Vichupa Football Field (Bangkok)

 

Vichupa Football Field is a football venue, primarily located on Soi Ram Intra 46/1, which has five full sized pitches, with another smaller pitch for training and age group football. Teams rent the venue to play for a full season in their respective competitions.

It is also booked for singular needs as a neutral venue for other local football, such as the Bangkok Premier League or Thonburi League. Or sometimes for one off recreational football or staging the matches of professional youth sides.

All the pitches have high netting surrounding them to prevent footballs from disappearing into the wilds or adjoining houses. There are changing facilities provided and each pitch has its own set of floodlights. In all, an excellent set of facilities.

My visits

V 5

Minburi City 3 Pivo V Revolution 0 (Wednesday 19th January) Friendly (att: c25)

An account of my first venture can be read here, for a midweek game under the lights down the road on Soi Amon Wiwat.

V 5

SG FC 0 FC Bangsaotong 0 (Sunday 6th March 2022) Bangkok Premier League Division 2 (att: c15)

A return to the same venue came when an unexpected opportunity raised its head and can be read about here.

V 3

Siam FC 3 Kasem Bundit University 0 (Sunday 12^th February 2023) Thonburi League Champions League semi-final (att: c15)

 

My football adventures were less intense in 2023, usually meaning that I headed to one game a week and looked forward to it, rather than packing in some games when on reflection it had sometimes been a box-ticking exercise.

However, I still loved visiting new venues whenever possible. Muang Thong United v Buriram United was undoubtedly the best game in Bangkok all weekend, but a 7pm Sunday kick-off and then the scramble to try and find a taxi deterred me from heading that way.

It was time for me to revisit some local stuff, with a choice of two matches. Linping, formerly AC Tuttocuoio, against Nonthaburi City at Airport Stadium, was one, but the other with jeopardy involved at a venue I’d yet to see a game at won the day, but only just.

I was tired. Life was fantastic and every day was bringing joy, but along with it lots of mind and sometimes leg work. The temperatures were rising, leading to walking being a more exhausting hobby. And I’d had a fantastic Saturday with my beautiful lady looking after two friends from Hull.

 

Another attraction of my selected match was it ignited the excitement of a bus route I’d yet to try and see what I would experience along the way. All was good, apart from the bus didn’t want to appear, meaning that I was close at one stage to reverting to the other game option.

I headed to 7/11 to break a large note, as I realised that I could still go to my first choice, but by taxi. As I came out of the shop, I was greeted with the sight of the lovely air-conditioned bus coming in my direction. There was just enough time to cross the road and frantically wave my arms.

Despite being fifty metres short of the stop, the driver saw my predicament, flashed his lights, and came right up to me. What a good man. The journey was indeed interesting, as we went past a previously undiscovered craft beer bar before I alighted from my 20 Baht ride.

It was a further fifteen minutes amble to the venue, where panic set in on arrival, as no teams were warming up on the show pitch. In the distance, I could see a chap saving shots, and sure enough, the game was being played on V3 pitch, which could well have been the usual home ground of Siam FC.

While not ideal, with spectator facilities not freely available, both covered canopies with seating were being taken up by either side and their close allies. Neutrals weren’t really considered. I sat in the semi-shadow of a floodlight pylon, which worked out perfectly.

It was a sweltering afternoon, the sort you would take shelter from in the shade if watching cricket. Yet, the academy sides of the two professional teams would do battle in temperatures well into the thirties for a place in their league final on a pitch not too long in length. 

The playing surface was immaculate, which allowed for a fast-flowing game, between two sides that I’d enjoyed watching over the previous few months. It was the team of the university that was on top in the early exchanges, as their 23 was clean through but dragged wide from a great position.

At the other end, the Siam 19 showed great footwork to round the Bundit keeper but put wide with the goal gaping. At this point, I should mention the intervention of who I adjudged to be the man of the match.

 

The sound of the bell being rung by a fella on a motorcycle with a small frame attached was music to my ears. I thought that 40 Baht for a tub of ice cream was a little on the expensive side, but it was plentiful, cold, and beautiful. In hindsight, I’d have given him a one hundred Baht.

The weather was too much for the players as well, with the referee sensibly splitting each half into three-thirds to allow for lots of water to be taken onboard. Once refreshed Siam’s 19 was soon back in the thrust of the action. 

He had an effort saved by the feet of the Kasem keeper after he beat the offside trap, although I wasn’t so sure myself. One thing I was sure of, was I wasn’t going to volunteer to run the line. Any mistakes by the far-side linesman were totally acceptable.

19 was at it again, once again springing the trap, but this time firing over. However, he was not to be denied as he scored from close range just past the half-hour mark after 20 rolled square to him. The scorer looked too embarrassed to celebrate, acknowledging his earlier misses. 

He would go on to complete his hattrick before the interval, with two more predatory finishes before both sides earned a fully deserved few minutes to recover. I could have done with some water myself, though I was fortunate that the shadows were growing.

After the interval, the students in bright orange came out with the bit between their teeth and threatened to force a comeback. 23 saw an effort scrambled off the line, and then the player wearing 88 in the Siam goal saved a shot from the same Bundit attacker.

The pressure continued as 10 saw his effort go narrowly over the bar. There was more intensity in the second period, with the university side getting stuck in, leading to several feisty exchanges, which I’m not totally convinced the referee handled too well.

Siam defended resolutely and then began to look dangerous on the break. The Bundit keeper pulled off a fine double save in the closing stages, and I decided to walk around ready to make my escape after seeing my app indicate that my bus had departed Minburi.

 

My Yorkshire upbringing was about to kick in and I was immensely proud of myself. The 197 bus route has some new air-conditioned vehicles and cost passengers 20 Baht a ride, like the one I caught to go to the match.

Old ones, with wooden floors, are 8 Baht with the windows down to create cool air. On this occasion, the posh one arrived one minute ahead of the other. I saved myself 12 Baht. Why spend more, has always been my motto and I wasn’t going to change now. 

The thriftiness continued as I used a discount KFC voucher for our tea, some of which we gave to a neighbour, which is one of the reasons I love Thailand. Like England of old with a community spirit.

A wonderful day when all said and done, after I’d earlier shown my lovely lady how to make spaghetti Bolognese, and we relaxed for the evening over a few drinks while I watched a few classic Only Fools and Horses and the Leeds United v Manchester United game. A Super Sunday indeed.