No sale! FC Phuket still on the market

PHUKET: Football fans in Phuket will definitely have at least one local professional team to root for this year, and possibly two, the FC Phuket’s club secretary told the Phuket Gazette this morning.

The news follows online reports asserting that FC Phuket has been sold to Bangkok premier outfit Muang Thong United and will move to the capital under a new name.

“That report is nonsense. I don’t know what their source is, but I can confirm that FC Phuket has not been sold yet,” club secretary Soranan Sanae told the Gazette over the phone.

“MuangThong United has a long standing relationship with FC Phuket, but they did not buy us,” he added.

“We’re still seeking sponsorship in order to keep the team here. Just to compete in Division 1 this season would require a minimum budget of 25 to 28 million baht for the year, which is about what we used this season,” he said.

“However, in order to get promoted to the elite Sponsor Thai Premier League, we need a minimum of 35 million baht,” he added.

Meanwhile, he confirmed that a new Phuket team, which he identified only as “Phuket Town”, is currently in the process of being registered.

“This new team would play in Division 2,” he confirmed.

“As for FC Phuket, anything can happen. If we can get the budget we need, then the team may stay in Phuket. Otherwise, the team may still move elsewhere,” he said.

“Nothing is set in stone yet, and we plan to hold a press conference towards the end of the month to announce any developments,” he added.

In other Thai football news, Songkhla FC “Southern Fighting Bulls” thrashed Loei City yesterday 4-0 in the Thai FA Cup quarter final.

Meanwhile, TPL side Muang Thong United – the “big brother” team of FC Phuket – had a similar finish in their FA Cup quarter final, beating fellow premier outfit Sriracha Suzuki FC 4-0.

Songkhla will now contest Muang Thong United in the Thai FA Cup semi final match on Saturday, January 7.

The other Thai FA Cup semi final match will be between Buriram PEA – who beat BEC Tero 2 -0 last night – with the winner of Chainat FC and Army United’s quarter final to be decided this evening.

TheThai FA Cup final will be played on January 11 at Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok (6pm kick off), and the winner will go on to play an Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League playoff match against K-league’s Pohang Steelers – one of the most successful teams in the AFC competition – for a 2012 spot in Asia’s top club tournament.

Buriram PEA is already qualified for the tournament after claiming the Thai premiership title. In the event that they also win the Thai FA Cup, the runner up will play off against the Steelers instead.

For all the latest Thai football and sports updates, keep checking the Phuket Gazette.

— Steven Layne