neeemu wrote:I just hope there's a home game during my son's visit as I promised to take him to a game.

Not a lot of games at home in the coming weeks. More than a month from the 1st to the 2nd. Here`s the list for first leg:
(PS!! The 1st game is of course on SATURDAY MARCH 19!!)

Results yesterday:
UDFC 4-0 Sakon Nakhon
Khon Kaen 0-0 Yasothon
Kalasin 3-1 Mukdahan Lamkhong
Nong Khai 1-1 Surin City

Matches today:
Mahasarakham vs Nakhon Phanom
Amnat Poly United vs Sisaket United
Ubon Ratchathani vs Roi Et United

Nice occasion at Saturday's game, so well done to Udon FC which tried to organise things well.
I think I heard there was an official attendance of 4,000 +. There was quite a number standing around the perimeter fencing, not trying to find a seat and, presumably, not buying a ticket either. The Cheer section has opted for the 'open' seating, already well organised and making the usual row.
There were some food and drink outlets. I didn't notice any hot food sales (I may be wrong, perhaps some fans doing their own thing) and I understand, because it's a University campus, no alcohol is allowed, although I suspect quite a few of the ice buckets were filled with more than water. I did wonder how some Udon fans might cope without! Also, some UDFC shops, selling shirts etc. Parking seemed to be ok, helped by the fact that one can use the access via the University auditorium (behind the clock/scoreboard) and park there, walking through to the stadium. And, perhaps someone does read what farangs have to offer - it seemed all the floodlights were working and the clock/scoreboard too.
On the pitch, comfortable win. Udon played some 'pretty' stuff at times, but let's not get too excited. Sakhon Nakhon is one of the smaller clubs and , I think I'm correct in saying, usually struggling at the bottom of the league.
I'd like to see a clinical finisher - you know, a striker who finishes/hits the target more often than missing. Udon might have had a few more. As an Englishman, I hate to say it, but any German strikers about?

Not much action in this topic, but if someone has missed it, there`s a big local derby this coming Wednesday. UDFC vs Nong Khai. KO 18.00.
UDFC is top of the table and will most likely win the league this season. Nong Khai might go 2nd if they win tomorrow.

There is cause for local celebration, because Udon has won something for the first time in its' history, I think! The Club is very clear Champions of the Division 2 NE Regional League. There is one league game left next week, but presently 7 points clear of second placed Ubon, the team was presented with the trophy at Sunday's home win over Surin.
It really has been very impressive. The team has scored the most goals, whilst conceding the least. ALL 13 home games this season were won. The team is unbeaten in its' last 29 home matches, of which the last 19 matches have ALL been won. Great stuff.
Away form is not so impressive (well, it couldn't be!) and gives some cause for concern as Udon qualifies for the play-offs for promotion to division 1 - the real prize everyone's after. Here, Udon will match up against the top two teams from other regional leagues, plus Ubon.
Should be exciting and we wish the team well. =D>

Thanks for the update

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Tapatalk

How can I get a trial or go train/join the udfc team??

LingKyle wrote:How can I get a trial or go train/join the udfc team??

Udon's season is finished now, there'll be no promotion as the team lost to rivals Nongbualamphu over two legs in the Champions League. Additionally, an individual's passing has meant that nearly all football has stopped during a mourning period anyway. Whilst everything is low key at the moment with, I imagine, coaching staff and players generally taking breaks, Udon will be looking to rebuild for next season, which starts around February. There's usually quite a turnaround of players.
The Club partly trains at and plays at the Rajaphat University's stadium, but doubt you'll find anyone about now. You need to make contact with the team manager/coaching staff. I'd suggest you make yourself known at the Udon FC Club shop, which also acts as an administrative base. It's the other side of the road to KFC at UD Town. Unless you speak Thai, communication is always difficult, unless you're fortunate to find someone with good English.
Obviously, I know nothing about you Lingkyle,maybe you already know something about the football standard here , but I'm guessing you're a newish arrival in Thailand. No desire to dampen your enthusiasm, but you'll have to be a useful player to impress Udon. If it helps, I'd suggest you have a look through these Facebook pages below and find videos of games, which will give you some idea. The last one is a page aimed at English speakers.
Hope above helps. Good luck!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/166459533463559/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/153625364768038/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/238282733000873/
https://www.facebook.com/EnglishUDFC?fref=ts

Brian Davis wrote: I know nothing about you Lingkyle .......

Ah, have seen from your other posts, that you're from the UK, but perhaps fresh here, or to Udon anyway. Not sure how serious your joining enquiry is. Any football club experience, any videos of yourself playing? And I just guessed you were out of Africa, looking to use your football talent and representative of many Africans I've seen 'hanging around' Nongbua, Loei, Nong Khai and Udon hoping for a chance. 1 + 1 = 3 in my case! No offence intended. One way or another, you'd have to lay off Irish Whiskey!

So funny some of the responses lol. I've been coming to Thailand for nearly 3 years. I don't drink alcohol at all only on special festival days and only whiskey. Before this year I was actually 7 years sober and I'm only 28 so says a lot really. Health and fitness always comes first, no there's no videos of me playing. And of course I have football experience otherwise I wouldn't ask to about joining. But sadly if it's February that they start looking I'll be travelling back to Wales then so can't, unless they garentee a spot for me before that then I'd stay. I will do as you suggested Brian at some point and see what happens. I may ask back down in Phuket again where I played against some teams down there. It's just I'm trying to move to udon permanently by the end of next year if I can sell my 2 businesses.

Thanks for taking my errors in good humour. Pleased to read you are a serious sportsman. Still no idea what football level you may have played at. I suggested videos of yourself so others might judge and that you look at Udon games, so you could figure if you're at that level, or better! Being blunt, there are many players who think they're good enough, only to discover the reality that they're not.
The Udon Head Coach is an ex Thai national youth team coach. I'm sure he has a lot of knowledge of Thai players he might want to sign for Udon. We think he will be staying to see out his current contract. Whilst the new season will start around February, I think, obviously some scouting/feeling out will start before then and, I imagine, serious training/selection would start early in the New Year. Players seem to come and go all too easily here, whilst we foreigners think there should be more consideration on team building. Contracts/transfers all remain a mystery, at least to me and being Thailand, there are many questionable things happening. In the case of a foreign player, a work permit would, of course, be necessary.
I'm trying to be helpful, hoping yours is a serious enquiry - and, selfishly, that I'd have played a small part in finding Udon's Ronaldo, although I'd prefer Messi! Unfortunately, I can't put you directly in contact with the people you need to see, but the Thai staff at the Udon shop should be able to help. If you've anyone who can translate English (or Welsh? ) for you, take them along.

Hello there,

Anyone up here know about the rumours of Udon buying the Pattaya Utd franchise?

If it goes ahead Udon will be straight into the Thai Prem for next season but will have to play their games in Khon Kaen until a site in UD can be secured to plonk a stadium on.

Where to start?
It's a long, complicated story with little information on intentions coming from Udon and rumours are rife. A precis is that Udon has been pursuing an interest in Pattaya Utd, actually run by Muang Thong, but the very latest appears to be that Pattaya has now found an alternative buyer and any deal with Udon is off. Maybe!
Many questions over licenses, rights, change of name, staying in Pattaya/moving to Udon etc. and, in Udon, which stadium might be used. Playing in Khon Kaen had been mentioned but, I think, dispensed with - if one of the hopes in all this was to attract bumper crowds, how many of the Udon fans, although enthusiastic, would really be prepared to travel regularly to KK for 'home' games?
The stadia in Udon? Well, there's the one at the Rajaphat University, which Udon used last season. I don't know if it would be available to Udon again, but whilst meeting I'm sure lower league requirements, may not be up to Premier League specifications. Then, there's a new, nearly completed ground out at the University's Sam Phrao satellite campus, which DOES look like it could handle top flight football(proper stands for a start!). The hassle there would be that it's about 13 kms out on the road from Global. Number 3 is a ground under construction about 3 kms out on this same road from Global. A meeting took place there recently and it seems Udon may be concentrating on this. However, there's a hell of a lot of work needing to happen quickly, if that's to be ready for the new season in a couple of months. The last viewing showed lots of metal seating about, but no evidence of proper stands, or facilities whatsoever!!!

One rumour had it that, IF Udon had two teams (Premier League also known as T1, and Championship T3) the former would use Sam Phrao and the latter the ground "3 Kms".

BUT, IF the latest news is accurate, Udon will ONLY have a Championship team next season. Again, this fan has no idea whether there's a coach and players in place already! Last season's coach 'went' and all players were released, the latter apparently to save money due to the earlier finish to the season, although there's some feeling some players will be given new contracts. Also, uncertain where this team would play. (I'd have preference to stay at the Rajaphat main campus, if possible).

So a muddle, as far as I'm concerned. In the background too is Udon's plans for their "own" stadium off of the Nong Khai highway, apparently put on hold for the present.

There's a lot more Udon Fc info here, if you wish to browse through. https://www.facebook.com/EnglishUDFC?fref=ts

A saga it is indeed Brian ...

We had a well heeled Thai guy and his entourage from Bkk come in the Tap saying he was owner of UDFC ???? a decision had been made to release all the staff at the club ..every single one inc players managers etc etc .. he then commented UDFC had tabled an offer of 60m to buy Pattaya Utd and take their spot in the Thai EPL ... (seems cheap to me for a football club) but it would mean UDFC playing home games at the KK stadium until a stadium reaching EPL standards was constructed in Udon ... SHAMBLES AFTER SHAMBLES

All in ALL a total mess ... AND FORGIVE ME I HAVE MISSED SOMETHING i thought the idea was to play football win matches and get promotion via the correct route ON MERIT the same as SCUNTHORPE UTD are currently doing in the UK ...not buy your place.

Just sayin .

Drunk Monkey wrote: i thought the idea was to play football win matches and get promotion via the correct route ON MERIT

I very much agree DM and have said as much on facebook already.My concerns are that the Club would lose its' soul, identity and 'local club' feel. Udon has a large number of enthusiastic fans, who identify with Issan and Udon particularly - let's keep it that way. Money,of course, dictates much, but at least use it to appoint a good coach, buy decent players and work at building a winning team.

That said, there isn't the same history in Thai football, which exists in the UK. Organised football hasn't been in existence here for very long. Personally, I've no desire to be another Buriram or, I should say, to go about it in a similar way Newin did in establishing the Club. Mind you, judging by the success and the number of car stickers, nobody has a conscience about that now!

Udon might have been part way there already, had they not messed up the games against Nongbualamphu, the latter playing in division 1 (T2) next season. With the early closure to the season, they were one of the lucky three of four in drawing lots to gain promotion.

Franchising seems all part of the norm over here but the Thai fans are so fickle it doesn't seem to bother them about any kind of legacy or history.

I saw Khon Kaen United popped up last year and playing in front of packed houses of red fans. I bet the KK locals tossed their yellow Khon Kaen FC shirts in the bin as soon as KK Utd got some traction (until they were suspended midway through last season).

The latest I'm hearing tonight is the Pattaya Utd deal is dead but it might be BEC Tero (Lad Krabang) being taken over instead.

Oh dear, yet more confusion. Svein and the Facebook page has the latest. BEC Tero has the same owners as Pattaya and Muang Thong!

Brian Davis wrote:Oh dear, yet more confusion. Svein and the Facebook page has the latest. BEC Tero has the same owners as Pattaya and Muang Thong!

Blooming heck this gets dafter ... same owners 3 clubs , rest assured TIT so no fiddling going on ...LOY %. ERRR rethink this does go to show the sad state Thai Footy is in and just how bent it is ...and getting worse .. imagine the pure hypothetical senario BEC Tero playing in a title deciding fixture against Muaung Thong Utd that could stop Buriram winning the league AGAIN ... Makes for fun viewing ..

I watched the Chonburi game last week , the poor old ref made a penalty decision that was spot on and the opposing team players surrounded the ref pushed him around abused him then knocked him to the ground disgraceful ...then Chonburis Santos missed the pen to spark wild scenes .... and another brawl causing a 10 minute stoppage ...WTF .. its a joke .

OMO

MuangThong did stop Buriram winning the league last season....but that was mainly because Buriram lost so many games at the start of the season.

I've been following Port in Bangkok. It was a fun season watching them home and away until the riot at Muangthong in the cup. FA said both teams to play remaining fixtures behind closed doors....then the season got cut short anyway. Heard they were going to decide the D2 promotions by drawing lots!