Wednesday the 21st of November, 2007, is an historic date. It is of course the night Chonburi became the first provincial club to lift the Thai league title and change the local football scene forever. Naturally, there were wild scenes at the final whistle, as what seemed like the entire province poured onto the pitch to celebrate. However, once the dust had settled and the crowds dispersed, a more sedate celebration took place. The players, staff and a group of lucky fans retired to a local eatery for a meal and few drinks.
It was a lovely way to spend the evening. We ate, we drank, we reminisced and most of all we enjoyed the moment. It had been a fantastic season and to win the championship in such dramatic fashion in front of "10,000" ecstatic fans was a fitting finale, but this quiet, intimate party in the company of close friends was the perfect end to the day.
Everyone mingled and the feeling of togetherness and community that made us such a special club was evident for all to see. It was an honour to be a part of it and an occasion I'll never forget. Whatever has happened since and will happen in the future, no-one can take that magical night away from us.
After a couple of hours, people gradually started to drift away, until there was just a hardcore left. Some of us just didn't want it to end. I'm proud to say that I was one of those 'stragglers'. Eventually, we decided - or rather the restaurant staff decided - that it was time to leave and we somewhat reluctantly made our way to what was now, the only vehicle left on the car park.
I wandered out into the night, looking for a suitable place to relieve myself of the copious amount of alcohol I had consumed. I stumbled on a spot next to another gentleman who had similar needs. After we'd finished, I turned to him and said, "What a great time!"
"Yes," he replied.
It was only then that I realised who I was talking to. It was head coach, Jadet Meelarp. The man who had masterminded the Sharks' campaign. The man who had brought major success to the club, the city and the province. The man who had made history. The man who was now standing alone outside a darkened diner with no way of getting home. The man who had been deserted by everyone who loved him. I couldn't believe it!
Thankfully, my mate Watty had plenty of room in the back of his car so we offered the Championship Winning, History Making Coach a lift. As his only alternative would have been to walk, he graciously accepted, climbed in and promptly fell asleep. And there he stayed until we arrived in SriRacha half an hour later, where we enjoyed a night cap, before watching him disappear up the road.
I'm not really sure how other clubs treat their successful managers, but, should Liverpool win the English Premier League this year, it's difficult to imagine Jurgen Klopp in similar circumstances to the ones 'Sir Ded' found himself in that night.
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