Another significant milestone in the Futera United journey brings us to the eve of the start of the Thailand Semi-Pro league. After two successful seasons in the Bangkok Premier League, achieving successive promotions, Futera has now taken a significant step up in class as they prepare for their debut season in the TSP.After missing out on entry into the TSP last season due to a technical issue, Futera's Dew did outstanding work to ensure our home games would take place at the impressive KMITL Stadium. Upon receiving confirmation of our acceptance into the league for the forthcoming season, the coaches went into overdrive arranging trial matches as we sought to enhance our squad.
Trial matches were held at PSW Academy, with over 100 players participating. Eventually, we narrowed down the numbers, and it was left to the NFT holders to vote on who they wanted to add to the squad and who we would release. Our defence has been significantly strengthened with the experienced Benz, the commanding center-back Sanook, the dynamic left-back Sin, and the versatile defender Mhee. In midfield, where we are already strong, we've added Taku, who brings energy, dynamism, and deadball prowess. In the forward positions, former Thailand international Nuang adds real class, while right-winger Earth brings pace. We now have a 30-man squad with a blend of experience and youthful exuberance.
The format of the Thailand Semi Pro places us in the Bangkok region alongside five other teams, with whom we will play both home and away. Winning this league will automatically promote us to the T3 professional league and grant us participation in the Champions League competition against the winners of the other TSP regions. The five teams in our league are Dome FC, EGY Thai, BSL United, Look E-San FC, and Sathorn UTK FC.
I personally believe that Dome FC will be the favorites for this competition. As the team of the prestigious Thammasat University, Dome FC boasts a wealth of talent. We faced them during our first TA campaign and were narrowly beaten by a penalty shootout. I must admit I was very impressed by their performance, and they are sure to provide a stern test.
We have played EGY Thai in a couple of friendlies, one of which we lost in the last minute before we defeated them in a season-end friendly. Last year, EGY Thai narrowly missed out on promotion due to goal difference, making them another formidable opponent for us.
Our first fixture is against Look E-San FC, often referred to as the Athletic Bilbao of Thailand as they exclusively use players from the E-San region. They will be backed by a boisterous following and have been active in signing multiple players.
BSL United, who will host their home games at the impressive Verso International School, finished mid-table last season, although their matches were closely contested.
The final team in our group is the centrally located Sathorn UTK FC, who have previous experience at this level and sport one of the better kits I've seen in Thailand.This marks a significant milestone for Futera United, not only in terms of the level of competition but also in the quality of stadiums we'll be playing in. Hopefully, the officiating will also see an improvement, but let's not hold our breath. It's important to remember that just two years ago, this was merely a dream. Now, we're just days away from making our Semi-Pro debut. We're all part of this incredible journey together, and exciting times lie ahead for the black and golds.
A special mention goes to Mark, who has dedicated so much to this team, Dew, whose phenomenal efforts have turned this dream into reality, the production staff at Futera, and Breeze and his coaching staff. The 24th of February marks the kickoff of the next chapter in this remarkable story. Futera SU SU.