Looking back at the 2018 season through a series of my photographs.
1. GOAL!
The scoreboard lights up the gloom at the IPE Stadium on a Friday night in January.
Kroerkrit Thaweekarn's cheeky, looping header brought the scores level at 2-2, after the Sharks had trailed 0-2 against Sukhothai, in the semi final of the Chang Invitational Trophy.
This was Goran Barjaktarevic's first "competitive" match in charge and we were all looking for positives to give us hope for the forthcoming season. The fact that we had battled back from a couple of goals down and been inspired by our new captain, the aforementioned midfielder, were high on our list. As was the coach's performance on the touchline, which was described at the time as; "the majority of what he was relaying to the players seemed to be positive and encouraging".
We were also relieved that the new boss realised Chonlatit could no longer hack it at this level and we had unearthed a gem in his replacement - Kim Gyeong-Min. There was a lot to look forward to.
Sadly, we lost on penalties and were unceremoniously dumped out of our own tournament at the first hurdle, maybe a foreshadowing of what was to come.
2. EMPTY TABLES AND CHAIRS
The scene is set for the grand pre season party.
The Chonburi pre season party and kit launch is one of the highlights of the year. It’s an occasion when Chonburians of all ages gather together to enjoy each other’s company, eat, drink and be merry. It’s also an opportunity to mingle with the players and the coaching staff. And get your hands on the new shirts!
The 2018 bash was held in the car park behind the Bazaar. This was the first time this venue had hosted the event, and seemed like a strange choice, but the organisers had put a lot of hard work into ensuring it was a success. The locals do these things very well, don’t they.
We arrived early, which gave me the chance to take some photos (including the one accompanying this article) unhindered, and get the best table! It was also nice to see, and appreciate, all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes and watch the place fill up as the evening progressed.
Over the course of the night we were treated to performances from a couple of bands (not my cup of tea), hear from the sponsors (went on far too long), listen to the chairman (a short speech) and, best of all, get introduced to the squad (a few of whom reveled in the attention and mugged for the crowd). It was a good “do” (as my mum would say) and once again a reminder of why we love our club.
3. HAVING A LIE DOWN
Suttinun Phukhom and Kroerkrit Thaweekarn having a rest after a busy night entertaining the fans.
The opening home match of 2018 was a dull 1-1 draw against Navy. The Friday night stalemate was played out in front of a crowd of only 2,871 hardy souls - officially our lowest of the season.
4. IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY...
A giant Teddy Bear enjoying the festivities outside Chonburi Stadium.
You do see some strange sights at Thai football grounds, but this has to be one of the weirdest.
This giant Teddy Bear was wandering around after the home match against Sukhothai in February. He/She/It didn't appear to be promoting anything or have any connection to the club or vendors, but seemed happy enough to have his/her/its photograph taken with anyone who wanted it.
I managed to snap him/her/it with this young fan in front of the iconic shark, just before he/she/it wandered off into the night, never to be seen again. If anyone has any information about why the bear was at the game, or his/her/its current whereabouts, please contact me via the usual means.
5. WAITING FOR THE BUS
The visiting fans wait for their team to arrive.
One of the things I enjoy most about away trips is being able to get to the ground early and soak up the pre match atmosphere. There's usually a handful of likeminded individuals around too so it's always nice to chat and share stories of our respective journeys. These people tend to be male, middle aged or approaching middle age, and fond of a drink.
You also get the ultra keen fans who want to greet the team bus and take the dreaded selfies with their favourite players. This group usually comprises of families and young girls, bedecked in replica shirts and other club merchandise. They will wait patiently - often for a couple of hours - by the stadium entrance and squeal with delight as the coach eventually draws up.
This particular untypical gathering (it's mainly men and boys) was at Suphanburi Stadium back in March. We had started the season poorly - two defeats and one draw - but had taken a decent following on the 400km round trip. Thankfully, the fans were rewarded that day, as the Sharks recorded their first victory of the 2018 season, meaning we had smiling faces before and after the match.
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