Bob Bank Hero

You thought the Gyepes rugby tackle was cynical...

When I witnessed Gyepes' fantastic saving tackle against Leicester on Tuesday I immediately remembered this challenge. Whether you hate United or not you've got to admire this from the babyfaced assassin. Absolutely superb.

A Picture Paints A Thousand Words

Pic courtesy of Jon Candy - more pics here:

We Came, We Saw, We Conquered (ish)

Miners strike? Poll tax riots? Petrol blockades? It was nothing compared to the “Ridsdale Out!” protest outside the CCS.

Oh okay – maybe not – but hey it was a good effort and fans who took part should be proud of what was a peaceful, very well attended march from the Admiral Napier to the stadium.

Gwyn (Valley Rams) set the right tone right from the start, bellowing into the loudspeaker that anyone who misbehaved would be letting the club down.

Some daft sod gave Dai Hunt another loudspeaker although that was sensibly taken off him early on. Did he really need one? Really?

There were plenty of cameras about and plenty to film. Coffins, flags, banners – the highlight being “Transparent My Arse!”

Newspaper reports have suggested around 2,000 City faithful attended although I personally thought it was somewhere near the 1,200 mark.

Led by mounted cops, the march moved pretty quickly up to Sloper Road. The chants were kept mainly to the old classics “You are my Cardiff…..” “Blue Army” etc. For anti-Riddler ones there were “Where’s the money gone?” and “Sit down if you hate Ridsdale”.

There was absolutely no trouble which was a big relief. If there’d been any arrests our beloved chairman could’ve used it against us. He’d already threatened that in Friday’s press statement.

Since the protest it seems there’s been quite a fuss made about why the Trust didn’t officially endorse it.

I for one was slightly baffled and wrote to a CCFC Trust board member to ask why we hadn’t voted on it.

Here’s the reply I got:

The likelihood is that the Trust's board would discuss action such as
demonstrations, marches, etc, towards the end of the season.

As things stand, it seems unlikely that any such action will bring about
change at this current point in time. However, it is something that will
definitely be considered if things continue to deteriorate at the club. 


I do agree with the second sentence. I didn’t expect it to bring about change. All I wanted was to show this board that I’m not happy about the way the club is being run and I’m not happy about being lied to when I bought my season ticket.

I would’ve liked to have been able to have voted on it but at the end of the day would it really have affected anything? The fact of the matter is that if you wanted to protest you were entitled to do so. And that’s what I did.

As for those Trust members who have apparently resigned because the Trust didn’t endorse it – I think you are jumping the gun. The Trust is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I spoke to another board member after the protest who told me only two Trust members had actually contacted the board and suggested a vote. One of those was me. Sounds to me as if some people are causing trouble. If you felt that strongly about it you should’ve asked before.

The Trust has done a fantastic job. Price reductions on beer at the stadium and friendly prices were warmly received. And Dave Sugarman’s report on the latest EGM provided me with more information than any media report.

Come on guys – stick together. The real enemy are those people sucking our club dry. We’re in this together.

Time To Stand Up And Be Counted (Peacefully)

Peter Ridsdale has released the following statement on the official Cardiff City site.

What an absolute joke. That's made my mind up. See you all on the march tomorrow.

CARDIFF CITY STATEMENT
Fri 05 Mar 2010
Cardiff City Football Club Limited.

Adverts have been taken out by Annis Abraham in the local media asking for our supporters to march prior to this coming Saturday's home match against Middlesbrough. In this advert he is asking the Club to answer questions with regard to the Club's finances.

Annis has a small number of shares and attended last week's EGM. Following the EGM, a presentation was made which addressed each of those questions. Annis already has the answers.

Maybe the true reason that Annis wants our supporters to march is so that you can destabilise the Club. Then what? Are you prepared for the consequences?

We are currently seeking external investment. Will a march against the current management or the Club assist that? The answer is simple. No.

This Club has made tremendous progress over the last five years. A new stadium, an FA Cup Final appearance, the highest league finish since 1971 and positive net assets for the first time for many years.

We have short-term cash challenges like many football clubs. Over the last five years we have had to be self sufficient. We have not had external investment topping up the football club's financial needs. Now we have the new stadium and with positive net assets we have a chance to attract external investment. This will not be forthcoming if they see our supporters demonstrating in the streets, you will merely drive such investors away. Then what?

If anyone agitates for change they have to have an alternative. Annis has no alternative. If he has or if anyone else has, then let them come to put such proposals to us. My door is always open.

It is now time for all Cardiff City supporters to decide whether they want this Club to thrive and move forward or to throw away everything that has been achieved over the last five years. On many occasions Annis has made it clear to me personally that he never wanted to leave Ninian Park. Maybe we have a different vision for the future of this football club.

Anyone who wants to have constructive dialogue can meet with me or my colleagues at any time. We only have the best interests of Cardiff City at heart. I hope that this is a mutually shared objective.

Anyone thinking of joining this march should look themselves in the mirror and ask if they really care about Cardiff City Football Club and its future. If the answer is yes, then come straight to the ground, enjoy the match and support the Club. If the answer is NO, then join the march.

Peter Ridsdale, Chairman.

5th March 2010.

All we are singing...is give us your best

Anyone who watches Championship football knows there's no such thing as a banker home win in this league.

So why was I left so shocked walking out of the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday after the Bluebirds surrendered to a mediocre Barnsley outfit?

We might not have been helped by a host of injuries and some tired legs but that wasn’t the reason we lost.

The truth is that this defeat was down to a lack of application and basic defending.

For the past half dozen games (Newcastle excluded) City have battled hard. Displays against Peterborough, Doncaster, Chelsea and WBA showed we are prepared to graft even when things aren’t going our way, or simply when teams are too good for us.

That's all we ask and that's why it infuriates supporters when we are occasionally served up with tripe like Saturday.

Take nothing away from Malta's Daniel Bogdanovic. His two finishes were top drawer but the opportunities were handed to him on a plate by defending normally seen on Pontcanna Fields.

Gyepes and Gerrard twice in four minutes aimlessly watched on as the ball was lobbed over their heads for the Barnsley striker to bag his brace.

The second was perhaps the worst with Gyepes trying to clear the ball and completely miscuing allowing Bogdanovic through on goal to hammer past the despairing Peter Enkelman.

The game could have been oh so different if Chopra would’ve converted a golden chance from two yards out instead of ballooning over.

But just as City looked like they might be able to force the opener we got done. Twice.

I'd like to say City looked as if they were going to get back into the game but the truth is with the defence playing like it was I was never confident – and I don’t think the other 19,000 City fans were either.

Barnsley are not a good side. They counter-attacked effectively but they don’t have nearly as much quality in their side compared to Cardiff. That’s why it’s such a bitter pill to swallow. 

To make matters worse the injury crisis is deepening. David Marshall was omitted from the starting eleven with rumours of ligament damage. This didn’t stop him warming the bench though.

Young Aaron Wildig headed for the tunnel after 35 minutes with his ongoing back problems refusing to go away and Gerrard failed to resurface for the second half after taking an elbow to the head. (not from Dave Jones although I wouldn’t have blamed him!)

As for the rest of the team. Chopra had a stinker and Gavin Rae looked terrified every time he got the ball. His confidence is obviously low and he’s constantly barraged by abuse from City fans.

McCormack came on for Wildig and did absolutely nothing. He looks out of shape, disinterested and ready to leave the club. I don’t want to see him go because on his day he is a class act but it looks to me that he will be one of the first to leave in the summer fire-sale.

The few plus points were Chris Burke who tried his best and Kevin McNaughton who was his usual dependable self. Adam Matthews looked good in the second half when coming forward although he still gets caught out of position way too often.

We hit the post and the bar but apart form a five minute spell in the second half we were just going through the motions. 

Dave Jones was rightfully critical after the game. “I'm just frustrated with some of the things we do,” he said.

"We get done with the same ball most times and people have got to learn their lessons and today was another example of that.”

Right on. Learn your lessons and let’s draw a line under this game. I don’t want to see another performance like that this season. Unfortunately I think I might.
 
Cardiff
Enckelman, McNaughton, Gyepes, Gerrard (Matthews 46), Kennedy, Rae, Whittingham, Burke, Wildig (McCormack 35), Chopra, Bothroyd
Substitutes
Marshall, Quinn, Taiwo, Blake, Matthews, Feeney, McCormack

Barnsley
Steele, Hassell, Foster, Potter, Dickinson, Colace, Filipe Teixeira, Hammill, Doyle, Bogdanovic (Gray 76), Macken (Rodriguez 76)
Substitutes
Preece, Butterfield, De Silva, Heslop, Rodriguez, Noble-Lazarus, Gray

Ref: Stroud
Att: 19,753

Battle of the Baggies

Two groups of blokes going hell-for-leather desperate for victory, old rivalries renewed, with only the walking wounded left to pick up the pieces.

Anyway, that's enough of the Chelsea fighting, what about the West Brom game?

The Baggies came to CCS as the form team in the division, winning their past four league games. Both sides were majorly depleted by injuries. WBA had nine players out with the Bluebirds missing long term casualties Joe Ledley, Josh Magennis, Steve McPhail, Kelvin Etuhu and Miguel Comminges.

To make matters worse, Aaron WIldig, Gavin Rae and Jay Bothroyd all started with knocks.

Speaking to a few West Brom fans before kick off they said they would be happy to go home with a point but by the end they could’ve rightfully gone home with all three.

West Brom are the best side I've seen at home this season. Plenty of pace to their game, physical and all eleven players comfortable on the ball.

Despite all that, City battled well, Bothroyd, Chopra and Burke causing the usual problems. At the moment Jay is unplayable – and it was the number nine that created City’s opener. A burst of pace saw him get in front of centre back Jonas Olsson in the penalty area, and the centre half brought him down. Penalty.

Di Matteo moaned like hell after the game but as far as I could see it was a nailed-on foul. How the boy didn’t even pick up a booking is beyond me. It was a goalscoring opportunity.

Whitts stepped up and sent Carson the wrong way to put City one nil up inside seven minutes. Bang went my quid bet for a 0-0 at 8/1.

Unfortunately, that was pretty much all Whitts could contribute to the game because after 25 minutes he limped off with what looked like a hamstring injury.

West Brom quickly reasserted themselves and nearly replied when Moore hit the post but it looked as if we would hang on until half-time. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

Deep into first-half injury time, Zuiverloon bagged the equaliser after seeing his initial effort saved by Marshall. The only consolation was that I didn’t have to see the 1,800 strong Baggies supporters celebrate as I was already at the bar downstairs.

The second half was much the same. West Brom enjoying most of the possession with us battling away and trying to hit them on the break. It was entertaining stuff spoilt by some of our fans who seem to believe we have a divine right to win every match.

33-year-old Mark Kennedy is going to get beaten for pace sometimes. The 17-year-old kid Wildig is going to get knocked off the ball, and Gavin Rae is never going to be able to shoot accurately.  Get over it.

All these players are trying their best. We can’t bring anyone in. They are what we’ve got and we need to get behind them.  Accept that sometimes we will lose matches. It’s still a million years away from the likes of Craig Middleton, Gareth Stoker and Russell Perrett. Rant over.

The best chance of a famous City victory fell to Chris Burke who eight yards out could not find the target with his left foot. Bothroyd has a header late on but only glanced wide. 

A special mention must go to Chops who jumped in late on Scott Carson. The England international saw the funny side of it and shook hands, as opposed to last time the sides met when he headbutted Chops and walked off the pitch.

By the time the final whistle blew both teams looked knackered. As Jones says after every game, we’ve just got to pick ourselves up and keep going. Mark Robin's much-improved Barnsley come to town on Saturday. See you all there.

Cardiff
Marshall, McNaughton, Gyepes, Gerrard, Kennedy, Rae, Whittingham (McCormack 27), Burke, Wildig (Blake 70), Chopra, Bothroyd
Substitutes
Enckelman, Quinn, Taiwo, Blake, Matthews, Feeney, McCormack

West Brom
Carson, Mattock, Olsson, Zuiverloon, Tamas, Koren, (Cox 82), Brunt, Dorrans, Slory (Wood 63), Moore, Nouble
Substitutes
Kiely, Labadie, Mantom, Brown, Bednar, Wood, Cox

Ref: Woolmer
Att: 20,758