Nakhon Ratchasima

 

Nakhon Ratchasima FC is a professional football club that was formed in 1999, who are based in the Thai city of the same name, which is located in the northeastern region of Isaan.

The team began life as a club in the third-tier Provincial League playing at Nakhon Ratchasima Municipal Stadium, where they finished in tenth position for the first two seasons. The league was split into two groups in 2002, with ‘The Swat Cats’ finishing fourth in Group A.

The club gets its nickname in tribute to the small domestic cat of Korat, which is another name for the city. Mid-table finishes were achieved in 2003, 2004 and 2005 before a tenth-place slot in the sixteen-team league of 2006.

Swatcat moved to the nearby town of Pak Chong to play in their Municipal Stadium in 2007 while their regular home was being refurbished as the club gained a place in the second-level Thai Division 1 League. The team was relegated to Group A of the Division 2 league under head coach Man Chantanam, where the team finished in fourth position as the club returned to their home city.

The league was extended for the 2009 season as NRMFC became members of Regional League North Eastern Region as Wichan Chaonsri took over team affairs and the club moved to the new 80th Birthday Stadium on the edge of the city.

The move seemed to be a success as Korat finished as runners-up as well as reaching the quarter final of the FA Cup after a fine run before finally going out to 3-1 away to Thai Port. 2010 saw the side finish the league in fourth place before improving by one place in 2011 with Tewesh Kamolsin in charge of the team.

This was enough to secure a place in the Champions League promotion play-offs in which Nakhon Ratchasima finished top of Group B to secure promotion to Division 1 League as a new head coach Arjhan Srong-ngamsub was appointed.

Promphong Kransumrong topped the scoring charts in 2012 as the team finished eighth in the league and then went on to fifth place in 2013 thanks to the goals of Japanese star Yusuke Kato

The crowds began to flock to the 80th Birthday Stadium in 2014 as Japanese coach Sugao Kambe led Swatcat to the league title after taking over from Ruither Moraira, under the captaincy of Kraikiat Beadtaku as Ivan Bošković banged in the goals.

NRMFC finished eighth in the Thai Premier League of 2015 with German striker Björn Lindemann topping the charts before the Serbian Miloš Joksić arrived as head coach for the 2016 campaign.

Marco Tagbajumi’s goals secured an eleventh-place finish before Swatcat ended the 2017 season in twelfth position as the top flight was retitled. Brazilian forward Paulo Rangel became the locals new favourite before the signing of compatriot Leandro Assumpção replaced him in 2018, as the team ended in seventh position.

Assumpção went on to top the scoring in consecutive seasons before the Thai League reverted to the European calendar in 2020-21. It was a season that heralded change at Swatcat as Dennis Murillo became the latest Brazilian to lead the forward line as the team ended in ninth spot.

That was under the new head coach Teerasak Po-on who replaced his Thai compatriot Chalermwoot Sa-ngapol who had been appointed earlier in 2019. The signing of defender Charlie Clough would prove to be a valuable and popular acquisition as the team ended ninth in 2021-22.

Kwame Karikari scored regularly as Nakhon Ratchasima reached the final of the FA Cup, losing 1-0 to Buriram United after extra time in Pathum Thani with Kevin Blackwell leading the side as head coach. He departed in February 2023 to be replaced by the returning Teerasak.

He failed to help the team avoid relegation but the owners kept faith and were rewarded as Swatcat lifted the Thai League 2 title in 2023-24 with Deyvison Fernandes putting away the goals.

Nakhon Ratchasima FC will play in Thai League 1 in the 2024-25 season.

My visit

Nakhon Ratchasima 0 Police Tero 0 (Friday 22^nd June 2018) Thai League 1 (att: 2,630)

My twelve-day break was in its penultimate day. It had gone far too quickly as I’d had an absolute ball. It was difficult to remember feeling as content for as long a period. The people of Isan and the outskirts of Bangkok had been absolutely superb.

The Thai League had played their part with the fixture schedule, especially with what was my sixth and final game of the tour, moving it for live TV to Friday night. Korat’s opponents were also the perfect choice.

My friends from Scarborough, Sean and Tracy Newby were living in Bangkok and had adopted BEC Tero Sasana as their team when they played near their home in Minburi. The couple had stuck with the club when it merged to become Police Tero.

Both were regulars at home games and several matches on the road. Tracy was busy during the week, but Sean was thankfully making the trip north. It was their help and the kindness of the visiting fans that made attending the match so stress-free.

Sean travelled in a minibus with some fans, who were to kindly give me a ride back to Minburi after the game. This saved me some real logistical headaches as I was to fly back home the following evening.

I’d arrived in Nakhon Ratchasima the previous tea time by bus from Khon Kaen. It reminded a little of Chiang Mai, albeit on a smaller scale with its moat protecting the old town and its remaining walls and gates.

My hotel Sakol Khorat just contained the bare essentials but was fair enough for the price. Absolutely no English was spoken by anyone at the basic reception. I had wanted to see if I could pay a surcharge to keep the room until 4pm the following day as I’d only booked one night.

I reckoned that would make sense, allowing me to sightsee on Friday morning before having a siesta and shower before heading to the game. The communications were never going to work, so instead I booked for an extra night.

Nakhon Ratchasima seemed a pretty place. I was only a couple of minutes' walk from the moat and the ‘Gateway to Isan’, Suranaree Monument along with lots of other historical reminders in Suan Rak Park.

I took a wander at dusk trying to get my bearings before heading to the George and Dragon Pub, where I enjoyed some excellent comfort food and beers while watching the Australia v Denmark World Cup game.

The pub was tidy if lacking frills, but there was something about it I liked. There was a lack of pretence and the young Thai ladies were friendly and pretty without being over the top. I felt comfortable. I decided to try another place a ten-minute walk away with good online reviews.

I noted the following for the Monkey Bar at the time on my Facebook page after my visit;

Chilled music vibes and a nice bar. Unlikely to show the second game. Unfortunately, a bit too cool for school with youngish Americans at the bar vying for membership to the Tall Story Club. “Wow, I had 10 beers & couldn’t remember the next day” They’d better not come to the cricket at North Marine Road!

And that was about right on reflection. I had one beer and headed back, stopping at the excellent Drink UP, which was Thai chic with great background music, a fridge with an excellent selection of bottled beer, a large screen for the football and a live band.

It was here that I got talking to a Finnish fella who asked me for advice on the city. I suggested the George and Dragon next door. After a couple of beers, I joined him as the France v Peru game was in progress.

He was good company and rather keen to get through a bottle of whisky he’d bought and then paid a corkage fee for while buying the bar mixers. He seemed rather keen on Udon Thani before he was due to head to Hua Hin to work on a wildlife project washing elephants, would you believe?

I turned in at midnight, despite the temptation to look for places still open. The next morning, I returned to the pub. Sometimes a proper fry up is very tempting when offered in exotic climes. It certainly worked for me.

A good walk saw me finding many oriental buildings, which were very photogenic. The large Klang Plaza air-conditioned mall was a lifesaver in the sweltering conditions. The massage chairs offered me a brilliant service as I sat there relaxing and watching the world go by.

I reflected on what an amazing trip I’d experienced in several new locations. There was little doubt that I’d be trying to revisit some of them. Maybe as a resident in a place I really loved and felt happy in? After a siesta, I made it a hat trick of appearances at the George and Dragon after checking out of the hotel. 

Khao Tom Moo was an excellent pre-match meal before one of the lovely staff flagged down a tuk-tuk to take me to the stadium. It was a fair old hike to the 80th Birthday Stadium of at least fifteen minutes. The stadium is the centrepiece of a sports complex built for the 2007 Southeast Asian Games. It coincided with the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which is where it got its name.

The complex also had a huge lake; where water skiing was taking place, an aquatic centre, a warm-up track, an indoor hall, a velodrome for cycling, a gym and several tennis courts. It was very impressive with parkland and lots of parking facilities.

Its only fault was that it was the location, which undoubtedly had an effect on attendances, particularly when Swatcat were having a poor run. I knew that the club was well supported as I was impressed with their following at an away game at Krabi way down south.

I was early so had a walk to try and work out where the away fans section would be. Typically, I went to the wrong end! I made my way back round to where some Police Tero fans had already arrived.

They seemed a friendly bunch and I got talking to one gent who seemed intrigued why the big ferang was sat outside the away turnstiles. I explained that I was waiting for a friend. The club had brought their mobile club shop, which is allowed in Thailand.

More and more fans were arriving. I only expected a handful to make the journey. In the end, there must have been pushing around 200. A minibus arrived and parked down the steps from me. Sean got out and introduced me to his new friends.

They were all friendly, but that was no surprise. It was a rarity to find anyone who didn’t smile on the trip. I assisted in helping carry their drums and banners up the steps. Admission was 200 Baht; more than the home fans paid, which was the norm in Thailand.

Sean explained that many Tero fans had travelled from Myanmar to cheer on their favourite player, Aung Thu, who wore the number 10 shirt while on loan from Yadanarbon. My mate was wearing an old original Police shirt that I’d bought several years previously but seriously had overestimated my chances of ever fitting into it!

I dumped my rucksack in the van and bought a Tero mug from the shop. I did laugh when I saw the name on the drum. It’s fair to say I’m not a huge fan of them at games, so the irony wasn’t lost on me.

A plump lady steward enjoyed a laugh as she searched us going in. Our view was behind the goal. The seats were well-raked, but the athletics track surrounding the pitch meant we were quite a way back.

The stadium, like the city, reminded me of Chiang Mai with its continuous rake of seating and a Main Stand with a curved roof covering the VIP areas. The Korat vocal support was divided between behind the goal and down the far side.

Both teams were at the wrong end of the table going into the game, with Tero especially needing points in their relegation scrap. Five teams were to go down at the end of the season, unless of course, the authorities changed their minds!

Nakhon Ratchasima started the better of the sides, but I’d yet to see a home win in my previous five matches. I confidently predicted Tero would leave with at least a point despite having seen the hosts class in their 3-0 League Cup win at Sisaket nine days earlier.

The visitor's keeper Nont Muangngam also made a fine save at the near post to keep out Jakkit Niyomsuk. Aung Thu was certainly a class act for ‘The Silver Shields Dragons’ as he pulled the strings in midfield.

He fizzed over a low free kick that Niran Hansson only just failed to get a decisive touch on, as his own Burmese fan club sang out his name. Muangngam kept out a weak Niyomsuk effort as the game ebbed and flowed.

An Aung Thu corner saw a volleyed effort from French skipper Michaël N'dri strike the outside foot of the post. A long-range shot from Tero’s Santipharp Chan-ngom deflected off home defender Pralong Sawandee and landed just under the bar, forcing Samuel Cunningham to tip over.

A fine Korat move progressed for Ekkachai Rittiphan to set up Leandro Assumpção who took a touch without the ball touching the deck and then volleying against the inside of the post and away.

The whistle blew for half time as I told Sean I was nipping out for a beer. He was most adamant that I wasn’t. He’d arranged for me to go onto the pitch for the traditional halftime presentation between the fans.

I was most nervous as I joined the procession around the track. Sean thought it was hilarious. We got some comments from the stand before we lined up and an exchange of gifts was made as we all posed for photos with sponsors and the mascots.

The Tero match highlights package captured my moment out in front of the fans. I eventually did get my beer, even though it was a far longer walk than I anticipated. The stall was behind the home fans on the far side. The decent-sized away following had caught Korat out who didn’t bother opening anything by our gate.

Leandro missed an absolute sitter when heading wide unmarked on the six-yard line soon after the restart. Shortly after a shot was blocked and found its way to Rittiphan whose effort at the back post was kept out by the body of Muangngam.

At the other end, a fine move almost sent in Police Tero’s Marcos Vinícius who was putting in a tireless shift. Leandro continued to look the most likely to score for Korat as the game became stretched on the beautiful playing surface.

He then set up Nebojša Marinković with a clever cushioned pass, but the Tero stopper was equal to it once again. Leandro had a header go just over the bar after taking a deflection off a defender.

The visitors had moments of their own going forward, most notably when Nikola Petković controlled well and crossed for N'dri who saw his fierce effort superbly kept out by Cunningham.

The Frenchman set up Aung Thu with a beautiful cushioned pass. The diminutive midfielder smashed the ball home, only to be denied by the linesman’s flag. The game ended blank, but I thought it had been decent entertainment.

The Tero fans were certainly happy, as the players came to offer their thanks while standing to attention listening to a rendition of the club song to the tune of ‘I am Sailing’. I really liked the Tero support but they somehow managed to make Rod Stewart sound good; no mean achievement with that song.

We collected the banners and folded everything away, taking the drum stands and instruments down to the bus before heading away. I nodded off before being woken at the services, where a large chicken portion was just what the doctor ordered.

The journey back seemed smooth enough from the bits that I saw before coming around on a Don Muang Tollway. I recognised the road by the Skytrain construction. We then went to Police Tero's Boonyachinda Stadium to drop off the gear and most of our party.

Fortunately, our driver lived in Minburi, so he dropped us off at the bottom of Soi Sam Wa, where a taxi came timely along to take us the rest of the way. It was about 2am when I crashed out at Steve and Fah’s.

It had been a long day to round off a marvellous adventure. I couldn’t have done it in better company, for which I owe Sean and the welcoming Tero fans a favour if ever they are stuck getting to a game over in the UK!