Bob Bank Hero

Willie Retires

FORMER City favourite Willy Boland has been forced into retirement by a persistent knee injury.

The Irishman who was bought from Coventry City in 1999 spent seven seasons at Cardiff City, playing 209 games and scoring three goals. During the 2000-2001 story he won club player of the year for his tough-tackling all-action performances - something always appreciated by the City faithful.

Willie finished his career at League Two side Hartlepool.

He told the club's website: "It was very difficult to come to this decision but to be honest, I've been out for over a year so I've got used to not playing in that time.''

''I just felt in myself that my knee was never going to be the same again and if I did get back I wouldn't be able to do myself justice.''

Good luck Willie with your future career. We always thought you were better than Mark Bonner!

Coca-Cola Lucky

 

Coca-Cola is currently offering one lucky Cardiff fan the chance to win a Big Match Experience when they play Nottingham Forest on 1st November.

This is a once in a lifetime chance to get close to the team and share the experience of a big match build-up at one of the biggest games of the season. 

The lucky winner will lay out the kit in the changing room, watch the pre-match warm-up at the touchline and present the match ball to the referee.  They'll also receive two tickets so they can enjoy the game with a mate.

To be in with a chance of winning this great prize, log on to www.cokezone.co.uk and register your details to receive two free coke Zone points which you can then use to enter the big match experience prize draw. 

The draw closes on 25th October and the winner will be drawn at random and notified by email in the week of the game.

But don't worry if you don't win this great prize, as Coca-Cola are offering loads of other great football offers on www.cokezone.co.uk, including the chance to win one of 5 pairs of tickets for every Cardiff home match this season.

If Only Wales Players Were So Committed....

Most of us would walk one legged for miles for a chance to pull on the red shirt of Wales.

But Bluebirds manager Dave Jones has suggested McCormack is perhaps too committed to his country and blamed his latest hamstring injury on a 14 hour round trip to Scotland.

McCormack travelled up to Scotland from Cardiff for just 37 minutes of a 4-0 defeat in Norway before being subbed for tactical reasons.

Dave Jones told the Cardiff official website:  "Part of the trouble was the lad's international commitments with Scotland. In one match he played half an hour or so before being subbed because one of the Scotland players had been sent off and the team had to be reshaped.

"But it turned out that Ross had driven to Scotland to join the party, a journey that takes six or seven hours, then he had driven back down here. He should have gone up and down by plane. Then he goes into a game cold and gets injured.

"Now he has his rehab to do before training - he has his own personal programme to do before he joins the rest on the training field."

Magennis joins Grimsby

City's Northern Ireland U21 international Josh Magennis has joined League Two Grimsby Town on a month's loan.

Dave Jones said: "Josh needs to be playing regularly and a move to Grimsby will give him that.
"With Ross McCormack and Warren Feeney on the way back, we have more forward options, so we can afford to let Josh go for a while."

Good luck Josh. Hope you bang a few goals in!

Bluebirds Fans Welcome Ticket Deals

Cardiff City fans have applauded the club's decision to offer cut-price ticket deals for the Bluebirds' forthcoming Championship fixtures against Crystal Palace and Coventry.

 
Adult supporters who buy tickets for both matches in advance will get a £10 discount, while concessions will receive a £5 reduction.
 
The club has also announced a special deal for fans in the Brace's Bread Family Stand, where two adults and two children can watch both games for a combined price of just £65.
 
Cardiff City Supporters' Trust spokesman Dave Sugarman said: "We are very pleased that the club is making an effort to fill the new stadium and believe these ticket prices are fair.
 
"Fans who attend both games will get a decent discount, while the two-match deal for supporters in the Family Stand is an excellent initiative." 
 
He added: "The Bluebirds were in spectacular form during their recent victories over Derby and Watford, so hopefully the players will get the support they deserve in the next two games."
 
The discounted prices are available from the Cardiff City Stadium ticket office until the close of business on Friday, October, 16th. Fans can telephone 0845 345 1400 for further details.
 

McPhail A Doubt For Palace Clash

Irish midfielder Steve McPhail may miss Saturday's clash with Crystal Palace after undergoing minor surgery.

In-form McPhail underwent minor surgery last week to remove a lump on his neck and will need time for stitches to heal.

It should mean a return for contract rebel Joe Ledley - if he recovers from his hip injury.

Meanwhile, striker Ross McCormack is in contention for the Palace game according to boss Dave Jones.

"Ross is fit and raring to go, Now it's a matter of building up his power and match-fitness," said Davey Jones.

McCormack will play in a friendly this week against Bristol Rovers as will fellow Scot Kevin McNaughton, who has not played this season due to ligament damage.

"Kevin is a fit lad - he doesn't carry a lot of weight," added Jones.

"The Rovers match will give Kevin and Ross another game for match practice. Then they will train with us later in the week."

Fingers crossed they both come through fit and well against Bristol. Having them both back will be two new signings.

Leave off Ledley

By Darren Griffiths

It makes me laugh when people have a go at Joe Ledley.

Here is a guy who has played for City more than 250 times. He’s consistently been one of our best players for seasons and suddenly he’s been turned into a villain.

From the outside looking in it can be so black and white. Why hasn’t he signed a new contract?

Why would he? Think of all his mates who have moved on to better things and bigger clubs than us.

Jerome, Ramsey, Earnie, Gabbs, Collins, Loovens, Roger. Even Gunter got a move to the Premiership. Okay so now he’s taken a step back but I bet he doesn’t regret leaving us for one minute. There is a culture of selling at our club and it must get him down.

He must think “when is it my turn?” “When will I get my chance in the Premiership?”

I’m sure he would dearly love to do it with us, but let’s be honest- that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

Fans moan about recent lacklustre performances but as far as I’m concerned form is temporary, class is permanent.

He’s played left back, left-mid, centre-mid and even been used as a makeshift striker on occasions. He has scored some great goals, made some fantastic tackles, sprayed some wonderful passes and always given 100 per cent.

I’m not saying he’s the most talented City player ever. Hell, in terms of technical ability he most probably isn’t even the best in the team now, but he is a fantastic player.

As far as I am concerned he has put in one hell of a shift at Cardiff.

Just because it looks like he will move on does not mean he doesn’t love the club.

If he leaves at the end of the season or earlier then good luck to him.  He deserves his move.

We WILL get money for him whatever. It won’t be £6million but it won’t be tuppance either. 

For the first time most probably since he made his debut, Joe has found himself on the bench because other players have played so well in his absence.

Jones said it was an easy decision to make because of a hip injury -  but would he have played Joe and dropped one of the midfielders who were all outstanding against Derby?

I don’t think so.

But I know this – when Ledley get his chance he will take it. He always responds to a challenge.

We need to back Joe. You can hear the murmurs of discontent around the CCS about him not signing a contract.

It is up to him. All we can do is encourage him to play well in every game until he goes….because if there’s one thing that’s for sure about Cardiff City it’s that there is no one player bigger than the club.

McPhail Must Go?

By Chris James

I wrote this a few weeks ago. Since then Macca has put in two very strong performances fot City. Has it changed my mind about his future role for City? I'm really not sure - but I'm definitely glad he's here at the moment. Keep it up Macca!

 

When Macca joined City back in the Summer of 2006 from Barnsley I was quietly optimistic.

Here was a boy who has Champions League experience, a quality left foot and didn’t cost us a penny.

He was already a semi-popular figure with City fans after being instrumental in a Barnsley side that beat Swansea in a play-of final to deny them a place in the Championship.

Okay so he was carrying a bit of weight around his waste and didn’t seem particularly fast but most agreed he was a talented pro.

Originally, he slotted in well in City's midfield alongside Riccy Scimeca and fans got used to him sweeping the ball out wide, creating space for others and pulling the strings when City were on top.

But as time went by, more and more games seemed to pass him by. Teams latched on to the fact that if you close him down fast you could shut him down. His right foot was non-existent, he was too timid to shoot, and he didn’t have the pace to skip past players.

He also had this peculiar habit of pirouetting like a ballet dancer, usually in a vulnerable position in front of defence, and leaving poor old Darren Purse with no protection whatsoever.

With Jones’ trusted 4-4-2 formation, City have always needed midfielders who can break past strikers and support – Macca can’t do that.

After his second successive Welsh derby red card last year, he was rightfully dropped and didn’t really regain his place until the end of the season when Ledley got injured.

Those months where he was out of the side were our best of the season. Okay Gavin Rae isn't as technically gifted as McPhail but does the donkey work and links up well with Ledley.

With Rae sitting, it also gives Ledley the licence to roam and do some damage further up the field.

In the matchday programme against Scunthorpe on the opening day of this season, Jones wrote that he allowed Paul Parry to move to Preston because he thought the player would benefit from a change of scenery.

If that is the case with Parry, then surely the same can be said of McPhail. For me he is stale and too often slows play down when the team plays best at a high intensity.

If he does stay this season I won’t be gutted as I do think he has something to offer – especially against the poorer sides in the division who give midfielders too much space.

I certainly would never boo him and will continue to support him whenever he pulls on a Bluebird shirt. But for me it is time for him to move on. He is someone who disappoints and frustrates.

When City fans turn on a player the writing is on the wall. As far as I'm concerned that ink is well and truly dried.