Maejo United

 

Maejo United FC is a professional football club that represents Maejo University, in the Thai northern city of Chiang Mai that was formed in 2016. The team was awarded a place in the then non-league Division 3 North, where they finished top of Group C before losing out in the play-off rounds.

That competition had been a forerunner to the Thailand Amateur League, in which Maejo competed in 2017, and then 2018 when ‘The Cowboy’ finished top with Sarawut Wongchai leading the scoring, to win a place in Thai League 4 Northern Region.

 

The goals of Kritsada Tapingyot helped United to third place, prior to the national system being realigned to fit the European calendar and lose a tier. Maejo ended 2020-21, disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, as runners-up under head coach Jaturong Tosuwan as Wichaya Pornpresart top scored.

Defeat in the play-offs to Phitsanulok ended hopes of promotion, with the 2021-22 campaign also seeing a near miss as the goals of Ronnachai Pongputta helped his team to third place. Maejo moved from the traditional home on the university campus to play at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna at the start of the 2022-23 season. 

Jaturong Tosuwan was put in charge of the team at the start of the 2022-23 season, which saw the team return to their base from Doi Saket after the midway break. They ended in seventh spot before a huge improvement in 2023-24 thanks to the continual goals provided by Thongchai Oampornwiman.

Chalongchai Leelahacheewa was appointed as head coach, taking his charges to the runners-up place in the North region, before Maejo came unstuck in the playoffs. The 2024-25 season saw another return to Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna to play home games. 

Maejo United will play in Thai League 3 North in the 2024-25 season

My visit

Maejo United 0 Wat Bot City 0 (Saturday 26th February 2022) Thai League 3 Northern Region (att: 180) 

This fixture fell perfectly for me as I found myself in Chiang Mai for a long weekend where I was assisting in staging a junior cricket event on the following day. I sorted a taxi through Bolt from the Gymkhana Club ground after a couple of beers for an easy ride to the university.

I alighted soon at the campus earlier than I intended and was immediately impressed with the excellent facilities. It was like all academic grounds I’d wandered through to football stadiums; immaculately maintained and modern.

 

It was a bit of a hike on a warm afternoon, but I easily located the excellent venue, which had a covered stand, mirrored by an open one opposite, which wasn’t required for today’s fixture. Open terracing hugged the south curve of the track.

Admission was free, which was a nice bonus. The helpful young staff tried to sell me a team shirt. I really did like the white version, but unfortunately, they had sold out in my size, as prices had dropped to get rid of stock before the season’s end.

However, this turned out to be a really hard watch after a great game the previous night between Lamphun Warriors and Chiangmai as the hosts, desperately looked for a win, struggled against niggly and resolute opponents.

A win could have propelled them into the play-off Champions League rounds if rivals Phitsanulok failed to beat lowly Norther Tak United in their corresponding home game kicking off at the same time.

 

Wat Bot City, also from Phitsanulok, who would later become known as Phitsanulok Unity FC did their neighbours a favour with a dogged display bordering at times on the dark arts, eventually having their skipper Naris Klaysub sent off for two yellow cards with over half an hour remaining. Despite this, his side held on relatively easily.

Maejo simply lacked ideas, and when they did get half a sniff of a chance, they saw it snubbed out on a hard pitch. They honestly never looked like breaking the deadlock to the dismay of their aesthetic fan base. 

I could be sure, but the abuse given to an African in the visitor's ranks from adults behind the goal towards the end of the game had me scratching my head as it appeared to upset the player with possible racist undertones. It was not on, and it only made his teammates more stubborn.

I watched the last few minutes from the side of the pitch as I waited for my Bolt taxi, which arrived bang on time and was driven by a very pleasant lady delighted I was visiting her city and giving her trade.

There was time for a shower and catnap at the down-at-heel Top North Guest House before meeting with my friends for a pleasant evening out in town