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Songkhla F.C.
สงขลา เอฟ.ซี.
Full nameSongkhla Football Club
(สโมสรฟุตบอลสงขลา)
Nickname(s)The Samila Mermaids
(เงือกสมิหลา)
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018) (new era)
GroundTinsulanonda Stadium
Songkhla, Thailand
Capacity20,000[1]
ChairmanPrayat Bunsri
Head CoachDaiki Higuchi
LeagueThai League 3
2023–24Thai League 3, 1st of 12 in the Southern region

Songkhla Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลสงขลา) is a Thai semi-professional football club based in Songkhla Province, a province located in Southern Thailand. The club is currently playing in the Thai League 3 Southern region.

History

1999–2011: Early history

Songkhla F.C. (original) was established in 1999, and it then first played in the Thailand Provincial League, a former league, parallel to the Thai Premier League. In the founding year of the league, 1999, reached the eighth place in the league table.

1999–2007Provincial League(Tier 3)
2008Thailand Division 2 League(Tier 3)
2009–2012Thai Division 1 League(Tier 2)

In the years after it was found mostly back in the bottom of the table regions. In 2007, the club was runner-up of the Provincial League and played the following year in the Thailand Division 2 League. Surprisingly, it was the end of the season, again winning a second place and went on to the newly formed Thai Division 1 League.

In 2009 Thai Division 1 League, they finished a creditable 7th. They fared even better in 2010 Thai Division 1 League and just missed out on automatic promotion by 2 points. Their 4th-placed finished earned them a place in the Thai Premier League play-offs. Unfortunately the Bulls couldn't maintain their end off season form and finished bottom of their play-off group.

In this 2011 Thai Division 1 League, the team have an average attendance of around 18.000, with a peak of 23.000 people at Tinsulanonda Stadium during last matches. Highest attendance Songkhla F.C. 1–1 Buriram F.C. (36,715) (7 August 2011) . Their star and top striker with 17 scores is the Brazilian Chayene Santos.

Merging: Songkhla United and Songkhla

The club was dissolved and merged with Songkhla United in 2012.[2]

2018–present: A breath of hope

2018–2019Amateur League(Tier 4)
2020–Thai League 3(Tier 3)

Songkhla football club was come back [3] and played in 2018 Thailand Amateur League Southern Region.

The Samila Mermaid won promotion from the fifth tier of the Thai football league system Thailand Amateur League Southern region in 2019 – beating Jantrangcee Saba Yoi City in the lower southern subregion final and beating Patong City in the southern region final. They qualified for the 2019 Thailand Amateur League championship stage as southern winner.

In 2022, Songkhla competed in the Thai League 3 for the 2022–23 season. It is their 3rd season in the professional league. The club started the season with a 2–0 home win over Wiang Sa Surat Thani City[4] and they ended the season with a 0–0 away draw with Wiang Sa Surat Thani City.[5] The club has finished 1st place in the league of the Southern region and advanced to the national championship stage. In addition, in the 2022–23 Thai FA Cup Songkhla was defeated 2–3 by Suphanburi in the second round, causing them to be eliminated[6] and in the 2022–23 Thai League Cup Songkhla was defeated 1–2 by Lopburi City in the qualification play-off round, causing them to be eliminated too.[7]

Crest

Mermaid statue at the Laem Samila beach serves as a symbol for the team

The club logo incorporates elements from the mermaid statue.[8] Mermaid comes from the story Phra Aphai Mani by Sunthorn Phu.

Stadium

Tinsulanon Stadium

Tinsulanonda Stadium (Thai: สนามติณสูลานนท์, RTGSSanam Tinnasulanon) is a multi-purpose stadium in Songkhla, Thailand. Named after the Songkhla-born former Thai prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda, it is used mostly for football matches.

The stadium has a capacity of 45,000 but just 10,000 of those spaces are covered in a small single-tiered stand along one touchline. The rest of the stadium is a continuous curving tier. The stadium hosted one of the semi-finals in the 1998 Asian Games men's football tournament.

Honours

Songkhla F.C. original

Songkhla F.C. new era

Stadium and locations

CoordinatesLocationStadiumCapacityYear
7°01′13″N 100°28′18″E / 7.020194°N 100.471528°E / 7.020194; 100.471528Hat Yai, SongkhlaChira Nakhon Stadium25,0002008–2010
6°44′00″N 100°41′31″E / 6.733468°N 100.691815°E / 6.733468; 100.691815Na Thawi, SongkhlaNa Thawi District Stadium3,0002010
7°12′26″N 100°35′55″E / 7.207222°N 100.598611°E / 7.207222; 100.598611SongkhlaTinsulanonda Stadium35,0002011–2012

7°00′23″N 100°29′57″E / 7.006470°N 100.499189°E / 7.006470; 100.499189

Hat Yai, SongkhlaPrince of Songkla University Stadium4,0002018–2019

7°12′26″N 100°35′55″E / 7.207222°N 100.598611°E / 7.207222; 100.598611

SongkhlaTinsulanonda Stadium45,0002020–present

Season by season record

SeasonLeagueFA CupLeague CupT3 CupTop scorer
DivisionPWDLFAPtsPosNameGoals
Songkhla F.C. - original
1999-00Pro League2266103036248th
2000-01Pro League22451325541712th
2002Pro League103251116114th
2003Pro League22361326541511th
2004Pro League 241124844th
2005Suspended
2006Pro League 2411211743rd
2007Pro League42207382nd
2008DIV22011452717372nd
2009DIV130101283229427thR3Thailand Witthawat Iamram11
2010DIV13014974734514thR2R1Thailand Worawet Chanuthai12
2011DIV134151185439565thSFR1Brazil Chayene Santos17
2012DIV1349101538513714thR4R2
2013–2017Collapsed
Songkhla F.C. - new era
2018TA South20113413rdThailand Chawalit Yuthong2
2019TA South5401155121stR1
2020–21T3 South1612132916371stR3QR2Thailand Abdussalam Saman10
2021–22T3 South2414644018483rdQRR2Brazil Natan Oliveira14
2022–23T3 South2216514610531stR2QRPBrazil Jardel18
2023–24T3 South221750467561stR3R2QFNigeria Ekene Victor Azike12
ChampionsRunners-upThird PlacePromotedRelegated

Players

Current squad

As of 20 February 2024[9]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
4DFThailand THASitthichai Chimrueang
5DFThailand THAAbdulhafis Nibu (Captain)
6MFThailand THANobparut Raksachum
7MFThailand THAChanukorn Srirak
8MFThailand THANoto Boontawan
10MFThailand THAChairat Madsiri
11FWThailand THAApdussalam Saman
14MFThailand THAAkrom Mamood
15DFThailand THAAbdulhakim Cehsani
17MFThailand THAPornthep Heemla
18MFThailand THAAphichart Eaidsrichay
19FWThailand THABasree Sanron
20DFThailand THAAnwa Arleemama
25FWNigeria NGAEkene Victor Azike
27DFThailand THAArthit Promkun
29MFThailand THAAdan Lasamano
31GKThailand THAJarudet Lamudth
No.Pos.NationPlayer
32GKThailand THANatthaphol Meesaeng
33DFThailand THAMuhammadburahan Awae
34DFThailand THASuhaimee Roman
38MFThailand THARidwan Ruangchuai
40GKThailand THAArdenan Bindolah
46GKThailand THASorawit Phosaman
47DFThailand THAPongsathorn Khwanthong
66MFThailand THAWasan Samala
70MFThailand THASutin Tehpuyu
71MFThailand THASamree Yusoh
73DFThailand THAWanchingchai Suwanarat
77FWThailand THAJiraphat Yusawku
82MFThailand THABisrun Semuso
92FWThailand THAAirfan Cheali
95DFBrazil BRAVictor de Oliveira
99FWNigeria NGAAliu Micheal Abdul

Club staff

PositionStaff
ManagerThailand Sarawut Treephan
Assistant managersThailand Akrat Nualong
Thailand Kamnat Pana
Goalkeeping coachThailand Prasit Nuamsala

References