A new series of articles in which fans of the local game write about their favourite match.
My Favourite Match
by Phil Williams
Thai Premier League
Buriram Utd 1-3 Samut Prakan City
Sunday 29th November 2020
Attendance: 9,510
Having only been a Samut Prakan City supporter for a season and a half (the club has only been in existence that long!) I don't have as many games to select from as other expat football followers who have years under their belts. So I'm still in the fortunate position of being able to remember all of the matches very clearly (with a little help from my blogs of course).
The game that sprang instantly to mind when I was mulling over this topic was the 2-1 home win against Port FC last season. Our hot shot neighbors rolled into town with hundreds of their fans in tow, a packed house, a terrific atmosphere and a great performance that saw Samut Prakan victorious in a game that had everything. However, I'm going to choose an away match simply because I enjoy away games more. Home matches tend to be a bit routine; you arrive at the ground at the same time, sit in the same seat and talk to the same people.
To quote Bill Bryson in one of his travel books - "nothing gives you greater satisfaction than a travel plan that comes together successfully". He might have added "especially if Samut Prakan win" but our trip to Buriram was, for me, the perfect football weekend. Everything came together.
There's something slightly barmy about taking a plane to get to a football match (you wouldn't dream of doing it in England) but fly from Bangkok to Buriram I did. From Buriram's modest airport, the shuttle bus was waiting to take me to my boutique hotel in the city centre, which turned out to be very nice. And I had just enough time in Buriram to do what I wanted to do - have a stroll around the city, do a few expat bars, meet up with Jamie Pinder (one of our online football family) for lunch, and spend some time pre-match looking around Buriram's awesome Thunder Castle.
As for the game itself, not that many teams win 3-1 at Buriram and while we rode our luck at times, two brilliant long range efforts from Tardelli and Chakkit Laptrakul and another from Jaroensak meant we returned back to Bang Plee with the three points. But what made the occasion extra special and still gives me goosebumps was the noise from the 250-odd Samut Prakan supporters who made the trip. Certainly the loudest I've heard us at an away match. As we all filed out of the away zone after the game, many fans were facing a five-hour drive home but no one cared. We were just in the mood to party! I was dancing and hugging with fans I'd never said half a dozen words to.
Catching the plane back the following day and bumping into all the players and staff at the airport gave me the chance to give them a thumbs up and say a hearty well done. That put the icing on what was an unforgettable weekend! I'm not sure a certain Mr Pinder would agree though.
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