Sunday, February 17, 2013

Super Fan Day

PPCFC President Rithy Samnang addresses the masses at the PPCFC Open Day
The second instalment of our own Super Sunday took place at Phnom Penh Crown's RSN Stadium in Tuol Kork. For a long while now, the club have been planning on starting its own official Fan Club. Something where Crown fans can feel they belong and start to generate the kind of support that football clubs around the globe take for granted. There is no history of supporting football clubs in Cambodia. A lack of regional-based teams doesn't help and with all the matches played at the Olympic Stadium, there has been little reason for fans to declare their undying allegiance to one club or another. PPCFC want to change that thinking. Hence the formation of the PPCFC Fan Club. Based on a tried and tested formula adopted elsewhere, the fans pay a membership fee ($15 for full and $5 for junior) and in return they get benefits for supporting their beloved club. That includes a team jersey, cap, posters, free telephone sim card and message alerts from co-sponsors Smart Mobile as well as other goodies and online involvement in the future. To help start it all off, Crown held a Fan Open Day on Sunday afternoon, where all fans, not just fan club members, were invited to come and join in the fun, meet the senior players and Academy youngsters, join in with some 7-a-side matches and generally have a good time. It worked a treat. Approaching 200 youngsters and fans joined in, despite the scorching hot sun overhead and the final of the friendly competition went down to the wire, with Ouk Sothy's team winning on penalty kick's against Hong Pheng's side. The Fan Club welcomed its first members with pride of place as the No. 1 member going to ace fan Yin Marady. Now the aim will be to increase the membership and give the fans a voice at all PPCFC matches, where the fan club can be integral in building on the current buzz surrounding the club. Third place in the Hun Sen Cup and a bunch of interesting signings has triggered a lot of interest and we need to continue that momentum into the league season which restarts next weekend.
Ouk Sothy's winning team in the 7-a-side competition

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