scg

4/4/12 Siam Cement Group purchase 30 per cent stake in 2009 and 2010 Thai champions Muang Thong Unite…

1/3goal.com/en/news/1276/…/siam-cement-group-purchase-30-per-cent-stake-in-2009-and

Siam Cement Group purchase 30 percent stake in 2009 and 2010 Thaichampions Muang Thong United

The Thai club are aiming to become one of the leadingsides in Asia 'within three to five years' after a newtakeover from the country's largest cement company

Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game

Open an account with Sportingbet today and get up to £50 in free bets!

Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25

Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200

Sign up with Paddy Power for a free bet up to £50

$(document).ready(function() { Goal.widget('betting').rotator( 'default-1', $('.betting-widget-default-1 table') ); });

Feb 19, 2012 4:01:00 AM

By Steve Thompson



Joe PatitThe Siam Cement Group (SCG), Thailand's largest cement company and the nation's

second largest enterprise, has purchased a 30 per cent stake in Muang Thong United afterbringing its relationship with Samut Songkhram FC to an end.

The Nonthaburi-based club, who were Thai champions in 2009 and 2010, will now be

known as SCG Muang Thong United Football Club. Don't Miss Dangda named in Thailand squad for OmanLeicester's John: Away withthe Warriors Buriram win Thai FA Cup over Muang ThongNew MTU coach Fowler

aiming for Thai glorySCG reportedly paid 600 million baht (€14.8 million) for the stake in the Thai Premier

League (TPL) outfit.

The company spent 2010 and 2011 as the main sponsor of Samut Songkhram. Severallocal sources have suggested that this latest development might result in Samut Songkhram

having to withdraw from the TPL due to a lack of funding.

Last season, the team could only manage a third-place finish having won the TPL title bothin its inaugural season - 2009 - and 2010. This followed a First Division title (pre-TPL [in2008]), which followed a Division Two title in 2007.

For a relatively new club, founded in 1989, Muang Thong United has enjoyed a good deal

of success both on and off the pitch over recent years.

Owned by sports media magnate Ravi Lohtong, much of the club's recent successes havebeen attributed to Robert Procureur, Muang Thong United's former manager.

The club's less than stellar performance last season coincided with the Belgian's departure to



TPL rivals BEC Tero Sasana (as general manager), a club with close links Football

Association of Thailand (FAT) president Worawi Mukadi.

Procureur is also currently technical director of the Myanmar National League teamYadanabon FC.

SCG managing director Pramote Techasupatkul noted that the investment would bolster the

company's reputation and raise standards in the TPL.

The company's chairman, Pongsak Polanan, told a Thai-language newspaper that theinvestment by SCG would ensure that Muang Thong United becomes one of the leadingsides in Asia, “within three to five years”.

The club's stadium, formerly known as the Yamaha Stadium, will now be known as the

SCG Stadium.

Follow Goal.com Asia on and

for the latest in Asian footballing news, features, and analysis

scg

Sports