Hanoi T&T football club invited the well known comedian Chi Trung to be the chairman of the club's fan association in an attempt to attract larger audiences.

Artist Chi Trung (middle)

Chi Trung is famous for playing the role of Tao Giao Thong or Transport God in the well known television Tao Quan show that airs during Tet.

Since 2010, Hanoi T&T has been at the top of the V.League, the top professional football league in Vietnam. They have won the championship two times and won some fans. But the number of people who follow them remains relatively low. The managers of the team have complained that other stadiums, such as Haiphong, Thanh Hoa and Vinh are full during games but that it is not the case in Hanoi.

Vissai Ninh Binh, which has not done as well as Hanoi T&T, attracts thousands of fans to their games while Hanoi T&T often has only a few hundred.

Hang Day Stadium usually only fills up during games between Hanoi T&T and rivals such as Thanh Hoa, Haiphong or Song Lam Nghe An.

Artist Chi Trung who has decided to act as the chairman of Hanoi T&T club’s fan association said he regards Hanoi T&T a great symbol for the city.

“The time of The Cong and Hanoi Police clubs is over. We can’t relive the past. Football is different than it used to be, as the sport has become much more commercialised,” he said. At the match between Hanoi T&T and Maldives’ Maziya on February 24, Artist Chi Trung stood at the gate of the stadium to welcome fans. He has vowed to make every match the team plays.

Artist Chi Trung disagrees with the way so many people criticise Hanoi football. “No one bans you from being fans of foreign clubs such as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United or Liverpool. I myself am a fan of Manchester United. Many people never attend a V.League match, yet still make bad comments about them. I think it is unfair.”

Chi Trung said that he will try to attract young people out to Hang Day Stadium and hopefully reconnect with Vietnamese football.