It was a sight to behold. The vibe was reminiscent of a soccer field in England. Seoul Eland FC’s ‘planning’ did a great job.
At 7 p.m. on the 6th, the Seoul Eland-Gyeongnam FC match of the 25th round of the Hana OneQ K League 2 2023 took place at Mokdong Sports Complex in Seoul. The away club Gyeongnam defeated Seoul Eland 2-1, but there was a sight that caught the eye as much as the fierce competition between the two teams: the British scouts. Coming off a jamboree surrounded by poor conditions, they decided to spend six nights at Mokdong Sports Complex.
The British scouts were able to attend Seoul Eland’s home games thanks to an initiative by the club. The team reached out to a British scout and offered to spend their time in Seoul after the jamboree “playing soccer”. The idea was to give them something to look forward to after a difficult trip to Korea. The British scouts, traveling from the home of soccer, readily accepted the offer. Thousands of Englishmen came to work as herdsmen.
From then on, the club’s front office was busy. It wasn’t working the way it was supposed to, with inertia taking over. This was an unplanned event, so it was important to be flexible. The scouts’ visit was only confirmed the day before the game, so they had to make the most of the time they had. “It wasn’t an easy preparation process, but we tried to get the most out of it,” says Chae Seung-mok, head of Seoul Eland. We had many late-night meetings within the club to make sure everything went smoothly on matchday,” he said.
Seoul Eland was meticulously prepared. Starting with the distribution of thousands of bottles of ice water for the team members who suffered from the heat of the jamboree, the team also contacted Yangcheon Police Station to provide police personnel in case of any safety incidents. In addition, the team thought of and implemented everything possible to create a soccer festival, including enhancing the images on the electronic boards, deploying additional stadium security personnel, and recruiting foreign language speakers.
Thanks to Seoul Eland’s behind-the-scenes efforts like Dobby the house fairy, Mokdong Sports Complex on the 6th provided an unforgettable experience for all who attended. Those who stayed in that space and time could not help but think, ‘This is one of the soccer fields in the UK’. The men from Jonggatjip knew which club they were rooting for without having to be told. They chanted “SEFC,” the acronym for Seoul Eland, throughout the game, encouraging the players on the field as if they had been cheering for them all their lives. They even booed when Gyeongnam, the opponent of the day, scored a goal. As they grew up watching, listening, and playing soccer, they seemed to be familiar with the duties of being a home fan.
England scouts livened things up in an unconventional way. Whenever someone in the crowd would start a chant of “Oggy, Oggy, Oggy” at the top of their lungs, the entire crowd would respond with “Oi, Oi, Oi”. The so-called “Oggy Chant,” which lasted for the entire game, is a British way of enjoying the moment at sporting events and camps, and it created a unique scene at Mokdong Sports Complex in Seoul’s Eland. After the game, Gyeongnam head coach Seol Ki-hyun said, “The sound of the cheering was amazing,” a testament to the impact of the oggie chant. In addition, the British scouts enjoyed the midsummer night by performing a wave cheer, which is only seen at international matches. The ‘memories of Korea’ that Seoul Eland wanted to create by inviting the team seemed to be successful.
On June 6, Seoul Eland recorded its “largest crowd” since the club’s inception. 6,471 people visited the Mokdong Sports Complex, the highest number in the entire Jamsil, Cheonan, and Mokdong era. The invitation, which started with warm intentions, evolved into a promotional marketing campaign that will remain in the club’s history, and it was the point where the numbers connected. The influence of the British scouts was also evident in the food truck, the club’s convenience store, and the MD shop. The MD shop in particular set a “record” with a 642% increase in sales. “We don’t have any clothes to sell for the next game,” said a club official, with a mixture of satisfaction and worry.바카라사이트
After the match, the English scouts left the stadium in an orderly fashion, under the proper control of Seoul Eland. Even the moment they left the field, they seemed to be enjoying the moment with bright expressions. Mr. Chae Seung-mok said, “It was a valuable experience for everyone on site, from the scouts to the club front office. I’m very proud that we were able to bring back good memories to those who visited Korea as a gift,” he said after the special game.
Seoul Eland invited the British scouts who missed the jamboree and created an interesting game, and the outside world said, “Seoul Eland worked,” and “It was like the Premier League”. It was a moment that proved that a lot can be done on short notice if the club has a good plan. The scouts who traveled to Korea for the Jamboree and returned home with their hearts set on Seoul Earth will remember the club for a long time. Special memories made as a child can last a lifetime.