Hua Hin City FC

[Big Boy]

Highlights from last Saturday's game:

[Big Boy]

Time to wash my mouth out. I've just seen the starting line up for last Saturday - the old squad were playing

[Davy B]

Big Boy, don`t get too carried away with beating Tavistock 5-1. They are not exactly top class opposition, are they? Anyway, I believe we have a home game on Saturday and you have to rally the troops!!! Are we still in any cup competitions or are we now concentrating on the League?

[Big Boy]

Tavistock is a good scalp straight after the break

Yes, this Saturday is Vana Nava Hua Hin City vs Futera Seeker
K.O. 4pm
Venue: Fort Thanarat, Pranburi
Unfortunately, I can't go because I have to suffer Bangkok this weekend

I'm not sure what's happening with the cup. Our cup game was cancelled, but I don't know which team forfeited the match.

[Davy B]

I am happy with a 3-0 win but it should have been a load more. Brilliant first 20 minutes today and then they took the foot off the pedal when we should have racked up a healthy goal difference. It was more like it today at least for the first half. We lost some of the shape in the second half after Lampty went off injured. He really does give the team a solid base to work from. It got a bit panicky with some wayward passes when a nice little 5 yard pass would have been a better option. The coach made substitutions - but they were forced on him and the Cheerleaders had two megaphones instead of the usual one and there was a spare one for the "extra vocal supporter" who seemed to get drowned out by the drums. All in all it was a good day at the office. By the way Anucha`s finish for the third goal was stunning!!

[Big Boy]

Thanks Davy B, I'm just back on the forum after being away for a couple of days, although I did find the result at 5 this morning

[Big Boy]

Sorry it's late, but life has been hectic for a few days. Photos from last Saturday's match can be viewed here:

[Big Boy]

Latest league table:

[Big Boy]

This Saturday's fixture Looktabfah Pathum Thani FC vs Vana Nava Hua Hin City @ 18:00hrs

[Big Boy]

Looktabfah Pathum Thani FC 1 - 1 Vana Nava Hua Hin City

A very bad tempered game, marred by some very dubious refereeing. which Hua Hin were very unlucky to lose 2 valuable promotion points. Hua Hin were without IMHO 2 of their key players, Anucha and Lampty. Stephens did an excellent job stepping into Lampty's shoes, and take my Man of the Match.

Hua Hin played 5 in midfield, and Looktabfah had very little answer. The goal came mid way through the first half after a lovely ball by Theerawat was converted by Yongsak. Despite hitting the woodwork, and missing several other chances Hua Hin went in at half time with just a 1 goal advantage.

The second half started much the same, but 15 minutes in, the heavens opened. They were suddenly playing (paddling) in several inches of water. Hua Hin kept trying, but it seemed every attack was twarted by the ball stopping on the lake before reaching its target. Looktabfah definitely adapted to the conditions much better.

Looktabfah had a goal disallowed for offside, and then came the craziest incident I've seen for a long time. There was a bit of a penalty area scuffle, and when somebody did an overhead kick to clear the ball, a Looktabfah player dived to the ground holding his head. I'm hoping there is a video produced so that I can see it again. I'm not denying it was probably dangerous play, but the referee awarded a penalty.

The referee and his linesmen had been making outrageous decisions all night, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. The Hua Hin team realised they couldn't beat 15 men, so they just made their way to the awaiting bus. The referee and his 3 assistants stood on a lonely pitch, with very heavy rain falling on them. The ball was sat on the penalty spot.

After about 15 minutes, somebody had persuaded the Hua Hin team to play out the rest of this farce, and the game resumed with Looktabfah converting the penalty.

The game ended at 1 - 1, but the referee and his team certainly take the headlines.

Next Sunday @ 16:00 hours is the not to be missed top of the table clash with Muankan at Fort Thanarat.

[dozer]

I heard from a few guys that were there last night that it had turned into a farce, but good to get a more precise match report, thanks.

[lomuamart]

I have thought about this support. I was never into watching live football in the UK however I did have the trial of watching Peterborough a few times. Even Man U at Filbert Street - Leicester.
A lot of my friends were Millwall supporters in London . I saw them take their daughters to the home games and come back to the pub pretty disappointed at 6pm ish.
Maybe, I'll see a HH game some time.
It would make a different day

[Big Boy]

The Away Supporter Experience as a Farang

Having had to miss last week's home match because of conflicting interests in Bangkok, I needed my fix of live football. My son's girlfriend said that she could get me on the supporters coach travelling to watch Looktabfah (wherever that was).

I asked her to get 3 seats, 1 for a friend and 1 for my wife. I am very wary of doing Thai experiences alone for the first time. I usually take my wife in case there have been any misunderstandings - she was needed briefly.

We received confirmation that we were on the bus on Wednesday. The confirmation came with a bit of a warning - the supporter's bus wasn't very swish, in fact it was described as being the same as the orange bus that does the Hua Hin/Pranburi run. This gave me second thoughts, but I needed my fix - what the hell, let's do it.

I was told to be at the clock tower at 1pm. We caught a tuk-tuk to the clock tower, but my wife told the driver where we were going, and he dropped us inside the temple (close, but without the tuk tuk driver's knowledge, we would probably have missed the bus). This is exactly the kind of thing I take Mrs BB, who incidentally hates football, for. She'd earned her fare already

When we got there, there was another Farang lady (who I'd seen in the crowd at Fort Thanarat) waiting for the bus. She asked if we were waiting for the bus (I think the shirts and hats gave us away), and we said yes, so our tuk-tuk driver was right.

One of my main worries was acceptance by the Thais with our incursion into what is primarily their territory. Those worries were dispelled when a pick-up carrying the club's drums arrived with 2 young Thai lads in the back. They had no idea who we were, but they greeted us nicely with wai's - this politeness continued by all throughout the trip. We were made to feel very welcome.

So we were waiting patiently for our horrendous chariot to arrive (my imagination was working overtime). Then into the temple car park pulls a mini-bus. The driver got out, and told us to get on board. I stopped my wife from boarding telling her that the driver was mistaken, I mean, how would they fit all of the travelling support into a mini-bus with 2 huge drums as well?

Sure enough, the 2 young (11 years old) lads started to load the drums. I looked around, and realised the only people there were our party of 3, the Farang lady, 2 young lads and 2 other Thais. So 8 people and 2 drums. I wasn't arguing because this bus was quite roomy, and more importantly had aircon.

Our chariot for the trip

NB: I later found out that the 'orange' bus had been cancelled, and mini-buses will be used in future because they are cheaper - suited me fine.

The 3 Farangs were made to sit in the middle row. I don't know if this was for weight distribution reasons, but if nothing else, it gave us the opportunity to chat. We still had a couple of empty seats, so I was expecting a couple of pick-ups en-route, but that didn't happen.

The journey, with one 10 minute rest break was uneventful. It turned out that the Looktabfah football ground was situated inside the RTAF Base immediately North of Don Muang Airport.

The ground is primarily the home of Premiership Team Air Force United, but Looktabfah are their feeder team, and share the same facilities.

The stadium

The stadium

The stadium

We got out of the bus, and were directed to Gate C. It soon became clear that we were being pushed out to the uncovered side of the stadium. We did as we were told, and plonked our backsides on the concrete terracing. A lovely stadium, but why were we shoved into a small exposed corner, right under the flight path to Don Muang ( I guess the planes were only 100 feet above us here, and provided an excellent sideshow).

Panoramic of the stadium

We did feel a bit exposed in the uncovered section, but a couple of hundred squaddies were marched in at the other end of the stadium and ordered to support Looktabfah, so they were just as exposed, but were they just cannon fodder to the elements? It was a nice evening, so maybe our worries were unfounded.

Just before kick off time, we were joined by another bus load of supporters. It seems that the second bus took a different route, picking up supporters on the way.

Match time was nearing, and people were appearing in the covered seating - I can only imagine that the luxury of cover was reserved for RTAF officers.

The covered seating

The match got underway, and everybody was having a good time, and Hua Hin went in 1 - 0 up at half time.

At half time, we found out that the trip included food. A take-away Pad Kapow Moo was handed to everybody that wanted one. Having not eaten for over 7 hours, I gratefully accepted. It was a huge portion that I tried to do justice to.

The second half started, and we were treated to a lovely cooling breeze............... wait a minute, this is Thailand, and a cooling breeze usually means rain. To late! The heavens opened, and I really mean opened. The only cover meant not being able to watch the match. Although we all ran for cover, I soon decided that I wasn't spending 6 hours in a mini-bus, not to see the football. After about 2 minutes of exile, I returned to the terraces, much to the bemusement of my wife. I was absolutely soaked.

The match ended a disappointing 1 - 1, and it was back to the bus. Despite pleas to the driver to switch the aircon off, it stayed on. Aircon and wet clothes is not a good combination. I was very grateful for the rest stop, where I had a hot coffee.

We returned to Hua Hin at 23:15.

It had been an excellent trip, and I will go to more.

If there are any other expats out there who would like to sample an away trip, drop me a PM, and I will try to arrange passage.

[kendo]

Nice report Big Boy I will be up for a few games home or away in the new year as you now I have both shirts.

Kendo.

[Davy B]

Damn!! Another 2 points dropped. But by the sound of it we have to be grateful for small mercies. The stadium looks the part but is wide open to the deluge you all suffered yesterday. I remember from my younger days following Heart of Midlothian , home and away, that away trips have to be arranged well in advance but at least we knew exactly where we were travelling to - unless it was Scottish Cup tie. It sounds a bit hit and miss and will possibly require more research, but certainly travelling by minibus rather than an old jallopy gives me some cause for optimism. Do you have a chance to some sightseeing or a walkabout before the game or is purely for the match?