Songkhla F.C.

Songkhla Football Club (Thai สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดสงขลา) 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.

Songkhla Football Club
สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดสงขลา

Full name	Songkhla Football Club สโมสรฟุตบอลจังหวัดสงขลา
Nickname(s)	The Samila Mermaids เงือกสมิหลา
Founded	2018; 6 years ago (2018) (new era)
Ground	Tinsulanonda Stadium Songkhla, Thailand
Capacity	20,000^[1]
Chairman	Prayat Bunsri
Head Coach	Daiki Higuchi
League	Thai League 3
2023–24	Thai League 3, 1st of 12 in the Southern region
Home colours Away colours

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.

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

2018-2019	Amateur 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

Main article: Tinsulanonda Stadium

 

Tinsulanon Stadium

Tinsulanonda Stadium (Thai: สนามติณสูลานนท์, RTGS: Sanam 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

• Provincial League:

Runners-up (1): 2007

• Thai Division 2 League:

Runners-up (1): 2008

Songkhla F.C. new era

• Thai League 3 Southern Region:

Champions (3): 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24

• Thailand Amateur League:

Champions (1): 2019

Stadium and locations

Coordinates	Location	Stadium	Capacity	Year
7°01′13″N 100°28′18″E / 7.020194°N 100.471528°E / 7.020194; 100.471528	Hat Yai, Songkhla	Chira Nakhon Stadium	25,000	2008–2010
6°44′00″N 100°41′31″E / 6.733468°N 100.691815°E / 6.733468; 100.691815	Na Thawi, Songkhla	Na Thawi District Stadium	3,000	2010
7°12′26″N 100°35′55″E / 7.207222°N 100.598611°E / 7.207222; 100.598611	Songkhla	Tinsulanonda Stadium	35,000	2011–2012
7°00′23″N 100°29′57″E / 7.006470°N 100.499189°E / 7.006470; 100.499189	Hat Yai, Songkhla	Prince of Songkla University Stadium	4,000	2018–2019
7°12′26″N 100°35′55″E / 7.207222°N 100.598611°E / 7.207222; 100.598611	Songkhla	Tinsulanonda Stadium	45,000	2020–present

Season by season record

Season	League									FA Cup	League Cup	T3 Cup	Top scorer
	Division	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts	Pos				Name	Goals
Songkhla F.C. - original
1999-00	Pro League	22	6	6	10	30	36	24	8th
2000-01	Pro League	22	4	5	13	25	54	17	12th
2002	Pro League	10	3	2	5	11	16	11	4th
2003	Pro League	22	3	6	13	26	54	15	11th
2004	Pro League 2	4	1	1	2	4	8	4	4th
2005	Suspended
2006	Pro League 2	4	1	1	2	11	7	4	3rd
2007	Pro League	4	2	2	0	7	3	8	2nd
2008	DIV2	20	11	4	5	27	17	37	2nd
2009	DIV1	30	10	12	8	32	29	42	7th	R3			Witthawat Iamram	11
2010	DIV1	30	14	9	7	47	34	51	4th	R2	R1		Worawet Chanuthai	12
2011	DIV1	34	15	11	8	54	39	56	5th	SF	R1		Chayene Santos	17
2012	DIV1	34	9	10	15	38	51	37	14th	R4	R2
2013–2017	Collapsed
Songkhla F.C. - new era
2018	TA South	2	0	1	1	3	4	1	3rd				Chawalit Yuthong	2
2019	TA South	5	4	0	1	15	5	12	1st	R1
2020–21	T3 South	16	12	1	3	29	16	37	1st	R3	QR2		Abdussalam Saman	10
2021–22	T3 South	24	14	6	4	40	18	48	3rd	QR	R2		Natan Oliveira	14
2022–23	T3 South	22	16	5	1	46	10	53	1st	R2	QRP		Jardel	18
2023–24	T3 South	22	17	5	0	46	7	56	1st	TBD	TBD	QF	Ekene Victor Azike	12

Champions

Runners-up

Third Place

Promoted

Relegated

P = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

TPL = Thai Premier League DIV1 = Thai Division 1 League DIV2 = Thai Division 2 League Pro League = Provincial League TL = Thai League T1 = Thai League 1 T2 = Thai League 2 T3 = Thai League 3 T4 = Thai League 4 TA = Thailand Amateur League

DQ = Disqualified PR = Preliminary Round QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round PO = Play-off R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4

R5 = Round 5 R6 = Round 6 GS = Group Stage KR = Knockout Round R16 = Round of 16 QF = Quarter-finals SF = Semi-finals RU = Runners-up S = Shared W = Winners

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. Nation Player 4 DF   THA Sitthichai Chimrueang 5 DF   THA Abdulhafis Nibu (Captain) 6 MF   THA Nobparut Raksachum 7 MF   THA Chanukorn Srirak 8 MF   THA Noto Boontawan 10 MF   THA Chairat Madsiri 11 FW   THA Apdussalam Saman 14 MF   THA Akrom Mamood 15 DF   THA Abdulhakim Cehsani 17 MF   THA Pornthep Heemla 18 MF   THA Aphichart Eaidsrichay 19 FW   THA Basree Sanron 20 DF   THA Anwa Arleemama 25 FW   NGA Ekene Victor Azike 27 DF   THA Arthit Promkun 29 MF   THA Adan Lasamano 31 GK   THA Jarudet Lamudth

No. Pos. Nation Player 32 GK   THA Natthaphol Meesaeng 33 DF   THA Muhammadburahan Awae 34 DF   THA Suhaimee Roman 38 MF   THA Ridwan Ruangchuai 40 GK   THA Ardenan Bindolah 46 GK   THA Sorawit Phosaman 47 DF   THA Pongsathorn Khwanthong 66 MF   THA Wasan Samala 70 MF   THA Sutin Tehpuyu 71 MF   THA Samree Yusoh 73 DF   THA Wanchingchai Suwanarat 77 FW   THA Jiraphat Yusawku 82 MF   THA Bisrun Semuso 92 FW   THA Airfan Cheali 95 DF   BRA Victor de Oliveira 99 FW   NGA Aliu Micheal Abdul

Club staff

Position	Staff
Manager	Sarawut Treephan
Assistant managers	Akrat Nualong   Kamnat Pana
Goalkeeping coach	Prasit Nuamsala

References

1. https://www.goalzz.com/?stadium=331
2. "นิพนธ์แจงเหตุยุบสงขลารับแบกค่าใช้จ่าย 2 ทีมไม่ไหว".
3. "สงขลาเอฟซี ภาคใหม่ที่ไม่ใช่วัวชนแดนใต้คงไม่ล้อเล่นกับความรู้สึกแฟนบอล".
4. "Full Time Summary Thai League 3 Southern region matchday 1 – Songkhla v Wiang Sa Surat Thani City" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 11 September 2022.
5. "Full Time Summary Thai League 3 Southern region matchday 22 – Wiang Sa Surat Thani City v Songkhla" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 19 March 2023.
6. "Full Time Summary Thai FA Cup second round – Songkhla v Suphanburi" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 2 November 2022.
7. "Full Time Summary Thai League Cup qualification play-off round – Lopburi City v Songkhla" (PDF). thaileague.co.th. Thaileague. 19 October 2022.
8. สงขลาเอฟซี ประกาศผลโหวตการประกวดโลโก้สโมสร ผู้ชนะผลงานไม่ธรรมดา. Gimyong new website (in Thai).
9. Songkhla. Retrieved on 4 August 2022.

• "สงขลา เอฟซี คัมแบ็ก โค้ชเหน่งคุมทัพลุย TA". supersubthailand.com. Retrieved 2018-07-03.
• "เฮทั้งจังหวัด! สงขลา เอฟซี คัมแบ็กลุย T5 + คลิปเปิดตัวโค้ช". supersubthailand.com. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-03.

External links

• Songkhla F.C. on Facebook
• Official Website
• (in Thai)