Bangkok United F.C.

True Bangkok United Football Club (Thai: สโมสรฟุตบอลทรู แบงค็อก ยูไนเต็ด) is a professional football club based in Pathum Thani province, Thailand. Known as Bangkok University Football Club until 2009, the club was relegated from the 2010 Thai Premier League only four years after winning their first league title in 2006. In 2012 they were promoted to Thai League 1, after finishing third in the 2012 Thai Division 1 League.

Bangkok United
Full nameTrue Bangkok United Football Club
Nickname(s)แข้งเทพ
(Bangkok Angels)
Short nameBUFC
Founded1988 (1988), as Bangkok University Football Club
2009 (2009), as Bangkok United Football Club
GroundThammasat Stadium
Pathum Thani, Thailand
Capacity25,000
OwnerTrue Corporation
ChairmanKachorn Chiaravanont
Head CoachTotchtawan Sripan
LeagueThai League 1
2022–23Thai League 1, 2nd of 16
WebsiteClub website
Active departments of
Bangkok United
Football (Men's) Football B (Men's) eSports

The club has won 1 Thai League 1 title, 1 Thai League 2 title and 1 Thailand Champions Cup in their history.

History

Origins of the club: "Bangkok University"

The club was originally formed as Bangkok University FC in 1988 as a team for students at Bangkok University's Rangsit Campus in Pathum Thani province, just north of Bangkok, the club have gone from provincial football, and winning university-level titles, to being a professionally run outfit in the top flight in the Thai Premier League.[1]

An era of titles

Bangkok University Shirt with sign of champions squads in 2006

Along the way to the Top flight, they won the Thai Division 1 League in 2003 and even captured the 2006 Thailand Premier League title against the odds, which has also enabled the club to taste life in the AFC Champions League.[2]

The club appeared in the 2007 AFC Champions League but played their home matches in the group stage away from the club's home. The first match on 7 March 2007 against Korea's Chunnam Dragons was played at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Bangkok and the second, on 25 April against Indonesia's Arema Malang, was played at the Thai Army Sports Stadium in Bangkok, where tickets cost 50 baht. Both matches ended 0–0. The third, against Japan's Kawasaki Frontale, was played at the Thai Army Sports Stadium. The team has failed to qualify for the next stage.

Slow down

Bangkok University FC always used the Bangkok University Stadium for domestic competitions until the end of the 2008 Thailand Premier League season. The stadium was based on the Bangkok University's Rangsit Campus and had a capacity of 5,000, currently used by the club as a training ground.

2009 – Development of club's name

Bangkok United in 2015 ahead of the game against Muangthong United

At the start of the 2009 season, the club changed their club name from Bangkok University to Bangkok United with a partnership with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to be in line with the Football Association of Thailand's (FAT) new regulations that all teams in the top flight must be registered as limited companies. They also changed their club nickname to 'Bangkok Angels', and were officially unveiled on 4 March 2009.[3]

Also, with this name change, the club relocated to a new stadium, the Thai-Japanese Stadium which was based further center in Greater Bangkok. The stadium is for multi-use, such as athletics and football and holds a capacity of 10,320. The stadium was also shared by Thai Port F.C. whilst they waited for their stadium to be upgraded. On 31 May 2009, after 5 home matches, the club returned to using Bangkok University Stadium as a home ground again until the renovations of Thai-Japanese Stadium were finished before the start of 2009 season's second leg in August. Bangkok United narrowly escaped relegation in the 2009 Thai Premier League.

2010 – New Owners

For the 2010 Thai Premier League season, United was backed by Thai media company True Corporation. The early season optimism did not last long and the 2010 campaign ended in relegation. The Angels only won two home games all season. Rather surprisingly the two victories were against high-fliers Buriram PEA and Chonburi. Incidentally, both victories were achieved at the Bangkok University Stadium after they switched their home fixtures from the Thai-Japanese Stadium to the university midway through the season.[4]

Return to prominence

Mano created history with the team by claiming 75 points – the club's highest points in a single season.[5]

In the 2015 season, the club move to Thammasat Stadium to pass the assignment of AFC Champions League regulation.[6]

Mano's Bangkok improved on the season before to finish fifth in the Thai Premier League. Since 2015, the club became one of big club in Thailand league. The team under German-Brazilian manager Alexandré Pölking has been widely praised for instilling an energetic, play with a galavanting style of attacking football reaching levels of intensity that are rarely seen in this league.[7]

Entering the 2016 season, The Bangkok Angels ended in second place in the Thai League 1 and created history by claiming 75 points – the club's highest points in a single season. The team missed an opportunity to qualify for the AFC Champions League by failing to beat Johor Darul Ta'zim in the qualifying play-offs match.[8]

One year later, The Bangkok Angels started winning 1–0 against Navy on the opening day. Nevertheless, The team managed to end their season on a high note by finishing third in the Thai League 1 and reaching the 2017 Thai FA Cup Final, losing 4–2 to Chiangrai United. Despite coming third, The club managed to be the league highest scorers with 97 goals from 34 games, making them the most productive team in the division by far and finishing just one short of breaking a record set by Buriram United themselves in 2015. A big contributing factor to this was the goals from attacking duo Dragan Bošković and Mario Gjurovski who netted 50 goals between them.[9]

In the 2018 Thai League 1 season, The team ended in second place with 71 points.[10]

Return to the AFC Champions League

In 2023, after a long 15 years absent, Bangkok United returns to the AFC Champions League group stage being drawn in Group F with Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, Kitchee SC and Lion City Sailors. On 20 September 2023, the club plays its first AFC Champions League match away from home coming back from 1–0 down to eventually winning the game to 1–2 with goals from club captain, Everton and Thitiphan Puangchan at the Jalan Besar Stadium. On 4 October 2023, Bangkok United secured a famous 3–2 home victory against Korean champions, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors taking them to the top of the group with 6 points on matchday 2.

Academy and youth

Bangkok United signed a collaboration agreement with Surasakmontree School[11] and Bangkok Christian College.[12] These agreements resulted in the introduction of young players from these schools joining the first team such as Sasalak Haiprakhon, Sarayut Sompim, Jakkit Wachpirom, Anusith Termmee, Nattawut Suksum, Wisarut Imura, and Guntapon Keereeleang.

Bangkok United operate Youth and Junior Youth teams as part of their academy to nurture local talent under a big project "cp-dreams." (Thai lit. ซีพี สานฝัน...ปันโอกาส).

In 2019, 7 youth players of "cp-dreams." project from Bangkok Christian College were call-ups to Thailand U-12 and they helped Thailand U-12 to finish in third place in U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge football tournament.[13] – beat Tokyo Verdy Junior, 2–0 beat FC Barcelona, 1-0 and beat JFA Training Center Osaka, 2–1.[14]

Affiliated clubs

Bangkok United signed a partnership agreement with J1 League, FC Tokyo in September 2017. There is the deal to work together at developing the academy players, strengthen the bond between two teams in order to improve the over all top team level and creating a new business.[16]

Sponsors and manufacturers

Period Kit manufacturer Thai League kit partners
Shirt (major) Shirt (minor)
2017–2018 Ari True CP All / CP / Allianz / Chia Tai / Toyota / Ziebart / Euro Cake
2018– True / Huawei / Daikin CP All / CP / Smart Heart / Toyota / Ziebart / Euro Cake

Kit history

Thailand Ari (2017–present)
Football kit
2016
Football kit
2017
Football kit
2018
2019

Stadium

Thammasat Stadium

Thammasat Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in the city of Rangsit, Pathum Thani, Thailand. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium holds 25,000. It is on Thammasat University's Rangsit campus. It is located close to Bangkok.

It was built for the 1998 Asian Games by construction firm Christiani and Nielsen, the same company that constructed the Democracy Monument in Bangkok.

Its appearance is that of a scaled down version of Rajamangala Stadium. The tribunes form a continuous ring which are quite low behind each goal but rise up on each side. Unlike Rajamangala though, Thammasat has a roof covering both side tribunes. Most striking about this stadium are the floodlights. Thai architects usually favour concrete pylons but these are the steel variety. As viewed from the exterior of the stadium the base of each pylon seems to grip the outside of the stadium and they dramatically lean over the tribunes so as to better illuminate the playing area.

Stadium and locations

Coordinates Location Stadium Year
14°02′19″N 100°36′08″E Pathum Thani Bangkok University Stadium (Rangsit) 2007–2008
13°46′00″N 100°33′10″E Bangkok Thai-Japanese Stadium 2009–2015
14°04′04″N 100°35′55″E Pathum Thani Thammasat Stadium 2016–present

Season by season record

Season League[17] FA Cup League Cup ACL Top scorer
Division P W D L F A GD Pts Pos. Name Goals
2002–03 Division 1 (2) 22 13 8 1 42 10 32 47 1st
2003–04 Premier League (1) 18 9 4 5 26 22 4 31 4th
2004–05 18 5 7 6 16 21 −5 22 7th
2006 22 11 6 5 25 17 8 39 1st Ubon Kaikaew 7
2007 30 14 5 11 39 36 3 47 4th Group stage Kittisak Siriwan 8
2008 30 9 8 13 28 36 −8 35 10th Suriya Domtaisong 8
2009 30 5 15 10 24 34 −10 30 13th Quarter-finals Ubon Kaikaew 4
2010 Premier League (1) 30 5 9 16 25 52 −27 24 15th Fourth round Quarter-finals Sarif Sainui 5
2011 Division 1 (2) 34 15 6 13 54 49 5 51 6th Second round First round Romain Gasmi 13
2012 Division 1 (2) 34 23 5 6 57 29 28 74 3rd Third round First round 17
2013 Premier League (1) 32 8 7 17 38 61 −23 31 13th Fourth round First round Sompong Soleb 9
2014 38 15 9 14 55 56 −1 54 8th Quarter-finals First round Romain Gasmi 12
2015 34 16 9 9 59 47 12 57 5th First round Second round Dragan Bošković 13
2016 31 26 2 3 72 36 36 75 2nd First round Quarter-finals 20
2017 Thai League (1) 34 21 3 10 97 57 40 66 3rd Runners-up Second round Preliminary Round 2 38
2018 34 21 8 5 68 36 32 71 2nd First round Second round Robson 14
2019 30 13 11 6 55 32 23 50 4th Semi-finals Quarter-finals Preliminary Round 2 Nelson Bonilla 16
2020–21 30 15 6 9 57 39 18 51 5th Semi-finals Nattawut Suksum 12
2021–22 30 15 8 7 53 30 23 53 3rd Third round Quarter-finals Heberty 15
2022–23 30 19 5 6 55 22 33 62 2nd Runners-up Quarter-finals Willen Mota 12
2023–24
Champions Runners-up Third place Promoted Relegated

Continental record

Season Competition Round Club Home Away Aggregate
2007 AFC Champions League Group F South Korea Chunnam Dragons 0–0 2–3 4th out of 4
Japan Kawasaki Frontale 1–2 1–1
Indonesia Arema Malang 0–0 0–1
2017 AFC Champions League Preliminary round 2 Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(4–5 p)
2019 AFC Champions League Preliminary round 2 Vietnam Hà Nội 0–1
2023–24 AFC Champions League Group F Singapore Lion City Sailors 2–1
South Korea Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3–2
Hong Kong Kitchee 2–1

Performance in AFC competitions

Players

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Thailand THA Patiwat Khammai
2 DF Thailand THA Peerapat Notchaiya
3 DF Brazil BRA Everton (Captain)
4 DF Thailand THA Manuel Bihr
5 DF Thailand THA Putthinan Wannasri
6 DF Thailand THA Nitipong Selanon
7 MF Thailand THA Anon Amornlerdsak
8 MF Thailand THA Wisarut Imura
10 MF Lebanon LBN Bassel Jradi
11 MF Thailand THA Rungrath Poomchantuek
17 MF Thailand THA Tassanapong Muaddarak
18 MF Thailand THA Thitiphan Puangchan
19 FW Thailand THA Chayawat Srinawong
20 FW Thailand THA Chananan Pombuppha
No. Pos. Nation Player
21 MF Thailand THA Chayathorn Tapsuvanavon
24 DF Thailand THA Wanchai Jarunongkran
26 DF Thailand THA Suphan Thongsong
28 MF Thailand THA Thossawat Limwannasathian
29 FW Brazil BRA Willen Mota
30 MF Thailand THA Ratchanat Arunyapairot
34 GK Thailand THA Warut Mekmusik
39 MF Thailand THA Pokklaw Anan
51 DF Thailand THA Kritsada Nontharat
52 GK Thailand THA Supanut Suadsong
81 GK Thailand THA Napol Wongboon
90 MF Brazil BRA Vander Luiz
93 FW State of Palestine PLE Mahmoud Eid
94 FW France FRA Amadou Soukouna
96 DF Thailand THA Boontawee Theppawong

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
23 MF Thailand THA Jedsadakorn Kowngam (at Thailand Nakhon Si United)
MF Thailand THA Tharadon Sornyoha (at Thailand Suphanburi)
DF Thailand THA Atsadawut Changthong (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)
FW Thailand THA Guntapon Keereeleang (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)
FW Thailand THA Nattakit Butsing (at Thailand Samut Prakan)
FW Brazil BRA Heberty (at Malaysia Johor Darul Ta'zim)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW Thailand THA Pasakorn Biawtungnoi (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)
MF Thailand THA Jesadaporn Nimnon (at Thailand Samut Prakan)
DF Thailand THA Pakkapol Maimard (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)
GK Thailand THA Phuwadol Pholsongkram (at Thailand Ayutthaya UnitedCharoen)
DF Thailand THA Bhumchanok Kamkla (at Thailand Samut Prakan)
FW Thailand THA Nattawut Suksum (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)
MF Thailand THA Nantawat Kokfai (at Thailand Ayutthaya United)

Coaching staff

Position Staff
Technical Director & Head CoachThailand Totchtawan Sripan
Assistant CoachThailand Panupong Wongsa
Thailand Sarif Sainui
Goalkeeping CoachThailand Peerasit Mahothon
Assistant Goalkeeping CoachThailand Kittinan Chockchaicharoenlarp
Fitness CoachBrazil Rodrigo Squinalli
Assistant Fitness CoachThailand Watcharachai Rajphaetyakhom
Match AnalystsThailand Pedro
Head of MedicalBrazil Janilson Quadros
PhysiotherapistThailand Mongkhon Saethao
Thailand Nakin Suwanhangkasul
MasseurThailand Manas Kamnred
Team StaffThailand Suwit Pimsawan
Thailand Chatchai Phuengthong
Thailand Pokpong Pongjantarasatian

Coaches by Years (2001–present)

Name Period Honours
Somchai Subpherm 2001–2009 1 Division 1
1 Premier League
Worakorn Wichanarong 2010
Prapol Pongpanich 2010 – October 2011
Suwaroch Apiwatwarachai October 2011 – January 2012
Sasom Pobprasert January 2012 – January 2014
Rui Bento January 2014 – April 2014
Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul April 2014 – June 2014
Alexandré Pölking June 2014 – October 2020
Danny Invincibile (interim) October 2020 – November 2020
Totchtawan Sripan November 2020 – March 2022
Aurelio Vidmar March 2022 – December 2022
Totchtawan Sripan December 2022  1 Champions Cup

Honours

League

Cups

References

  1. "CLUB ROUTE 2505–PRESENT".
  2. "Club History 2505–Present".
  3. "5 ทีมเปลี่ยนมือแถมเปลี่ยนชื่อตามนายใหม่".
  4. "แข้งเทพเปิดตัว ทุ่ม30ล. เล็งติดท็อปไฟฟ์".
  5. "ส่องขุมกำลัง 5 ทีม แย่งแชมป์ไทยลีก 2017".
  6. "'แข้่งเทพ' เปลี่ยนใช้สนาม มธ.รังสิต เป็นรังเหย้าปีหน้า".
  7. "TRUE TALK : เจาะแท็กติกบุกลืมตาย ของ "มาโน่ โพลกิ้ง" นัดคว่ำสิงห์เจ้าท่า".
  8. "บทสรุปลีกไทย 2016 หลังยืนยันมติยุติการแข่งขัน".
  9. "สุดเดือด 4 แดง! เชียงรายไล่ขยี้แบงค็อก 4-2 ซิวแชมป์ช้าง เอฟเอคัพ".
  10. "บทสรุปไทยลีก 2018 : ทีมไหนแชมป์, ทีมไหนตกชั้น - เลื่อนชั้น".
  11. ""แข้งเทพ" ผนึกกำลัง สุรศักดิ์มนตรี สร้างอะคาเดมี่ ดึง น้าติ๊ก นั่งผอ".
  12. "ซีพี จับมือ ทรูแบงค็อก-กรุงเทพคริสเตียน สานต่อโครงการปั้นเยาวชนเข้าสโมสรฟุตบอลอาชีพ รุ่น 3".
  13. "สมาคมฯ ร่วมกับโตโยต้า แถลงข่าว เปิดตัวนักกีฬา Toyota Thailand U-12".
  14. "U-12 Junior Soccer World Challenge 2019".
  15. "แข้งเทพติดปีก! บียูจับมือเอฟซีโตเกียวเป็นพันธมิตรลูกหนัง-ส่ง 2 ดาวรุ่งทดสอบฝีเท้า".
  16. "About partnership with Bangkok United Football Club (Thai League Division 1)".
  17. King, Ian; Schöggl, Hans & Stokkermans, Karel (20 March 2014). "Thailand – List of Champions". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 29 October 2014. Select link to season required from chronological list.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.