Stupid chairman

Court in session.
What do you mean
'Oy oy oy'?

Must have court in session.
Order.

My name is Judge Derrett,
And I will not tolerate any disobedience in my courtroom.
Ridsdale, you have been brought in
Front of me and charged
With telling porkies and not paying the taxman.
Before I sentence you,
What have you got to say in your defense

?

Goodnight all round

Cardiff when some way to push the memory of that 4-4 humiliation early in the season to the back of the mind after the 2-0 victory over Peterborough. Cardiff goals were scored by Chris Burke and Anthony Gerrard the night could be costly with Darcy Blake going off injury and later Stephen McPhail went off after suffered a rib injury. With Joe Ledley and Gavin Rae out Cardiff boss Jones will soon run out of midfield players.

Results went the way Cardiff tonight with only one of the top three teams above the Bluebirds winning tonight. West Brom go top after a 2-0 victory over Scunthorpe while Newcastle who stuffed Cardiff 5-1 last Friday were handed a smaller stuffing away at Derby with a 3-0 score line.

Third place Nottingham Forest dropped three points at Coventry and are now only seven points ahead of Cardiff and Swansea who both won today and are fourth and fifth respectively and are on the same number of points (48). Six-placed Leicester could only draw with Doncaster and are five points adrift of the two Welsh in the last Play-off spot.

Outside the play-off spots a number of teams lost and a small gap has opened between fifth and seventh place

Feeling bad about tomorrow

I am starting to get a horrible feeling about tomorrow it would seem talks between the club and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs have come to nothing so it looks like it is on to court tomorrow.

It has been rumoured that Cardiff offered to paid £1million with the rest instalments but the taxman looks to be standing firm they are owed £2.7millon. They had expected a payment plan before but Cardiff failed to carry it through with the payments that leading to a second winding up order.

Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale will be in court hoping to reach a deal with HMRC but if they have turned down an offer today, he will have to up the offer tomorrow to have a chance of satisfying HMRC and then try to do a deal. Ridsdale should have the money from the land sale which is believed to be between £1.5 to £1.8million

If Cardiff were to lose they could face administration and a 10-point deduction should the winding-up order be successful. Back when fans had a bit of trust in Peter Ridsdale he claimed "We have every confidence that all monies owing to HMRC will have been repaid by the end of January.
"HMRC booked a back stop date of 10 February 2010 to go back to court if, for any reason, we had not been able to fulfil our obligations to pay by the end of January."

Will Terry play

John Terry could yet face the Bluebirds has Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has yet to make is mind up if the EX-England captain will play Saturday.

It was report national he was to fly out to Dubai in a bid to save is marriage after he was caught with his pants down by the News of the World so 11 days ago, not in much of a rush to save is marriage then.

He was focus enough to play in Chelsea high profile Arsenal game at the weekend and Hull the Tuesday before that and will be in the line-up for the Everton game tomorrow. So why is it possible for him to take a break over this weekend if it was a league game would he be off to Dubai.

Sound like Ancelotti think he will not be need and thinks he will walk the game
Saturday but he will have a chat about it after the Everton game. He told the BBC Sport website, "We want to respect the FA Cup because it is an important trophy in this country so we will speak after the game against Everton and make the decision, the right one for us both.
"The FA Cup and John's marriage are different; FA Cup is professional, the other thing is private."

I hope he goes he could sit in Dubai and watch Cardiff kick Chelsea out of the FA Cup

Cardiff team v Peterborough

Marshall
McNaughton Gyepes Gerrard Kennedy
Whittingham McPhail Burke Blake
Chopra Bothroyd

Substitutes
Enckelman, Quinn, Taiwo, Matthews, Wildig, Feeney, McCormack

Jay Bothroyd is playing tonight he must have pass a fitness test and Chris Burke is starting with Ross McCormack taking his place on the bench. Mark Kennedy is back in defence for AaronMatthews.

Will we end up in court???

It looks like a min-league in the High Court tomorrow with no less than four football teams in court. The action takes place in Court 56 and in the first sitting at 10:30 there is non-League club Hinckley United who play in the Conference North who will be fighting off a winding up order.

In the next sitting after an 11:00am there are no football teams most of winding up orders has a rule most case are just simply rubber stamped.

That the 11:30am it will be the list involving Cardiff, first up will be Portsmouth who are on the list twice for some reason. They were hoping to have their case dropped but at the time of writing there news. There are rumoured they have offer a lunp sum and want to set-up a payment play for the rest, it don’t look to good on that idea.

After Pompey it is time Southend United up before the judge will all four of us get out safe, has long as it us I do not care.

Cardiff City are up next in front of Mrs Registrar Derrett who adjourned the winding up moves back in November giving the club 70 days to settle what back then undisclosed debt. Hopefully a deal can be settle before the court case but if the Inland Revenue are playing hard ball with Portsmouth are they doing the same with us. Therefore, we should no after 12noon tomorrow.

Full list

A win need to night

Victory tonight is necessary to get the Bluebirds back on track after that soul-destroying defeat on Newcastle last Friday night. It would help with the Chelsea game on Saturday to have a good win tonight and the three points are just is has important. The earlier fixture this season at Peterborough was just as heart breaking, may more 4-0 up at half time looking like the game was all sort and counting on three points but for the London Road club to fight back to square the game 4-4 the team that day was.

Marshall
McNaughton (Quinn 46 yellow card) Hudson Gerrard Rae
Whittingham Burke Ledley Matthews
Bothroyd (Etuhu 77) McCormack (Chopra 70)
Substitutes
Enckelman, Gyepes, Quinn, Taiwo, Wildig, Chopra, Etuhu

There are many faces missing from that team tonight, Mark Hudson and Joe Ledley both need operation Hudson this week, and Ledley will have a second in a week or so. Others missing will be Gavin Rae and Kelvin Etuhu and on top of that striker Jay Bothroyd is doubtful and will need a late fitness test.

Protest planned for tonight

Another protest is planned for after the game tonight and it is expected or hoped to be bigger than the last one. The plan is like the last one, fans are to gather outside the main entrance at the end of the game and show their displeasure with Chairman Peter Ridsdale.

The organisers want fans to give full support during the game and leave the protest until after the game but some want to do some kind of protest inside the ground. They hope there will be a bigger turnout than against Doncaster when only around 300 fans turn up.

I cannot see what a protest will do? At the last one fans there were upset that Ridsdale did not come out to face them, why would he just to be shouted down. He was never going to come outside and talk to the fans and he will not tonight either I bet he don't even glance out of the window. Likewise, he will not resign on the spot why would he, if there were 1,000 or 10,000 he know's how the fans feel about him for weeks. To force out Ridsdale it was have to come from within at Boardroom and Shareholders level. Fans will be able to find out what is happen at the club as there will be a EGM that the end of the month, we there be a call for the chairman to stand down.

I think Ridsdale will have a lot more on his mind today than a protest he and the clubs lawyers should be talking to the Inland Revenue. If they cannot do a deal I expect the club to go into administration before the court case tomorrow, it would be the safes option for the clubs survival. We would have to take a 10-point deduction and we would drop down to twelfth place based on the table now but only seven points of the play-off or would the League tell us to start at -10 next season.

Reports in the press and on TV are suggesting Portsmouth who are in court tomorrow alond with the City with a winging up order, they look to be close to a deal and expect their case will be dropped talks are on going.

Cardiff City v The Inland Revenue

It is only just under two days before the court appearance with the taxman with every Cardiff City fan wondering what is going to happen. My money is on Chairman Peter Ridsdale trying to strike a new payment deal in the hope the taxman will go along with it, having defaulted on a deal before, the taxman could play hardball and demand full payment.

If payments are agreed, what will that mean with the transfer embargo, will the Football League allow Cardiff boss Dave Jones to bring in new players on loan or have the club have to wait until the full payment is paid.

What if the winding-up petition, brought about by the Inland Revenue is granted, what is the future hold, administration? Administration could kill off Cardiff’s promotion hopes, as the Football League would hit the club with a 10-point deduction. Financial expert’s plum for administration was the safest option if you can do a deal with the taxman. Has going to court is a big gamble. The court could hear the case, and say the debt still has to be paid, and put the club into liquidation. That would lose the opportunity of going into administration.

We do not hear much about what if the judge was to put the club into liquidation I have been told it is a possibility, well that route is a club killer. The would mean the winding-up petition was granted and Cardiff City Football Club would formally cease to exist. An official receiver would then break-up the club up to secure cash for the clubs creditors and players would have their contracts torn up and become free agents. All this is very scary roll on Wednesday I just want that first hurdle dealt with before the next crisis.

Wednesday seems to be winding-up day at the High Court last week Plymouth were up before the judge and had their winding up order officially dropped when Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs asked judge to dismiss the winding up order. Also in court that day was Accrington Stanley with the taxman chasing £78,000 debt the second winding-up order in three months and they paid the debt with just hours to spare.

On Wednesday Cardiff will be joined by Portsmouth whose chief executive Peter Storrie admits the club's best hope for Wednesday's court date is to delay the winding-up order for the 7.5million they owe the taxman.

Peterborough on Tuesday

Next up for the Bluebirds on Tuesday night is Peterborough who last time we met gave the football world a good laugh when bottom of the table Peterborough overturned a first half four goal lead to end the game all square at 4-4, still brings a tear to the eye of many a Cardiff City fan.

The London Road club are still bottom of the pile and since the point from the Cardiff game over the Christmas period they when on to lose the next four games that was until Saturday when they beat QPR 1-0 at home. It could be down to new manager syndrome because manager who was in change for the 4-4 draw Mark Copper has gone. Saturday was new manager Jim Gannon first game in change.

Not a record but Peterborough have had three managers so far this season Darren Ferguson started the season off as boss. They got rid off for Mark Copper who was only at the club for 76 days including the Cardiff game and now Jim Gannon and funny enough the on Saturday there played QPR who have had six managers in 2009.

Our form against the bottom dwellers of the league, City have played Peterborough once in the league so far and took one point out of three. We failed to do the double over Plymouth has both clubs took three points each out of the two games. Cardiff are 100% over Reading and face them at the Cardiff City Stadium in early April. Has for fourth from Ipswich, they took three points off the Bluebirds in that Annus horribilis period in November and the rematch will be early March.

Wales to play England

I am not the greatest followers of the Welsh international football it as to be said. I prefer my football blue, Cardiff City blue that is. But ever I was excited when Wales drew England in the Euro 2012 draw but I was tented with the thought of the game going back to that sh**hole of a stadium the millennium stadium has the cash strapped Welsh FA look for a pay day.

If I was the Welsh manager I would want to get the two England games has soon as possible, I would go for Saturday England away followed by them at home on the Wednesday and then concentrate on the other three in the group, Switzerland, Bulgaria and Montenegro.

I cannot see why the runners up spot could be a goal foe Wales most will expect England to top the group but ever that is not shoes-in but we have a young and greed team who have been together for a while now and many think it is our time now. Hopefully some of Cardiff City's youthful squad will play in Euro 2012.

A bit of history will be made when Wales and England meet next it with be the 100th international game fixture between the two teams, Wales have won on 14 occasions, with 21 draws and 64 wins for England but that is history the 100 game could be Wales 15 win.

EURO 2012 DRAW Group G
England
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Wales
Montenegro

The following 12 dates are reserved for group matches in qualifying:
a) 3/4 and 7 September 2010
b) 8/9 and 12 October 2010
c) 25/26 and 29 March 2011
d) 3/4 and 7 June 2011
e) 2/3 and 6 September 2011
f) 7/8 and 11 October 2011

The following dates are reserved for the play-off matches between the
remaining eight runners-up:
a) 11/12 November 2011
b) 15 November 2011

D-Day Wednesday

Cardiff City are in court Wednesday for the winding up order sort by Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs for the outstanding bill of £2.7m, the only question on the mind of Cardiff City fan, will it be paid. The Wales on Sunday are indicating the issue will be settled this week with Ridsdale coming to an agreement with the taxman.

By agreement/ arrangement to pay does that mean in full or will Ridsdale be looking to pay through another but after defaulting on an arrangement before it would be unlikely the taxman would agree to another payment plan. The sale of the land which was agree with Cardiff City Council will bring in £1.8m still there is a short fall of £900,000 on the amount owed. He will probably use the fact that Cardiff has a big FA Cup payday next Saturday against Chelsea has a barging chip to the taxman.

It looks like the only way will we ever find out the true financial position of the club is if the Cardiff City Trust can get a General Meeting of Shareholder organized. If the club can please the taxman, there are other problems around the corner. The Wales on Sunday asked Keith Morgan, partner at accountants PKF, a specialist in sport finance and also a member of the Cardiff City Supporters Trust what was the future in the taxman was paid, “The fact is, when the club gets over this hurdle they will face another and another.
“If the club manages to get past this issue over the tax, they are then in a situation of each and every month finding the money to pay the wages – including the PAYE – and other running costs.
“If the debt is at an extent that it has put the club in this situation, it is difficult to see where the extra money is going to come from for the rest of the season.
“It is one reason why the Trust have been so eager to have a meeting so directors can be asked to explain that, while getting past stage one is one thing, how do they plan to deal with stage two, stage three and four?
“These issues are not going to disappear overnight.
“It appears the only way out of it is either through substantial new investment or promotion to the Premier League, neither of which are guarantees by any stretch.”

No wonder the takeover chatter has died down with had administration hanging over the head of the club. Who in their right mind would what to payout £20million for the club and take on the debts when all the need do is sit back a wait for administration and the appointment of an administrator.
We will not be alone in court; other clubs could probably be joining us that day. Premiership club Portsmouth are due in court even after the club gain their fourth owner this season.

The financial position sound dyer and the chances of Cardiff City boss Dave Jones bring in a loan player or two that are sorely need, but with loan signing on fee and wages it would be nice if the club would make a statement on if there is a possible of players coming in.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale only real chance of saving the club is a buyout or some big money investment. The great hope was the Malaysian. Ridsdale spent a lot of time and energy on courting the Malaysian making a number of trips that resulted in Dato Chan Tien Ghee joining the board after making a small investing according to rumours. However the Wales on Sunday are reporting at Companies House have yet to receive any notification of this – despite rules outlining that all names of directors should be lodged with them within 14 days of their appointment. The real moneyman in the Malaysian deal is Vincent Tan billionaire business associate of Tien Ghee but he is yet to be convinced, although it is rumoured.

Guernsey-based businessman Ben Steele never had the money really to be sole owner of a football club which he admitted say he would need backs to help push the Bluebirds forward. This American group have had had representatives at the Cardiff City Stadium to watch a game and general talk’s but they seem to be clouded secrecy.

What would be great come Wednesday Peter Ridsdale stands on the step of the High Court and announces the taxman has been pay; Dave Jones can sign as many loan players that he need and can introduce you to the new chairman of Cardiff City Bill Gates.