Bob Bank Hero

The Future's Bright

Lifelong City fan Paul Evans takes a look at the latest rough diamonds bursting through the Academy ranks.

Cardiff City were granted Academy status in 2004/05 and for the first time since then we now have a side that is in contention at the top of their league. City are currently in third position in the ten team league with twenty points from their ten matches – that puts them just a point behind Spurs and eight behind leaders Leicester who they face in their next home match on 14 November.

Last Saturday City leapfrogged above Coventry City Under 18s by beating them 3-1 at Treforest and the team that day contained virtually all of the regular starters from this season – here are a few words on those who started against Coventry;-

Jordan Santiago (age 18) – Canadian born keeper in his second season for our Under 18s and looks a far more assured and confident performer than he did last year. Has been well protected by his back four in the games I have seen, but has impressed when called into action – was an unused substitute in the League Cup match with Dagenham and Redbridge in August.

Kye Edwards (18) – Although mainly used as a central defender previously, he has been playing at right back at times this year and has done a good, solid job in his new position – another one who was on the bench without getting on for the Dagenham game.

Alex Evans (17) – Was a regular at centre half for the Under 18s last season when, by rights, he should have been turning out for the Under 16s – an Impressive central defender who has weighed in with three goals this season.

Stephen Last (18) – Regular starter at centreback this season and has formed a decent partnership with Evans. He was lucky to receive only a yellow card against Coventry though when he brought down an attacker who was in on goal with a great chance to level the match up at 2-2..

Jon Meades (17) – Has been converted into a left back this season after being used as a wide midfield player previously. His midfield roots show with his use of the ball – although he sometimes   tries to play a bit too much football in wrong areas of the pitch, the quality of his distribution from the back is a definite plus point in the team. Another one who was an unused substitute against Dagenham, Meades captains the team if Aaron Wildig is not available.

Luke Cummings (18) – Right sided player who has been used in midfield recently after playing most of his football at City as a full back. Did very well in the 2-1 win over Reading last month, he also scored a hat trick in the 5-2 friendly win over Swindon last week.

Zac Evans (18) – Holding player who formed a very impressive central midfield trio with Wildig and Ibby Farah against Coventry. Was out injured for most of last season, but had already got experience of playing for the reserve team by then and was another of our youngsters who sat on the bench against Dagenham without featuring.

Aaron Wildig (17) – Captain of the team and the only player in the squad with playing experience for the first team in competitive football. Although he hasn’t made a big impact in his first team appearances yet, he is a very impressive performer at Under 18 level and has four goals to his name so far – will probably feature less and less at this level over the coming months given what Dave Jones was saying about him last week.

Ibby Farah (17) – Impressed as a holding midfielder last season, but is now being used in a more forward position where he is charged with making runs in support of the lone striker. Still shows an ability to be a true box to box player though as he does his bit defensively while chipping in with goals in each of the last two home games in the league.

Billy Taylor (18) – Made an impact when scoring for the first team in last year’s pre season game at Merthyr but has often been used as a substitute since then. Can play either wide right or wide left and, like many other wingers, tends to blow a bit hot and cold, but City’s best spell against Coventry came when his ability to take on and beat defenders was well to the fore.

Nat Jarvis (18) – Playing as a lone striker is hard work for a senior player, but it must be even tougher for a youngster yet Jarvis makes a good job of it most weeks. Has come on well this season and has six goals to his name – another unused sub in the Dagenham game.

Others who have featured this season include

Steffan Jones (17) – Although normally a centreback, has done a fine job recently when coming on as a sub to play as a target man type striker and has been rewarded with well taken goals against Reading and Coventry.

 Mamadou Diallo (16) – A midfield player who has been a regular starter but was an unused sub against Coventry. Sometimes looks a bit lightweight but he has time on his side - I believe we picked him up after he was released by West Ham’s Academy.

Leigh Smith (17) – Can play up front, but has tended to be used as a left sided midfielder in a 4-5-1 system this year – has scored a couple of times this season.

The Under 18s play on Saturday mornings with kick off times tending to be either at 11 or 11.30 and have been playing at Treforest this season although my understanding is that they will be using the pitch at the Atheltics Stadium at Leckwith again when some issues with the pitch there have been resolved.

Admission to games is free and with the side winning matches this year whilst trying (and often succeeding) to play good football, the Academy team are well worth a look at if you find yourself at a loose end on a Saturday morning.  

  

 

The Demise of Ninian Park

Season Ticket holder Gareth Rogers says goodbye to Fortress Ninian.

 

It's like driving past a car crash.

You don’t want to look, you know it will be traumatic, but you just can’t stop staring.

Watching our beloved Ninian Park being slowly torn to shreds is the closest to that analogy I have ever been.

Since the start of last season, the club were marketing 2009 as the End of and Era and after Christmas, we all took the time to take our last photos and savour the Ninian experience.

On a sunny day, on a dark night, being soaked on the Bob Bank terrace or crushed on the Grange End one last time.

The last derby, the last cup tie, it almost seemed like overkill.

But even the damp squib of a closing ceremony against Ipswich and the hastily arranged End of Ninian six-a-side tournament could not prepare me for what I have seen in the last few weeks.

After watching footage of the Grandstand roof and floodlights coming down, I have found myself making de-tours down Sloper Road on my way out of town lately, just to see the latest mangled mess.

During one of these pilgrimages, my girlfriend, God bless her, said to me, "Well the new stadium looks a lot better."

Common sense I know, but life is not as simple as that.

How would she feel if I was to simply swap her for a newer shinier model?

But it’s not her fault. It’s not even the board or the chairman’s fault.

I can see that the stadium has launched City into the higher echelons of Championship clubs.

Just a few weeks ago, I visited the mighty Bramall Lane, which for decades held grandeur over Ninian. Now I think it’s an absolute shithole.

I had a similar experience on an early season trip to Home Park, Plymouth, and now even Premier League grounds like Craven Cottage and St Andrews look poor in comparison.

But all of this can not stop me pining for my first love.

I admit I was close to tears on the walk to Sunday’s game against Forest and there was there an even bigger lump in my throat when I saw Gabby (Yorath) Logan stood on the crumbling Bob Bank at the start of the BBC’s live coverage of the game.

But why am I a victim of the over-sentimental madness?

To me, it’s quite simple.

I first sat on the back wall of the Bob Bank as a spotty Chicken Pox ridden four-year-old to see us draw with Wolves.

Since then, memories like going onto the pitch for the first time after beating Crewe, Swansea fans throwing chairs around the Grandstand, Pikey’s late equaliser against Admira Wacker, Blakey's wonder goal against Man City and the day I scored in front of the Canton Stand at half time are all treasured and will be tough to replicate.

Don’t get me wrong, I'm not against new stadiums and I think at it's loudest, the Cardiff City Stadium (I'm still outraged by the name) creates more noise than my beloved Bob Bank.

But on the other side of the coin, when it is quiet, and it seems to be too often, you can hear the ball bouncing on the turf and the sound of crunching tackles going in an atmosphere akin to a parks game, while Ninian seemed (to me) to posess a buzz that rarely dropped.

Having been to Coventry's Ricoh Arena several times, I would be devastated if the atmosphere at Cardiff ever stoops to those depths.

Obviously the terracing has gone and as a shorty I get a much better view from my half way line Ninian Stand seat, but I would swap it all to be squashed onto the Bob Bank terrace for one more cold January cup tie.

Sadly, it seems the Ninian demolition is going to be dragged out over a few more weeks and months as the Canton, Grange End and
Bob Bank are tugged down, one by one and every time I take the train through Ninian Park Station I will be faced with what feels like the slow demise of a family member.

But I am sure that once it is gone, we will all be able to look forward to the Premier League in our shiny new home and we can be guilt-free in indulging in Mr Ridsdale's latest generous season ticket offer.

But for now, I would like a little time to myself while I grieve for one of my oldest friends.