d walked to the ground off Hathai Rat Soi 39 in Bangkok's eastern suburbs, which took around an hour and, on the approach, saw a huge monitor lizard cross the lane up ahead of me. Like most venues at this level, it had high netting surrounding it. Kids’ games took place on the second pitch.

I was home within twenty minutes, catching one of the local small bus services with a few Thai-brewed beers from 7-Eleven to wash down the meal my beloved had prepared.