The Bangkok Casuals League is a football competition staged in the Thai capital, boasting a long history with clubs consisting of amateur expat players from around the globe.
My matches
at Patana International School
Japan All Stars 1 Siam Celtic 2 (Saturday 12th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c10)
I was struggling to find some live action when Jamie Clarke, a locally based coach, pointed me in the direction of the AFL Bangkok Casuals League, an amateur competition played between 10 expat clubs. The league admin on Facebook was most helpful in giving me details, so I headed towards Bang Na.
All Saturday games were being played on the three perfectly kept pitches at the Sports Complex of Patana School, which I reached by bus, BTS Skytrain and then a 40-minute stroll in searing heat. Proof of a negative ATK test was required to gain access.
A rugby game had just finished on the multi-lined pitch in front of the changing block and stand between Southerners Vets and Bangkok Bangers. I continued to the far pitch, which thankfully had some shade for my game.
I chose the Celtic game as it featured Leon Nelson, a former Hillingdon Borough striker whom I enjoyed watching. Another former Northern League player and pal, Lee Hall, was playing at the back for them.
It was nice to be recognised and made welcome. It was also good to see a decent standard of football. The Japanese took the lead before the hoops equalised with a screamer of a free kick in the afternoon heat.
The competitively played match was settled by Nelson in the second half, who lost his marker to let rip with a beauty that gave the keeper no chance. Celtic then saw out the game in a most professional fashion as they retained possession.
After the game, I continued along the vibrant Lasalle Road, where it was sad to see people selling off their possessions to survive. COVID had really hammered Thailand’s working class, who relied on tourism and its knock-on effects.
I caught a couple of buses home to enjoy an evening of football, Test cricket and 6 Nations rugby with the Scarborough Athletic v Stafford Rangers commentary on in the background.
at Phetburi Field
German All Stars 8 Panthers FC 1 (Tuesday 15th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c15)
Another venture offered the bonus of rare Tuesday night football. Wednesday is very much the midweek night in Thailand. There was certainly a lot worse way to get to a game than the Saen Seap Khlong Ferry, most of the way following a bus ride and then walking.
The venue was a narrow, small pitch at the Greeny Grass Complex on an excellent hybrid surface at a well-appointed venue in the shadows of the raised Airport Line, close to Ramkhamhaeng station and a mile or so south of Rajamangala National Stadium.
It is a former golf driving range. It had a small deep three-step cover in one corner and another behind the other goal, with the pitch surrounded by high netting. With it being a multi-use facility, the sort of place I’d have dreamed of growing up, the game kicked off at 8.15 after touch rugby had finished.
The pitch was booked for 90-minute slots, meaning they sensibly play 40 minutes each way to allow for stoppages and a shortened half-time. In the early stages, I expected a massive hammering.
The German side had several rolling subs available, while Panthers had just one. As well as a lesser mobile side, including a goalie who was prone to flapping at anything. A couple of their bigger lads weren’t shy of putting their foot in.
It was akin to a World Cup qualifier. All Stars quickly went 3-0 up. The first was tapped home by 35 after a couple of minutes following a goalkeeping error. Panthers then missed a one-on-one opportunity to equalise.
GAS 40, sporting an afro haircut, was a skilful operator who doubled the lead with a lob. The player wearing 9 for the Germans made it 3-0 with a shot across the keeper, who should have done better.
Panthers tried to play football by the seat of their pants and grabbed one back as the skipper in the 10 shirt put into an empty net after intercepting a pass. It was too much for the German keeper, whose fault the goal was. At the interval, he had a proper strop and didn’t reappear.
The coach also made me laugh, launching into a tirade at the ref for not playing long enough. Fitness and quality proved a massive advantage in the second half as the Panthers players quickly fatigued. Goals from 71, 40 and 7 made the score 6-1 with twenty-two minutes still on the clock.
Numbers 9 and 36, with a back post diving header back across the goal that went in off the post, rounded off the scoring. 8-1 was being generous to Panthers, with the small pitch no doubt coming to their aid.
With a better custodian, it might have been a bit tighter. The star German player for me was the young fella on the right sporting an Afro by the name of Colin. A very accomplished ball player who kept possession for his side. The sort I hated playing against.
I returned home by two buses to complete a cheap night out, what with free admission. I spent some of the savings on a Coke and ice cream floater. How nice that was in early March at 11.30pm.
at Playmaker FC
Phoenix FC 4 Les Gaulois 2 (Wednesday 16th March 2022) AFL Bangkok Casuals League (att: c10)
The same competition offered another handy filler if there was nothing else happening. And it was free admission! The administrator of the Phoenix Facebook page was most helpful with directions and match details before I set off.
Getting to the Playmaker ground was interesting after a visit to the food court at Fashion Island. I thought I knew the right bus that went close by, which also required a little walk, so I was disappointed when the service I boarded hurtled past the turn off on Nawamin Road.
Using the footbridge, I then got my walk earlier than anticipated before jumping in a taxi for the remainder of the journey, with time marching on. The venue boasted three pitches, with a game in progress on one of them.
My match was on Pitch 3, behind the changing rooms, but with a small open scaffold stand and covered area in the corner, which had an outlet for refreshments. A very tidy little setup, like many I was coming across in local football.
After introducing myself to the Phoenix chaps, one of whom was looking out for my arrival, I was treated to a most entertaining and enjoyable game with plenty of Anglo-Gallic spice thrown in for good measure.
The Englishmen went ahead after eight minutes, when, not for the first time, number 25 broke the French offside trap before continuing to round the keeper and slot home. The large pitch was conducive to open football, which seemed to suit both sides.
The lead was doubled after twenty-six minutes, when the player wearing 94 chased a ball and won it out wide. With the goalie out of position, the attacker scored in an empty net from a difficult angle. The deficit was halved just before the half-hour mark as 99 scored with a speculative lob.
Gaulois broke and missed a good chance to restore parity. It was 3-1 when Phoenix’s 27 scored with a superb solo goal. The second half was a tight affair and extremely competitive. Gaulois had a goal chalked off and was then denied by an excellent save.
The score became 3-2 six minutes after the restart when a fine slide rule pass sent in the French number 9 to slot home. His side was then prevented from levelling by a brave goalkeeping block before Phoenix missed two good chances within sixty seconds.
The game was becoming increasingly stretched with chances aplenty, prior to the man in the 10 shirt putting the result beyond doubt with a fine effort for Phoenix. Both sets of players looked absolutely spent at full-time.
I’d thoroughly enjoyed the match, before I took part in exercise of my own as I walked the mile or so up Ram Intra 14 to catch the 26 bus back to base.
