PHUKET: FC Phuket will take part in next season's draw for Division One tomorrow as desperate measures continue behind the scenes to keep the football club alive.
Hopes are being pinned on a revolutionary plan to sell 10,000 FC Phuket ''seats'' at 1000 baht a seat, thus providing 10 million baht in capital to keep FC Phuket's heart beating.
The seat buyers would gain nothing except the glory of saving the Phuket club for its second Division One season.
Two of the club's potential saviors fell by the wayside today but the third, Prasit Jantawong, a former teacher and Phuket sports lover, opted to continue with his bid to help the ailing club with 15 million baht.
Apart from money, the biggest handicap at present is the lack of a home ground, a place to train and play.
The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation supported FC Phuket through most of the first Division One season last year until Thailand's Attorney-General ruled that the Thailand-wide practice of using public money in support of private football enterprises had to stop.
The administrative organisation now insists that FC Phuket will have to pay to use Surakul Stadium in Phuket City, an added cost that makes meeting salaries and other outgoings so much more difficult.
Although the playing squad has shrunk to just 14, Premier League power Muang Thai United has said it will continue to lend players to FC Phuket.
FC Phuket officials held their ''crash through or crash'' meeting at a Phuket City seafood restaurant this afternoon. Whether the club can be saved still remains to be seen, but FC Phuket fights on to live another day, at least.
Hopes are being pinned on a revolutionary plan to sell 10,000 FC Phuket ''seats'' at 1000 baht a seat, thus providing 10 million baht in capital to keep FC Phuket's heart beating.
The seat buyers would gain nothing except the glory of saving the Phuket club for its second Division One season.
Two of the club's potential saviors fell by the wayside today but the third, Prasit Jantawong, a former teacher and Phuket sports lover, opted to continue with his bid to help the ailing club with 15 million baht.
Apart from money, the biggest handicap at present is the lack of a home ground, a place to train and play.
The Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation supported FC Phuket through most of the first Division One season last year until Thailand's Attorney-General ruled that the Thailand-wide practice of using public money in support of private football enterprises had to stop.
The administrative organisation now insists that FC Phuket will have to pay to use Surakul Stadium in Phuket City, an added cost that makes meeting salaries and other outgoings so much more difficult.
Although the playing squad has shrunk to just 14, Premier League power Muang Thai United has said it will continue to lend players to FC Phuket.
FC Phuket officials held their ''crash through or crash'' meeting at a Phuket City seafood restaurant this afternoon. Whether the club can be saved still remains to be seen, but FC Phuket fights on to live another day, at least.
Ed - any chance of more details regarding a point of contact for the proposed "seats" for sale?
Posted by FC Phuket Supporter on January 30, 2012 22:23
Editor Comment:
As soon as the ''seat'' plan takes shape, we'd hope to have details.