PHUKET: Three ''angel'' investors have put their hands out to save FC Phuket from going under - and one of them is a Dutch-Danish partnership of Phuket expat business people.
The fate of the financially troubled Phuket football club will be decided on Monday. It has to be decided then because the draw for the next season of Division One football is made on Tuesday.
Each of the three investor ''angels'' has expressed willingness to put up the 15 million baht needed to sponsor the club through its second season in Division One after the extremes of 2011.
The Dutch-Danish rescuers have not been named but the identity of the other contenders is known. They are Samark Rattanadiluk Na Phuket, whose interests lie in real estate, and Prasit Jantawong, a former teacher and Phuket sports lover.
A lot of work will need to be done quickly. The Phuket player squad has been whittled down to just 14, and Phuket's on-field chances will depend on a strong list.
Narubat Ayurapong, Phuket's beleaguered manager, gave some figures yesterday for the club's finances. Outgoings for the calendar year totalled 34,611,097 million baht. Khun Narubat says he sold off a house and a car to keep the club going.
There was 1.7 million baht coming each month from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, but that ended when Thailand's Attorney-General ruled that administrative organisations could not support private-enterprise football clubs.
Sponsorships came from Yamaha (1 million baht) iMobile (1 million baht) and Leo Beer (1.5 million baht.) Entry ticket sales brought in 2.4 million with an additional 1.4 million baht being raised in souvenir sales.
The administrative organisation is believed to have dropped five million baht on the deal.
There is no clarity yet on whether FC Phuket will be able to resume playing at Surakul Stadium, its current home base in Phuket City. Rent would have to be paid to the administrative organisation.
FC Phuket is also still paying 100,000 baht a month for the rehabilitation of Camara Ahmed, the player from the Cameroons who suffered an on-field heart attack in an FC Phuket guernsey in September 2010, as the club fought its way up close to the top of Second Division and promotion.
FC Phuket's future is by no means certain yet, but Monday may rank as perhaps the most important day so far in the history of the Hulks.
The fate of the financially troubled Phuket football club will be decided on Monday. It has to be decided then because the draw for the next season of Division One football is made on Tuesday.
Each of the three investor ''angels'' has expressed willingness to put up the 15 million baht needed to sponsor the club through its second season in Division One after the extremes of 2011.
The Dutch-Danish rescuers have not been named but the identity of the other contenders is known. They are Samark Rattanadiluk Na Phuket, whose interests lie in real estate, and Prasit Jantawong, a former teacher and Phuket sports lover.
A lot of work will need to be done quickly. The Phuket player squad has been whittled down to just 14, and Phuket's on-field chances will depend on a strong list.
Narubat Ayurapong, Phuket's beleaguered manager, gave some figures yesterday for the club's finances. Outgoings for the calendar year totalled 34,611,097 million baht. Khun Narubat says he sold off a house and a car to keep the club going.
There was 1.7 million baht coming each month from the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation, but that ended when Thailand's Attorney-General ruled that administrative organisations could not support private-enterprise football clubs.
Sponsorships came from Yamaha (1 million baht) iMobile (1 million baht) and Leo Beer (1.5 million baht.) Entry ticket sales brought in 2.4 million with an additional 1.4 million baht being raised in souvenir sales.
The administrative organisation is believed to have dropped five million baht on the deal.
There is no clarity yet on whether FC Phuket will be able to resume playing at Surakul Stadium, its current home base in Phuket City. Rent would have to be paid to the administrative organisation.
FC Phuket is also still paying 100,000 baht a month for the rehabilitation of Camara Ahmed, the player from the Cameroons who suffered an on-field heart attack in an FC Phuket guernsey in September 2010, as the club fought its way up close to the top of Second Division and promotion.
FC Phuket's future is by no means certain yet, but Monday may rank as perhaps the most important day so far in the history of the Hulks.
To the 'Angels"
Please save our club.
Rawai Supporters Club will be forever grateful!!
Posted by Hulkster on January 29, 2012 14:03