Cardiff City RedBlueDragonBirds 2012-2013 season

[Gromit]

I thought you stated at the beginning of the season that there would be no reports at all this season.

How much split in two ess did you actually experience at the ground other than me jokingly reminding you to support the team in red in an obviously tongue in cheek ribbing?

 

[Gromit]

The atmos at home has been dreadful all season though. I will agree on that point. The greater the attendance the worse it is. Fair weather Johnny come lately prawn sandwich eating newbies will never be as vocal as the old skool hardcore but also the desire to actually win the game (rather than the consolation of winning the singing) is partially to blame too. I was never this nervous at games when every win was seen as a gift rather than a game we didn't throw away when we should have won.

 

[tommers]

Blimey. That didn't take long.

 

[editor]

I thought you stated at the beginning of the season that there would be no reports at all this season.

I went because all of the family were going, the tickets were bought for me and Eme as a Christmas present and I didn't fancy turning them down and being stuck at home on my own. And what I posted is less of a match report and more of a rant anyway

 

[Gromit]

New years day match report.

For the first time in a long time there were no travel restrictions to Birmingham.

The first thing to strike anyone making their own way to the ground was the hundreds of police lining the way to stadium. A small fleet of paddy wagons parked outside it and a pack of motorbikes down by the roundabout.

Prematch discussions with the local Birmingham supporters rep proved insightful. When asked about the press reported stay away protest he dismissed it as nonsense and stated that hardly anyone turns up anymore anyways. This is a club that is truly disheartened by its current situation.

To give the Birmingham players their due they fought hard. The Cardiff defence gave them some space a couple of times early on and more clinical finishing would have put Cardiff on the back foot and possibly changed the outcome. I only state possibly as Malky has built a squad with the spirit to fight their way back from such situations.

The absence of Whits (reported by rumour mill to be 4 weeks, subsquently reported as exagerated by the manager) affected Cardiff's midfield creativity but the presence of Kim-bo strengthen it defensively. No standing off players for Kim. Lots of old school standing tackles by Kim turnovered the ball for Cardiff. Unfortunately one too many tough challenges by him resulted in him hurting himself to leave the game early.

Mutch made a start a against a club that welcomed him back for past service. He them proceeded to make lots of frustrating silly mistakes. I was calling for a half time substitution but he returned second half. But only briefly. Another silly mistake and even Malky's patience ran out and Mutch was subbed.

As a Mason fan I was both pleased and surprised to see Helgerson and Gestede on the bench. The goal wasn't pretty but Mason showed great alertness to grab it.

It was then a matter of grinding out that 1-0 for the second half. Cardiff were a lot more aggressive on goal for the second half with Cowie for Mutch making a huge difference on the score. Gestede had a few attempted headers on goal but on each occasion couldn't quite target the ball low enough.

Birmingham fought bravely before and into extra time but Cardiff's defence stayed strong even to the extent of players throwing themselves to the ground to stop shots.

A tough match to end a perfect Christmas results tally.

ETA: Chant of the match.

Stadium announcer tells coach drivers of coaches parked in Arthur Street to return to their vehicles.

Crowd response:

We park where we want.
We park where we want.
We are Cardiff, we park where we want.

 

[Dan U]

does it count as a giantkilling?

 

[Gromit]

Sleeping giant killing.

Personally I'm overjoyed that we are out of both cups.
Both cups and the distraction they cause have IMO cost us promotion twice.

 

[editor]

Predictable humiliation today, but it's probably best for our league campaign.

Still an embarrassing result though.

 

[Badgers]

Focus on the playoffs eh?

 

[1927]

Sleeping giant killing.

Personally I'm overjoyed that we are out of both cups.
Both cups and the distraction they cause have IMO cost us promotion twice.

Only one thing matters this season.

 

[The39thStep]

I love the FA Cup .

 

[trampie]

If Cardiff join the Swans in the Premier League next season, will they then call the league, the English and Welsh Premier League ?, I wonder.......hmm

 

[Gromit]

They should already call it the British Prem League IMO.

And both Cardiff and Swansea should come under the FA ever since the Welsh FA set up the League Of Wales.

 

[1927]

If Cardiff join the Swans in the Premier League next season, will they then call the league, the English and Welsh Premier League ?, I wonder.......hmm

I'm thinking anglo-welsh premier league.

 

[Gromit]

Not the greatest result at home but the other results were in our favour. We trickle slightly further ahead.

 

[editor]

Yep, we're still 8 points clear, but I'm finding myself get more excited by Newport's season at the moment. I'm thinking of going to see them play at Woking away on the 22nd.

 

[Maltin]

If Cardiff join the Swans in the Premier League next season, will they then call the league, the English and Welsh Premier League ?, I wonder.......hmm

Seeing as the competition is currently called Premier League (or sometimes Barclays Premier League), there does not appear to be any need to change it.

http://www.premierleague.com/en-gb.html

 

[Clint Iguana]

Blackpool 1 Bluebirds 2

Ten points clear of the rest of the league

That is all

(*still finding it hard to be enthusiastic about this season )

 

[phildwyer]

Yep, we're still 8 points clear, but I'm finding myself get more excited by Newport's season at the moment. I'm thinking of going to see them play at Woking away on the 22nd.

What, hang on, after 45-odd years of faithfully following the City... once we finally reach the goal we've been working for all that time, never before seen but only dreamed in your lifetime... promotion to the best league in the world.... you drop us for Newport County....???

Some people can fall in love with failure.

 

[tommers]

Blackpool 1 Bluebirds 0

Ten points clear of the rest of the league

That is all

(*still finding it hard to be enthusiastic about this season )

eh? you won 2-1.

 

[editor]

What, hang on, after 45-odd years of faithfully following the City... once we finally reach the goal we've been working for all that time, never before seen but only dreamed in your lifetime... promotion to the best league in the world.... you drop us for Newport County....???

Some people can fall in love with failure.

Some people have principles.

 

[phildwyer]

Some people have principles.

But why is Tan any worse than Hamman, really? Or Rick Wright, or Goldstone, or Stefan Terlezki? None of them were really in it for the fans' sake.

Is it just the color of the kit?

If so.... not that I don't see the point... but it's not something I can bring myself to care that much about... blue or red, not that fussed.... I remember when we had a little yellow stripe going down the side in 1977.... didn't care about that either...certainly not compared to getting us into the Prem, anyone who can do that for Cardiff gets my respect....

 

[Greebo]

But why is Tan any worse than Hamman, really? Or Rick Wright, or Goldstone, or Stefan Terlezki? None of them were really in it for the fans' sake.

Is it just the color of the kit?<snip>

It's not purely about the colour of the strip (Watford changed several times without losing the respect of its fans) more about the way which football has become so monetised that teams can be bought or sold, and their success can be based more on funding than ability. If a team is willing to change a core part of its identity for the sake of money, what else will it do?

 

[Clint Iguana]

eh? you won 2-1.

er -- yeah ... must have been pissed when i typed that

 

[phildwyer]

It's not purely about the colour of the strip (Watford changed several times without losing the respect of its fans) more about the way which football has become so monetised that teams can be bought or sold, and their success can be based more on funding than ability. If a team is willing to change a core part of its identity for the sake of money, what else will it do?

Yes, but the game's been like that for at least 20 years now, and it always was about profit above all... football will always just reflect the politics of wider society anyway, and the Rule of Tan certainly does that....

 

[Greebo]

Yes, but the game's been like that for at least 20 years now, and it always was about profit above all... football will always just reflect the politics of wider society anyway, and the Rule of Tan certainly does that....

It used to be sponsorship by wealthy people who had a genuine liking for the team (or at least the game) or loyalty to the area, rather than corporate ownership. I'm sure you can work out the difference.</derail>

 

[Clint Iguana]

But why is Tan any worse than Hamman, really? Or Rick Wright, or Goldstone, or Stefan Terlezki? None of them were really in it for the fans' sake.

Is it just the color of the kit?

If so.... not that I don't see the point... but it's not something I can bring myself to care that much about... blue or red, not that fussed.... I remember when we had a little yellow stripe going down the side in 1977.... didn't care about that either...certainly not compared to getting us into the Prem, anyone who can do that for Cardiff gets my respect....

I think we all know that professional football became a business a long time ago, but the business is dependent on customers spending their hard earned cash on something they feel very passionately about. To most customers, football is a very personal thing, they feel they have an intimate relationship with the club they support. Loyalty to a football club is very different to loyalty to any other brand.

The difference between Tan and the likes of Sam is that Tan has shown he has no respect for the customer base the club had before his arrival. This is his club and he will do what he likes with it.

To add insult to injury he even tried to fob us off with some crap about luck and shirt sales in Asia, which anyone could see through. Then came the withdrawal of the rebrand and mind games in the media that led to fans turning against each other and some bizarrely openly WANTING us to change to red and threats of violence being made at a Keep Cardiff Blue meeting.

The colour change on its own is meaningless; it is what goes with it that hurts. Blue seems to be quietly getting pushed out of the back door. Ali not allowed to mention it on the PA, the team don’t wear it even though it is our official away kit and blue is rarely in stock in the shop. What next? The bluebird going off the badge? Red seats? Changing the name of the club? And I dread to think what will happen to ticket prices if we go up.

Yes, I am pleased city are doing well, I want them to go up, I will probably renew my season ticket next year, I just don’t feel the passion for the club I once had.

I know this is sentimental and illogical, but having other fans take the piss for having a sentimental attachment to the club does not help, in fact it just makes me feel even less part of the club.

 

[phildwyer]

I know this is sentimental and illogical, but having other fans take the piss for having a sentimental attachment to the club does not help, in fact it just makes me feel even less part of the club.

I certainly didn't mean to take the piss, I've got as strong a sentimental attachment as anyone... and the whole idea of being a football fan is illogical anyway.... but the color of the strip isn't a bit deal in itself, it's the deeper tendencies it represents that are the problem... and they're a problem for society as a whole, not just football...

 

[Clint Iguana]

I certainly didn't mean to take the piss, I've got as strong a sentimental attachment as anyone... and the whole idea of being a football fan is illogical anyway.... but the color of the strip isn't a bit deal in itself, it's the deeper tendencies it represents that are the problem... and they're a problem for society as a whole, not just football...

That remark was not actually aimed at you, but thanks anyway. I was thinking more of what goes on on another messageboard to be honest (although there are one or two on here). Also the idea of fans holding a Keep Cardiff Blue meeting and pro red fans turing up and threatening violence. Little things like that.


It’s a bit like Glastonbury. The toilets are better, there is less chance of getting mugged and there are bigger names on the main stage. However, it now feels corporate, there is less ‘anarchy’ and it has become the new Wimbledon in terms of being the place to be seen, with prawn sandwiches and flowery wellies (not to mention the drugs being less open than they used to be ). It has lost much of its attraction to me.

 

[Gromit]

Football is a sport where 11 fit men run about the pitch being criticised by a stadium full of people who really could do with the exercise.

No surprises then that every fan thinks he knows better than the manager too most of the time and knows better than the owner. Especially when it comes to spending the owner's own money.

This has always been the case. What's changed this season? The owner didn't pussyfoot around and peddle back when we didn't like his marketing ideas. He went ahead and did it any way when fans still haven't recovered from Jif been changed to Cif.

To be honest fans losing their love for the club don't matter. It's an entertainment product no different than Coronation Street . Actors come and go, plots come and go, people dont like the changes and the fans come and go but Coronation Street remains and doesn't give a fuck so long as it does.

Cardiff is having great attendances this year and record number of season tickets sold. Looks like its not going to miss those its upset to be honest. Let them watch Neighbours (whilst eating cake).