FC United set for Korean battle

Source: Prestwich Advertiser

July 16, 2009

FC UNITED will set off to South Korea today (Thursday )to play fellow fans-owned club Bucheon FC 1995 in a pre-season friendly.

Bucheon FC 1995 were formed in 2007 when their club Bucheon SK was taken over, moved to an island off the south coast and had their name changed to Jeju United.

Not surprisingly with a story like that, Bucheon FC 1995 have forged a friendship with AFC Wimbledon and it is through that link that FC received an invitation to play in South Korea.

Bucheon FC 1995 officials have said that they expect a crowd of up to 20,000 for the match on Saturday, July 18.

And FC will go into the game buoyed by a 4-1 victory at Leek Town.

Saturday’s pre-season win represented a trip down memory lane for FC with around 300 fans returning to the scene of the club’s first competitive game almost four years ago.

Who could have predicted back then that the new club’s journey would take in three promotions in the first three seasons, lifting FC United into the Northern Premier League Premier Division, where they narrowly missed out on a play-off place last season?

Saturday’s game kicked off FC’s preparations for another shot at promotion and manager Karl Marginson said: "I knew what to expect from playing non-league football and what it would take for us to make progress. But for a lot of the fans it was the start of something completely new.

"What I remember most about that visit to Leek in 2005 was the rain – the weather was rotten – and the fact that they had to delay the game by half-an-hour to get all of our fans in.

"It was the dawn of a tremendous time for us and coming back was a reminder for us of how far we have come in the last four years."

FC’s line-up on Saturday featured four members of FC’s first competitive starting XI – Steve Spencer, Tony Coyne, Joz Mitten and Adie Orr.

But the game got off to the worst possible start for Marginson’s men. Goalkeeper Phil Priestley dithered in possession and allowed Dan Cope to charge down his clearance as the ball cannoned into the net off the youngster’s shin.

After that, it was plain sailing for the visitors.

Orr levelled with a diving header from Ben Morris’ cross midway through the first period.

In the second half, Ben Deegan netted twice from close range and completed his hat-trick late on at the third attempt after his spot kick had been saved.

At the other end, Sam Ashton saved Adam Brindle’s spot kick to deny Leek a second.

Meanwhile, the money accumulated from FC’s unique season ticket pledges scheme, which sees fans pay what they can afford for a season ticket as opposed to paying a set price, has now passed the £100,000 mark.

And, with there being several weeks to go before the start of the season, the club are well on track to reach their £125,000 target.