Big Match Photo Album Above
NO SULKS for the Hulks. FC Phuket proved themselves to be jolly green giants with a come-from-behind win tonight that sealed a place in Thailand's Division One.
The fairytale ending put FC Phuket on top of Group B and brought jubilant scenes among the large crowd of 3000 fans with fireworks followed by a concert at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City.
Club Chairman Paiboon Upatising was tossed in the air by players.
On December 29, FC Phuket plays Group A winners Buriram FC in Bangkok for a prize of one million baht. Win or lose, both sides ascend into Division One.
The key to FC Phuket's revived fortunes has been Arjan Songssamsub, a highly regarded coach who aspires to follow the example of Muang Thong United moving from a similar lowly position to win the Thai Premier League.
Among other spurs for FC Phuket's rise has been the presence of three players from the Ivory Coast. The absence of one, Camara Ahmed, has proved as inspirational as the play of the others has been on-field.
Camara collapsed from a heart attack on-field in a home match at Phuket City as the season drew to a close, but he appears to be steadily recovering in hospital and will be delighted with tonight's news.
FC Phuket did it hard, though, allowing Samut Prakan to score after a mere four minutes. It took until the 78 minute mark for the FC Phuket riposte from the boot of Thawin Bootsombat, and at the time the opposition had been playing with only 10 men after a red card at the 70-minute mark.
To show it was no fluke, he scored again one minute later. The crowd went wild - and not just the FC Phuket fans. Police had to clear some Samut Prakarn fans from the stand.
Phuket's celebrations with topline pop stars from Bangkok were still going strong tonight.
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