Sponsorship for kids shirts Ty Hafan

Cardiff City has struck a sponsorship deal in conjunction with first team sponsors SBOBET for child size replica shirts with the Children’s Charity Ty Hafan. The deal will also see Cardiff’s U16 and U18 academy sides have the Ty Hafan logo on their shirts. The Club are not allowed to have the first team sponsor SBOBET on kid’s shirts has the Government as ban any drink ads and gambling companies logo’s on child football shirts, SBOBET will also make a donation to Ty Hafan.

Frank Ady, head of corporate partnerships at Ty Hafan told the official Cardiff website "Everyone here is absolutely delighted that Cardiff City have chosen our logo to be on the under-16, under-18 and replica Bluebird shirts.
"Many of the life-limited children, young people and families who use our services are huge fans of the club and the exposure will help enormously to raise the much-needed awareness and support for the charity, particularly amongst the younger generation.
"On behalf of everyone at Ty Hafan I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the club and its chairman and their sponsors for giving us for this fantastic opportunity."

SBOBET are reported to be delighted to be supporting Ty Hafan

A lot riding on tonight

Tonight there will be no hiding places for the players or management; it must be a win, no excuse three points. One win in six games is just not good enough the players are underperforming if you look back to the start of the season and that should be laid at the door of the manager.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones is calling on this players to focus tonight against Derby and show some fighting spirit. Defeat tonight will bring louder cries for the head of Dave Jones and even the board will find it hard to turn a deaf ear to the fans. On Saturday there is a tricky trip to Watford for the Bluebirds before another international break losing these two games would be disastrous. The crowd for tonight will be well below the season avenge, rumoured to be around 19,000. Derby have yet to win an away game this season possible a bad omen for the superstitious among the home support.

Dave Jones said ahead of tonight's match "We need the big players and the strong characters to start coming through.
"There are one or two whose confidence is low, so they don't make that pass or that run for fear of making a mistake.
"If your players go out fearful, they won't perform. You can't go through football matches like that. We've got to be brave. We have to find the consistency and the solidity again.
"And we have to get rid of this attitude that if we go a goal down, it's the end of the world."
"We're shipping goals early on and we have to stop it," he said.
"If it carries on, you have to change the players because they're not doing what is asked of them, it's as simple as that."
"It's annoying, because after a really good start, we've become inconsistent. It's one good game, one bad game. (Ermm Dave, 5 defeats in the last 6 is hardly one good one bad).
"When your confidence is affected, there is only one way I know to get out of it, and that's to work hard. And that doesn't just mean running around the pitch.
"That includes working on all areas of the game, especially concentration."

One change Dave Jones with have to make for tonight is Joe Ledley who will miss the game after he was send off Saturday after two yellow card, meaning a one-match suspension but on the other hand Stephen McPhail back and in contention from his three-match suspension.

We have a new sponsor

Bye, bye 777.com it was nice to know you for a few days and hello Sbobet.com.

The Bluebirds havs secured a two-year deal believed to be worth £250,000 and like the now defuted 777.com deal the new sponsors are also a online operation based in the Philippines and unlike 777.com they have a European operations licensed based from the Isle of Man.

This is not there first venture into English shirt sponsorship they are the shirt sponsor of West Ham United in the Barclays Premier League until the end of the 2012/2013 season.

The new-look shirts will be on show tomorrow night at the Derby game at the Cardiff City Stadium with Chairman Peter Ridsdale saying of the new deal, "In these challenging times, it is very pleasing that the Club has secured a sponsorship contract with such a significant partner as SBOBET.
"We look forward to working with SBOBET, who are making a most meaningful contribution to enabling Cardiff City to realise our considerable potential.”
"Our new relationship with SBOBET also underlines the fact that Cardiff City, which has grown massively as a club in recent years, is in a position to attract major sponsors."

On the dark side in October 2008, SBOBET was asked to turn over any evidence they might have on the possible match fixing scandal in The Football Association Championship between Norwich City and Derby County. SBOBET denied the FA's request, deeming it was "excessive" and would be a breach of customer privacy. Derby County won the game 2-1 and in the end, the FA found no evidence that match fixing had taken place

Bill Mummery, executive director of SBOBET, said “We are extremely pleased to join with Cardiff City Football Club as principal sponsor. This is a logical development for us since our core strength lies in football where we offer value, depth of content and exceptional service to a global audience.
“I am confident that the experience we have already gained in football sponsorship will help in developing our strategic relationship with Cardiff City Football Club and we very much look forward to working with the club, its fans, and their community”

Good idea or not

It’s not often I give a cheer in the direction of Swansea City but I have for their plans to fly fans to Newcastle their away trip. They plan to give the fans two option depending on how many travel with your match ticket and coach transfer between the two airports.

The two plane options is: - A 189-seater which will cost £159 pre person if full or a 118-seater and will cost £179 if full.

It’s a lot of money I suppose but how often do you get to follow your team by plane, it would also cut hours off the journey time and based on the Swansea timings you would have three hours in Newcastle before the game. They were talks last season about chartering a plane by Cardiff fans for the Newcastle trip, but it would be need the clubs involvement really.

Maybe now the club will follow Swansea and look into it.

Bluebirds to hijack Sam Vokes deal?

Paper rumour of the day in the Daily Mirror’s ‘Football Spy’, Cardiff City are to hijack Sam Vokes move to Championship rivals Coventry.

His club Wolves are willing to loan Vokes out and he was loosely linked to the Bluebirds last week but a few days later City boss said there was no cash to bring in any new loan players. Coventry has been long term favourites to sign the player with terms agreed between the two clubs but yet to be finalised. It was also reported that Wolves wanted a high loan fee for the Welsh international.

Cardiff are in need of move forward options even when Ross McCormack and Kelvin Etuhu are fit again, but I think Vokes could be too rich for City it would be nice to be proved wrong mind you.

While on the loan front I think Chairman Peter Ridsdale will have to loosen the purse strings a bit as the team are woefully short on number with too many untried players at Championship level or above.

Cardiff fans will be at the Liberty

If Chairman Peter Ridsdale as his way Cardiff City fans will be travelling to the Liberty Stadium for the derby game in November. It was suggested in a Sunday paper that the policing cost for the game are so high that Swansea were looking to ban Bluebird fans.

But Ridsdale said in the South Wales Echo today, “It’s the first I have heard of it. I have no contact with Swansea City on this issue whatsoever.
“As far as this club and I am concerned our supporters will be at the Liberty Stadium – just as they are at any other ground in the country.
“What we all want is for the two clubs and the two sets of supporters to enjoy a football match in safety.
“But banning fans is not the answer. People will be banning the away team for turning up next!
“As far as Cardiff City is concerned the fixture will go ahead as it did three times last season –with away fans present.”

The game will be a ‘bubble trip’ for both sets of fans for this season fixtures and where the cost shoot up is outside the grounds as police keep the both set of fans apart. Last season there was a mini-riot after one of the two fixtures at the Liberty Stadium which carried on long after the Cardiff fans had left the stadium while at the old Ninian Park police had to clear Sloper Road of fans hanging rounded.

'Lennie'

Ex- Cardiff City manager Lennie Lawrence Autobiography simply called ‘Lennie’ is out soon publish by Green Umbrella Publishing.

He was at Cardiff for around three years after taking over from Alan Cork leading the Bluebirds to the 2003 Football League Second Division play-off final at the Millennium Stadium. The book covers 30 years in football is playing career up to his present day position has Director of Football at Bristol Rovers. Lennie never played league football playing for non-league Croydon, Carshalton Athletic and Sutton United.

He got his first break into management has caretaker with league club Plymouth making away for Malcolm Allison after a few weeks, he won three out of six game, drawing one other. He was late join Lincoln as coach a position he was to take up next at Charlton where he become manager in November 1982 and spent nine years in the top job taking them. He later when on the manager Middlesbrough, Bradford City, Luton Town and Grimsby Town followed by Cardiff.

Bothroyd feeling the mood

Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd has picked up on some of disillusionment floating around the fans over his recent form along with top scorer Michael Chopra. Bothroyd a has laid back style of play is needling some fans and lack of goals is adding to it seeing he as scored just two goals in 11 league and cup games seem a bad return to the supporters. With no compertition for places in the starting line-up with Ross McCormack and loan striker Kelvin Etuhu sidelined with injuries and Cardiff boss Dave Jones hands tied over new loan signing.

It was okay when Chopra was knocking the in for fan at the start of the season but it’s now been over six games since one of the strikers have scored a goal, total unacceptable.

Speaking to Wales Online the Cardiff striker said, “Before I came to Cardiff, maybe I had a reputation for being inconsistent and a bit complacent.
“But that’s been put to bed here.
“Last season I played 40-odd games in all competitions and scored 12 goals.
“My peers appreciated my performances and I was voted fans’ player of the year.
“This season, I started well.
“Maybe I’d like to have scored a few more goals, but I think I’ve contributed to the team.
“Believe me, no one’s more disappointed than me when I have a bad game.”
Cardiff is Bothroyd’s seventh club since leaving Arsenal as an 18-year-old in 2000.
That statistic raised eyebrows on his arrival in the capital, many fans resigned to the Bluebirds being another notch on the striker’s bedpost before the next move came along.
But, if he was ultimately ill-suited to life at Blackburn, Perugia and Stoke, Cardiff appears to fit like a glove.
With the exception of Coventry City, where he spent three years, he has already racked up more appearances for City than for any of his previous employers.
And, if Bothroyd earned a reputation for sulking and retreating in to his shell when things weren’t going well, he finally seems to have come of age under Dave Jones.
“Myself and Michael Chopra were singled out in what was a bad team performance against QPR, and sometimes that happens,” he said.
“Even the best players get that; Steven Gerrard was picked out by Rafa Benitez at the start of the season.
“I’ve got to take the criticism positively.
“The manager doesn’t hammer us that often, but when he does, you have to embrace it and take it on board.
“If he wasn’t telling me what I was doing wrong, he wouldn’t be doing his job.
“As strikers, you have to accept that you are at the cutting edge of the team.
“If me and Chops are playing well, more often than not we’ll get the result.”
But, worryingly for Cardiff, the opposite rule applies this term.
If the strikers aren’t firing, neither are City – a fact not lost on Bothroyd.
“It shouldn’t just be down to me and Chops,” he said.
“Everyone has got to chip in – it would take some pressure off.
“If you look at West Brom, eight or nine of their players have scored already.
“That’s a great help.
“Joe (Ledley) has got to chip in with a few goals this season, and so have the other midfielders.
“Gavin (Rae) is already off the mark, and Burkey (Chris Burke) scored at Reading last week.
“And def-enders have got to do it, especially from set-pieces.
“We all want to score goals – as strikers, it’s how you’re judged.
“But it’s where the team finishes at the end of the season that counts more than anything.”

There are two games left before another international break, Derby home Tuesday and Watford away on Saturday it would be hoped McCormack would be fit for one or both of these games. If not Chairman Peter Ridsdale needs to relax the purse strings and bring in some new blood. Cardiff City are reported to be one of the highest in the league for players wages and according to sauces at the club the wage bill is at the maximum after less players than expected in the summer.

No Cardiff fans at the Liberty?

In the News of the World they are reporting at Swansea want to ban Cardiff City fans from the next derby game.

There is nothing official from Swansea has the paper is saying they ’understands’ it will happen owing to a possible heavy police bill. Allow the game would be a bubble game the police bill is high because of the escort to the ground with heavy present need outside and inside with last season the police bill was a reported £30,000 but this time for the trip to the Liberty Stadium it is expected to treble.

Last season Swansea restricted the numbers of Cardiff fans travelling to the game and there was a bit of trouble but the main problem was outside between the police and Swansea fans has they tried to attack the Cardiff City coaches has they left after the games.

Cardiff City Supporters Club chairman Vince Alm is quoted as saying it would be a shame if this was to happen and it would be a step backwards in the fight against hooligans and punish the minority of fans who just want to watch the game. Swansea would need permission from the Football League to ban visiting fans. The game is live on Sky Sports

Time ticking down on Jones???

If I was Darren Purse I would be sitting I the dressing room after the game with a little smile on my face thinking of what was happening in the away dressing room. Shown the door by Dave Jones in Purse own words ‘he wanted to go younger’ has Jones carried out the clubs policy of letting players leave only if better replacements can be found, are Matthews, Hudson, Gerrard or Kennedy better than the old Cardiff City captain Purse, no.

The game will again bring out the call for the City boss to go and defeat Tuesday night against Derby will only bring the cries louder as the fans start to lose patients in the ability for him to bring in a winning team. Reports coming from fans who were at the game said Cardiff showed a lack of motivation and the ability to pass a ball in the after match interview Jones said, "We can't grumble about not winning a football match because we didn't do enough in the second half.
"We've got to be better and at the moment we're inconsistent, we'll have a good game, bad game and it's costing us.
"We've got a soft spot in us at the moment and the goals that we've given away in the second half are goals that can be stopped quite easily if players are going to do what's asked of them.
"But at this moment in time they're not doing it and that's the frustrating part.
"Everybody's going on about time added on in injury time but the bigger issue is getting the decisions right.
"[Michael Chopra's] goal is a goal, he's not offside. It's as simple as that and I've been done and I've been done on Wednesday.
"I think Joe has been punished harshly because his first tackle was a good tackle.
"Again, it's a wrong decision from them."

I can’t make a judgment on the disallowed goal and sending off until I see them but over on the other side of the dugout it was not offside. What it does mean is Ledley will miss the Derby game Tuesday more bad news for the City fans on top of we have a misfiring attack that have become goal shy.

Carling Cup draw - It would have been Sunderland

Defeat a Villa Park on Wednesday cost us a long midweek trip to Sunderland after the draw today. So many of the teams play weaken teams the higher up the Leagues you go the League Cup has to be is one of the easy cup competitions to win.

But can’t keep thinking victory over the Midlands club would have left us just two games from a return to Wembley and the winners qualify for a UEFA Europa League spot. If you where to lose in the final to a team that wins a place in the Champions League you can still qualify for Europe.

Will we ever see Cardiff City playing in Europe again?

Ex-Villa players looking to shine

It will be like a coming home for several of the Cardiff City players tonight at Villa Park with three of them having connections with them’

Riccardo Scimeca was a trainee with them and moved through the ranks to become a first team regular playing 50 games between 1993/1999 and another 26 times coming off the bench. In total he scored only two goals but he earned a transfer to Nottingham Forest for £3m

Peter Whittingham also started is football career with Aston Villa as a trainee and he had two short loan periods with Derby and Burnley and allow he broke into the first team he was not a regular but he was bombed out of the door by manager Martin O'Neill within months of took over in August 2006 While with Villa Whittingham became a English under 21 international and played several games for them between 2004/07.

Whittingham said: "I played under David O'Leary then things changed.
"With a new boss it can go one of two ways. Unfortunately for me, it went the bad way. Martin O'Neill played me a few times, didn't rate me and got rid of me. But it worked out as I'm happy at Cardiff."

Another Cardiff player with a connection with Aston Villa is goalkeeper Peter Enckelman who joined them from his hometown team, TPS Turku. David James blocked is way to the first spot and he hoped to get his chance when James was sold but it was short lived with the then Villa boss brought in Peter Schmeichel he was again back to playing second-fiddle. When Schmeichel left for Manchester City new Villa boss Graham Taylor gave Enckelman his chance and installed him as first choice keeper. He had loan spells with Blackburn and Cardiff City ending up joining both clubs full time after the loans.

All three should get their chance tonight at Villa Park has Cardiff look to progress onwards to the next round in the Carling Cup.

Referee banned for middle finger salute

The Swiss referee Massimo Busacca has been banned for three matches for sticking his middle finger up at fans.
He was pictured making the gesture during a match between FC Baden and Young Boys. The official claims he was provoked by “verbal abuse” after asking for a stadium announcement to be made warning fans to stay off the pitch.
In a statement, Busacca said: “I lost my cool.” He also apologised for the incident.

City v Villa who plays?? who knows

There will be changes for the Villa game that’s for sure but even that will be limited because of the size of the squad, injuries and other reasons. The other reason first Stephen McPhail is still in the middle of his three match ban and Solomon Taiwo who would have possibly played is cup-tied having played against Cardiff in the first round defeat to Taiwo then club Dagenham & Redbridge.

Injuries will be playing there part with strikers Ross McCormack and Kelvin Etuhu both out of contention while the other injured striker Warren Feeney is reported to be injured but his status within the club is unknown. So that will leave Jones with only Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd and the youngster Josh Magennis has his attacking option. Defenders Kevin McNaughton and Adam Matthews are also still in the treatment room.

On the changes Cardiff City boss Dave Jones will probably go with Peter Enckelman in goal has he normally swaps keepers for Cup games. Also in with a shout will be Gabor Gyepes, Tony Capaldi, Riccy Scimeca maybe Miguel Cummings along with some of the younger member of Dave Jones's squad. In a pre-match interview The Cardiff City boss said, “I was always going to change the side around regardless of the outcome against Queens Park Rangers.
“I need to keep the whole squad happy and match-fit, but I also want a side that can have a go at Villa.
“I take the competition very seriously. It gives players the opportunity to impress and force their way into the side, and, hopefully, it will give me something to think about ahead of the Wednesday game.”

Three days after the Villa game Cardiff have a tough League game at Sheffield Wednesday and the opportunity to rest key players with two more League games over the following six days is very tempting. Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill should also ring in the changes giving fringe players a run-out and Nigel Reo-Coker should play after his much publicized falling out with O’Neill.

This is the first time the clubs have met since April 1975 League game, when Villa won 2-0 at home in the old Second Division. For a Cup game you have to go way back to the FA Cup in 1948/49 a game the City won 2-1 at Villa Park.

Just play and rest when you can

I read columnists Nathan Blake’s column in today’s’ South Wales Echo and agreed with most have what he said but there is one think that is guarantee to gets my blood to boiling point ‘players need a rest they are playing just too much football’.

Nathan questioned the fact the City had a game on Wednesday last week and maybe the players didn’t have enough time for a rest from the Newcastle game on the Sunday, blood boiling now. This excuse is often rolled out time and time again usually by a manager after a defeat but if you look at the other teams that played that night with Cardiff can it hold up to scrutiny.

Reading put up a fight against Peterborough losing 3-2 in the end to an injury time goal while the two other teams playing that night Newcastle and Blackpool both won on Saturday. Blackpool playing the exactly same line-up that beat Newcastle in the midweek game and the North-East club were near enough the same team on Saturday has Wednesday. Did their player suffer from a lack of rest time; well it didn’t look like they did. If that the case Cardiff City boss Dave Jones is going to have a lot of weary players for the Villa game Wednesday and beyond has Cardiff have three game in a week, Saturday an away trip to Sheffield Wednesday, Tuesday Derby visit Cardiff and Saturday before another international break in is a visit to Watford for Jones boys.

I would definitely agree with Nathan about the overall lack strength in the squad I wouldn’t be surprised it most of the team from the QPR game are rested but I would play the lot of them. Fans payout a lot of money following their team around the country and a weaken team is not what they are paying to see with. The League takes priority over Cup games these days, we will just have to wait and see.

Ex-Bluebirds fight in out in Wellington ..... New Zealand

Two ex-Cardiff City strikers’ slugged it out today in of all places Westpac Stadium Wellington, New Zealand in a A-League match.

Wellington Phoenix and North Queensland Fury played out a 1-1 draw with Robbie Fowler playing for the Fury while on the Phoenix team was Chris Greenacre who came to Ninian Park on loan back in the late 90’s from Manchester City.

The Fowler story was a simple one let go by Liverpool and a free agent but a chance meet brought him to Ninian Park with a bit of a fanfare and soon every other Cardiff City top had Fowler on it. He then missed the start of the season because if lack of fitness but injury was the biggest problem and out of a 50+ number of game he could have played in he, only managed 13 games for the Bluebirds scoring four goals.

In the summer he was offered a pay-as-you-play contract with Cardiff for the 2008–09 but he was thrown a bone by friend, ex-team mate and then manager of Blackburn Rovers Paul Ince. The draw of the Premiership was too strong for Fowler and off to Blackburn he when but not long after that Ince was out of the door with his P45 in hand. The once god Fowler then spent his time shining up the subs bench when he got a chance.

On the other Greenacre had a short loan spell with the Bluebirds joining just after the start of the 1997 season score on his first game and when on the play ten more League game scoring just one more he also had a run out in the new FAW Invitation competition. He was brought in due to the injuries to strikers Carl Dale and Kevin Nugent and he then manager Russell Osman asked his club for another month to cover the rest of October which they agreed with. Cardiff were also chasing Leo Fortune-West and Andy Saville who join on a £100,000 deal.

The pain, the pain

I can’t think of anything to write about yesterday but the game kicked-off and QPR won and left for London with the three points. I was a piss poor performance manager Dave Jones called it ‘lacklustre’ and rounded on his players saying, "We never got going and looked slow and lack lustre.
"When it is going wrong you have to stick at it and it took an 18-year-old in Josh Magennis to show the rest of the players the way.
"Perhaps some of them thought they only had to turn up but football has a habit of kicking you in the teeth.
"Our forwards were non-existent although Chris Burke did try but there were some who failed to put a decent shift in.
"I will forgive the players if their passing is off but I can't defend them for that performance because you cannot stroll around the pitch and all the hard work in midweek has been lost.
"The opening goal is always important and their first was offside but we shouldn't have stood still trying to play it.
"We never worked hard enough today and that is what has let us down."

This game will go down in history has one of those games you want to totally forget about while Jones’ counterpart thinking Christmas had come early. Not one City player shined and Ledley looked nothing like a £6m player, then he hasn’t all season really, maybe Welsh boss Toshack was right when he said all the contract talk was taking its toll on him. That’s it I can’t bring myself to remember much else it’s truly depressing.

God help us Wednesday night before if they play anywhere near yesterdays’ performance it will be massacre night at Villa Park.

Jones backs McPhail

Cardiff City midfielder Stephen McPhail has the full backing of boss Dave Jones and declared him the best midfielder outside the Premiership. Have lost the appeal over the red-card at Reading fans should back the player like him as some fans vent their angry towards McPhail.

McPhail was red carded twice last season in two of the three high-profile games against Swansea City one was a Carling Cup game but missed out on the hat-trick in the final match between the Welsh rivials.

Jones told Wales Online, “McPhail brings a lot of quality to this football club and I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves.
“Ask anyone here about him and they will say how fantastic he is. He is probably one of, if not the most, gifted player at this club.
“But because he’s not a hammer-thrower who smashes people about, he is probably not as liked as he should be.
“When he is at his best, Steve gives us a good tempo to our play, he gives us controlled play from midfield.
“Sure he can do more. He’s got a good left foot and could shoot a bit more and get a few more goals, but he knows that.
“But when he is on his game, he can be one of, if not the best midfield player in this division.”

The Cardiff boss is look forward to having back in his squad but agreed that his player has been reckless at times, Jones went on, “Maybe he tried last season a bit too hard with his tackling, but look at the best, the likes of Paul Scholes, they make a bad tackle.
“Steve has just been very unfortunate. To be vilified because he was sent off against one of our rivals was wrong.
“But he has to repair that. The only way he can get back in with the fans is by playing at a level that keeps them coming to watch him.”

McPhail to miss three game

It did look like a long shot but worth a punt with the FAW over Steve McPhail sending off at Reading was upheld.

Has well has the injuries in his squad to worry about Cardiff boss Dave Jones will now be without McPhail for the next three games which will be a blow. He will miss the OPR Saturday plus Villa Wednesday and Sheffield Wednesday the following Saturday.

Cardiff submitted their video evidence hoping to show McPhail did not make contact with Reading defender Jem Karacan but the FAW disciplinary panel took the opposite view. Referee Paul Taylor would have submitted his view on the incident but seeing as he gave the City midfielder a straight red card there was little chance he would overturn his decision. The Cardiff manager did ask Taylor to look at the clash after the game but it couldn’t have changed his mind.
Dave Jones told the BBC "It's another poor decision by the FAW.

"We've watched the video over and over, and the evidence shows that Stephen didn't touch the boy.

"We wouldn't have appealed if we didn't think we had proper grounds."

McCormack still weeks from fitness

It seemed like yesterday, it was yesterday I was writing happy thoughts of Ross McCormack return maybe for the Carling Cup game away to Aston Villa. The setback was revealed after the played had a scan to check out his troublesome hamstring only to find he was still at least two weeks away.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones hoped the Scottish striker would have healed as quickly as he did the last time he had the same injury saying, “Ross has had a similar problem before and last time he came back too quickly. That will not be happening this time. The doctors say the tear has not healed properly and that has set his progress back.”

With only Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra and youngest Josh Magennis for Jones to call on, the only other strikers Warren Feeney is injured and loan striker Kelvin Etuhu is back with the Manchester City medical team and out for up to eight weeks and now it is feared his ankle problem may need to be pinned.

Dave Jones needs to find some striker cover in the loan market and fast, Cardiff have a lot of games in the next 16 days, four league games plus a the Carling Cup game next Wednesday with Villa.

Will Joe Ledley sign

Joe Ledley has still to sign the new contract offer to him a few weeks ago by Chairman Peter Ridsdale. Ridsdale has made it known that the player has been offered nearly double the wages he is on now plus a get out clause if a Premiership club was to make an offer for the Bluebirds star midfielder.

The main blockage to him signing is rumored to be the get out clause, the club have there valuation on Ledley based on the £6m quoted for the player when Stoke made an offer but in the late summer of 2008. This was the figure Cardiff were asking for in the summer transfer window but the club received no offer for Ledley has the club were adamant it would take that kind of cash before talks could take place. The player and his advisers want a lower valuation as they believe the £6m tag scared off potential bidder a fee around £4m would be more suitable.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones doesn’t seem to worry about the possibility of Ledley not signing allow he would like him to. If he don’t sign and becomes a free agent next summer any club that signs him would have to pay compensation. I can guess what will happen if it comes to that say Stoke are interested they will make a stupid offer say £1m and everyone is off to the compensation panel. Will they match the valuation of the Bluebirds, I don’t think so. Burnley and Manchester United are going through a compensation row at the moment over United defender Richard Eckersley. The full-back, 20, was out of contract at Old Trafford but, as he is under 23, the champions are entitled to a fee from their Lancashire rivals.
Burnley are saying the player is worth around £250,000 while United want up to £2m for him and with both clubs holding their corner there is a reasonable chance it will go to a tribunal.

Ledley has also responded to comments supposedly made my Welsh boss John Toshack with claims over his future is affecting the midfielder’s form. Manager Dave Jones hit out at the comments yesterday and praised his players attitude. While Jones told the local paper the South Wales Echo “I think it was a bit harsh.
“And I disagree with what he said. But I’ve just got to take it on the chin and keep doing what I’m doing on the pitch.
“The gaffer is happy with the performances I’m putting in for Cardiff. And, as long as he’s happy, I’m happy.”

Just an awful shirt sponsor No2

This one is a bit of a old one from a few season back, but what football fans would won’t to walk around with Mister*Lady across you chest.

Well FC Nuremberg did when they took the money to have this sponsor splash over their home kit. The fans hated it and it was a finance disaster for the club. Other fans in the German League started to call them the she-males and to top it was a bad season all round for FC Nuremberg they were relegated that season from the Bundesliga.

The shirt did because popular within the transsexual community. The company specializes in, “casual casual, cool jeans and trendy accessories” According to an internet search.

QPR next up for the Bluebirds

With Cardiff now back 0n winning ways Cardiff City boss Dave Jones eyes can now turn to the visit of Londoners QPR on Saturday, yes Saturday remember when kick-off's were at 3pm on a Saturday. well I do just about. It will be the first Saturday home game since the opening game of the season.

It will be interesting to see if QPR co-owners Flavio Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone will be paying a visit to the Cardiff City Stadium has Briatore is now technically unemployed after resigning from the Renault Formula One team over the ‘Crashgate’ affair. It as also been revealled that if Briatore were to be investigated over the alleged race-fixing row by the F1 governing body FIA and was found guilty it could well effect his position at QPR because of the ‘fit and proper person’ clause. The Football League brought in a fit and proper persons test in 2004 as part of a general desire to clean up the game and ensure that people convicted of a serious offence could not become directors of clubs.

Dave Jones has a few knocks to contented with after the Reading game, Adam Matthews when off 30 minutes into the game after suffering a suspected groin tear. Just before the final whistle Joe Ledley limbed off with a calf injury.

The Cardiff boss had some bad news and good possibly, Matthews will be out for up to three weeks according to the club while the good new is that Ledley hopes to be fit for QPR. The Londoners have not set the Championship light so far this early into the season only one win so far. Top score for them just happens to be ex-Cardiff City loan player and reported transfer target Wayne Routledge who has scored two league goals and a hat-trick in the Carling Cup game against Exeter.

Appeal for McPhail sending off

Have seen the sending off Stephen McPhail I think Cardiff boss Dave Jones might appeal against the red card but it looked bad maybe for a yellow card in my eyes for the challenge on Readings Jem Karacan. McPhail will face a three-match ban if Cardiff is unsuccessful with the appeal to the Football Association of Wales who will now wait for the referees report. Jones did have a word with the ref after the game to reconsider the decision.

Last season he was send off twice both times against Swansea in the two highly changed derby games picking one up in the Carling Cup defeat that Swansea and the other in the league draw again at Swansea. Last night’s referee Paul Taylor is not unfamiliar in sending off Cardiff players, last season he sent off Gabor Gyepes 24 minutes into the game with Sheffield United and by 33 minutes Cardiff were down to nine players went striker Ross McCormack was send-off, City lost the game 3-0.

Boss Jones taking about the sending-off, "It looks harsh.
"I can understand his foot's up but so is the other guy's but there's no contact."
"It's one of those challenges.
"The ball's up in the air, he knows the player's going to hook it on. It was a yellow card at best.
"I've asked Paul Taylor to have a look at it again, but we have to appeal before he can do that.”

Sponsor trouble at the CCS

What a joke just days ago there was a big fanfare with the announcement of a shirt sponsorship deal and days later it’s all gone tits up, it could only happen to Cardiff City. The club don’t seem to be worried about the situation and the team played tonight at Reading with the sponsor’s name on their shirts.

The sponors 777ball.com have no licence to operate or advertise in the European region has the club was informed by the Gambling Commission banned the logo. A club spokesman said, “There is no comeback for Cardiff City.
“We agreed to take the logo off for the match at Reading and now we wait for things to be sorted out. It seems unlikely that will happen before Saturday’s home match against Queens Park Rangers, but there is no danger with the sponsorship and the 777ball logo will be back on the shirts as soon as their licence is granted.”

The deal should still be honoured and the logo should be back on the shirts within weeks the deal is worth a reported £250,000 to the club.

An official statement was issued by Cardiff City
“Following advice from the Gambling Commission, Cardiff City removed the sponsor’s logo from their shirts for tonight’s match.
“The Gambling Commission informed us the sponsor, 777ball, should obtain a licence enabling them to advertise their services within the European Economic Area.
“At the moment, 777ball hold a licence issued in the Phillipines where they are based.
“Cardiff City went ahead with the sponsorship in good faith after discussions with the Football League. The Gambling Commission will meet representatives of 777ball next week and we are grateful to the Commission for their efforts to resolve the matter.
“In the meantime, 777ball have expressed their determination to act correctly over the sponsorship and will be applying for the appropriate licence.”

Jones makes changes

Marshall,
Kennedy, Hudson, Gerrard, Matthews,
Whittingham, Ledley, Mcphail, Burke,
Chopra, Bothroyd.
Subs: Enckelman, Capaldi, Quinn, Gyepes, Taiwo, Rae and Magennis.

Dave Jones has make three changes to tonight's team droping full backs Anthony Quinn and Tony Capaldi to the bench with Adam Matthews and Mark Kennedy in has replacements. There is also a change in the middle of the field with Steve McPhail replaces Gavin Rae;
On the bench only the youngest Mahennis is the only striker.

Vokes too rich for City

Looks like the Daily Mail as plucked out a name out from thin air and are linking Sam Vokes with a loan deal with the Bluebirds.

There was a cry from Cardiff City fans on the Mike Morris messageboard a few days back to sign the young Welsh striker when word of is availability became public. If the Cardiff boss Dave Jones was interested he would have to fight off a host of club rumoured to be linked with him on a loan signing.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy as delaying any move at the moment until either of his injured strikers Sylvan Ebanks-Blake or Chris Iwelumo is available again, both are expected to regain their fitness by the end of the week. The Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock revealed he had enquired about Vokes but was put off by a sizeable ‘loan fee’ Wolves were asking for and he claimed Newcastle and Middlesbrough had agreed to pay. If that is true it should be enough to scare off Cardiff City and chairman Peter Ridsdale with money tight. Chief executive Jez Moxey said: “As always, we’re not going to be talking about financial details.
“But Sam’s future is likely to be sorted out within the next few days.”

Other club in the chase according to rumour mill are Derby, Coventry, Watford, Doncaster and Swansea all interested in the 19-year-old, Welsh international but at this time both Newcastle and Middlesbrough are front runners.

Reading tonight

Cardiff City and their fans cross the bridge into England for a Wednesday night game with Reading. Word on the street is 2000+ will be travelling which is a good turnout for a Wednesday night and let’s hope the three points make the journey back to Wales.

A win tonight will see the Bluebirds jump seven places to third as after last night results they dropped down to tenth. Cardiff City boss Dave Jones will possibly start with the same 11 has the Newcastle game there was a rumour summer signing Kelvin Etuhu could start tonight before news of his injury broke about his damaged ankle ligaments.

Dave Jones said about Etuhu, "He has gone back to Manchester City to see a surgeon who will decide whether something else needs to be done. The lad is distraught as he has had a long history of injuries but he has come through though that and we've got him up to match pace - then this happens. It's another blow for him so we will need to pick him up and make sure he goes again."

The Cardiff boss was in the market for another striker before Etuhu’s injury now he will probably have to seek out another loan signing. The chairman Peter Ridsdale agreed with fans at the recent meeting at Merthyr for the need for a new striker and said there were funds available. Now was Etuhu out for a reported eight weeks will Jones had to replace him as well.

"I'll sit down and have a chat with the chairman to see if I can force the issue. But everything is tight here at the moment." Jones told BBC Sport.

It important the Cardiff get back to winning ways after two defeats in a row at Reading with games coming fast and thin, QPR home on Saturday the Carling Cup game against Aston Villa on the Wednesday followed by three games in seven days before another international break.

Some 'bouncebackability' need

It’s Reading away tomorrow and trip up the M4 to the Madejski Cardiff are in need of some bouncebackability after losing the last to game, Doncaster and Newcastle. Over 1,600 Cardiff fans are expecting to make the journey across the bridge.

With six games played so far this season Reading had won just the one game against bottom club Barnsley and drew three other game and lost two 3-0 against and 3-1 to Sheffield United.

Kelvin Etuhu could have got the nod for a start after coming on for Peter Whittingham and given impressive display but he has been rule out for up to eight weeks. The loan signing Etuhu suffered ankle ligament damage when he crashed into an advertising boarding in Sunday's 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle.

On the up side City striker Ross McCormack could be in contention for the QPR game on Saturday after making a speedy recovery from a hamstring injury. McCormack has be out since he pick up his injury against Blackpool the injury also put pay to all the transfer talk that surrounded him back in August McCormack said about is possible return, “It’s been murder sitting it out in the stands for the last month – a nightmare.
“But I’ll be fit for QPR and, if I don’t get the shout from the gaffer (Dave Jones) for that one, then I’ll definitely be ready for the Carling Cup tie against Aston Villa the following Wednesday.”

Just awful shirt sponsor No1

Some Cardiff City fans do not like the new shirt sponsors logo and are refusing to place it on their shirts even if you can have it free if you brought the shirt before the sponsor was found. I don't like it much myself and have not opened my wallet to buy a team shirt since the good old days of the 'South Wales Echo' sponsorship deal.

Well you have to feel sorry for the fans A-League club Adelaide United FC, they having to walk around with that monstrosity ablaze across their chests. Tacky and awful come to mind, I hope they are getting a few quid from Jim's Plumbing in sponsorship for wearing this.

Rhys Weston

Image via Wikipedia

Remember Cardiff City defender Rhys Weston joined the Bluebirds from Arsenal in November 2000 for £300,000 and went on to 182 games scoring twice. While with the Bluebirds the then Chairman Sam Hammam asked him and a number of other players to take a paid cut which he dually did.

The paid cut paved the way for Darren Purse to sign for the then Ninian Park club but the defender soon found he was targeted by a small section of fans and was later released and joined Norwegian Viking F.K where on this debut he was injured and that was it. He later joined Port Vale on trial before joining them until the end of the season. In the summer of 2007 he joined Walsall where he still players.

The reason for remembering Weston today was because in the League Paper he is tell his favourite XI in ‘Dream Team’
Goalkeeper – Keiren Westwood (Coventry)
Right Back – Lee Dixon (Retired)
Centre Back – Danny Gabbidon (West Ham) I’m having the old Cardiff partnership at centre back because they had a great understanding. Danny has been so unlucky with injuries but he is a quality player and would combine well with James.
Centre Back – James Collins (Aston Villa) I was fortunate enough to play with both my centre backs at Cardiff and James was a quality player. Just moved on to Villa and I am sure he will do well there.
Left Back – Ashley Cole (Chelsea)
Right Midfield –Simon Davies (Fulham)
Centre Midfield – Patrick Vieira (Inter Milan)
Centre Midfield – Joe Ledley (Cardiff City) I saw Joe come through the youth team at Cardiff and he is a great player. He has worked very hard and has a bright future ahead of him but my claim to fame is that I always beat him at two-touch.
Left Midfield – Ryan Giggs (Manchester United)
Striker – Thierry Henry (Barcelona)
Striker – Alan Shearer (Retired)

Should be a hot game today

The big game of the day is Cardiff City v Newcastle at the Cardiff City Stadium in front of millions on Sky Sports.

The stadium will be a sell-out although the game is live on Sky Sports which normal indicates a reduction in the crowd but this game has caught the imagination of the fans. On the team front Cardiff City boss Dave Jones will be happy to have Jay Bothroyd is fit after hamstring trouble and should partner Michael Chopra who will be facing his boyhood team. Joe Ledley will play with a cast on his hand to protect his broken wrist.


The sun is beating down on Cardiff and Chopra is looking to score and remind his old club what they are missing and I still can see how he missed out on the Player of the Month to Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi.

Waiting game for Ledley

Joe Ledley will not be signing the new contract offered to him by the club after turning it down it’s reported and put’s the inability to sign down to certain aspects to the new offer.

Allow the talk are ongoing the midfielder valued by Cardiff City at £6m was linked with several Premier League teams in the summer but it was just all rumour has not one offer was received. He has opened himself up to a lot of negative feeling from the fans which could run all season if he doesn’t sign.
The told the Wales Online, "It's down to the club. If they want me to sign, they have got to put a contract to me.
"I want to remain here and if the contract is right, I will sign it. At the moment the contract is not right.
"If it's good enough, I will sign it. At the moment, I'm still trying to sort one out."

Fans feel this only saga has now drag on long enough especially since he is a Cardiff City fan since childhood and he has received a double your money wages offer and has a get out clause in the new contract if a Premiership club makes an offer that matches the valuation of the club

Chairman Peter Ridsdale told a packed meeting of Bluebird fans in Merthyr, “My commitment is to do everything I can to get Joe Ledley to sign a new contract and commit to this football club now the transfer window has closed.
"Joe is mixed in his emotions. He wants to play Premier League and I don't blame him for that. It's the only place to be and I am desperate to get Cardiff City there.
"I have put to Joe Ledley a four-year contract which probably, as near as damn it, doubles his wages and does have an escape clause if a Premier League club comes in with the right offer.
"If Cardiff City are in the Premier League that clause would be null and void.
"If we weren't in the Premier League that clause would stand.
"We have not had a response from Joe or his advisors yet, but I am told he is happy to talk.”

If Ledley doesn’t sign he could talk to any interested clubs in January and possibly line-up a club for the summer and if not walk away from the club a free agent with the club having to look towards compensation because he is under 24 years-old.

What some fans are saying Wales Online
bluewarrior wrote:
At the end of the day, this is a job to him. Wouldn't you try to get whatever you could out of your employers?

Joe is one of the best players at the club and should be paid to reflect this. Keeping within the current wage structure at the club, Joe should be one of the top earners at the club.

I think he'll sign soon as it makes the most logical sense but let him take care of the business side first. He's the type of player that won't let all this affect his passion for the club or his performance on the pitch. Whoever said to bench him on Sunday, is an idiot!!

Bluebirds Fan 101 wrote Michael Morris Messageboard
What a good local lad.
He really is a hero.
Loves his club, too.
Not at all greedy.
And doesn't lie nor has he bull-shi**ed in the press for the past 12-14 months.
£16k-£17k per week isn't enough... greedy prick.

New shirt sponsor name

The South Wales Echo is today revealing some information surrounding the shirt sponsorship deal, can’t say if it true until the club are ready to announce it but it is because it is now official.

The deal is with the gaming company 777ball.com based in China. The deal is for one season initially worth a reported £250.000 comes off the back chairman intensive search for investment in Cardiff City in the Far East allow on the official Cardiff City website there is no mention of payment. There will probably be an option to extend the deal if the tie-up is deemed a success and on the field there could be more success.

New logo

A Cardiff City spokesman said, “This sponsorship deal, which includes a bonus structure, far outweighs the deals the club has enjoyed over recent seasons.”
This could be the start of a number of tie-ups from that region of the world if Ridsdale has his away there has been a rumour that the naming rights of the Cardiff City Stadium is close to being resolved with a Far East company.
“We do have other contacts as well – we are using Malaysia as a stepping stone for the Far East,” said Ridsdale.
“We have established contacts in a particular province in China which has 70 million people and they are desperate to be associated with a football club in the UK.
“We also have contacts in Hong Kong and Japan.
“There are an awful lot of people in the Far East watching English League football day and night. They want to be associated with a football club they think will be in the Premier League in the not too distant future.”

Football is big business in the Far East when Japanese player Junichi Inamoto joined Cardiff from West Brom on loan and had a impressed stay with the Bluebirds so much so he was recalled to play a role in WBA's survival campaign in the Premiership. While playing for us his Japanese fans would turn-up for games both home and away.

Top 200 European teams in Europe

How did Cardiff City fair in the top 200 European teams. By awarding a varying scale of points for victories and draws in the Champions League, UEFA Cup and all other Eurpoean competitions that operated from 1901-2000 it the table placing was worked out.

European Champions Cup &Champions League:
- 8 points for a win
- 4 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat
- (In the group phase directly before the final (1992-1994) were halved the achieved number of points (8-4-0) at all involved teams.)

Fairs Cup & UEFA Cup:
- 6 points for a win
- 3 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat

European Cup Winners‘ Cup:
- 5 points for a win
- 2,5 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat

Mitropa Cup:
- 4 points for a win
- 2 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat

Copa Latina:
- 4 points for a win
- 2 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat

European Super Cup:
- 6,5 points for a win
- 3,25 points for a draw
- 0 points for a defeat

1. Real Madrid CF España 563,50
2. Juventus FC Torino Italia 466,00
3. FC Barcelona España 458,00
4. Milan AC Italia 399,75
5. FC Bayern München Deutschland 399,00
6. FC Internazionale Milano Italia 362,00
7. AFC Ajax Amsterdam Nederland 332,75
8. Liverpool FC England 300,25
9. Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portugal 299,00
10. RSC Anderlecht Belgique 231,00
11. Manchester United FC England 220,00
12. Club Atlético de Madrid España 196,00
13. Ferencvárosi TC Budapest Magyarország 190,00
14. Leeds United AFC England 154,50
15. AC Sparta Praha Česká Republika 149,50
114. Cardiff City AFC Wales 20,00

Full list here

We need a new striker

Chairman Pater Ridsdale is to open the clubs wallet to release some funds after giving the go-ahead for manager Dave Jones to add another striker to his squad according to the South Wales Echo.

Jones will now be on the lookout for a big striker to act as cover for Jay Bothroyd and give him some competition for his place by using the emergency loan transfer window to sign someone. As well as the loan window Jones could sign an out of contract without a club and free agents when the previous window closed.

If a new striker could be brought it will mean recently signed Kelvin Etuhu could move out to his more natural position wide on the left. Ridsdale was asked the question of a new striker at the meeting in Merthyr on Monday and responded by telling the meeting, “I totally agree we need another striker, a big lad.
“We have the opportunity to bring somebody in and we will when we find the right player.
“We do need a big striker to add extra strength to the squad. That is a glaring area. We need to address that and will as quickly as possible."

Blatter on Cardiff and the English FA

A visitor to Wales the president of football world governing body FIFA Sepp Blatter had something to say about Cardiff City joining the English FA. Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale is planning to talk with the FAW this week about the possibility of playing Welsh international fixtures at the Cardiff City Stadium and the switch to the English FA might me on the agenda. A number of managers have criticised the situation were the FAW deal with punishment and not the English FA.

Blatter was in Wales to open the FAW new training facilities at the Vale of Vale of Glamorgan and told the South Wales Echo the Bluebirds should be cautious about the idea.
“This is a British problem. The four British associations have a special agreement with Fifa,” said Blatter.
“If a team plays in a league of another federation that is already foreseen in our regulations.
“We have cases. There is a New Zealand team playing in Australia and there are two Singapore teams playing in Malaysia as well as a Canadian side, soon to be two, playing in the MLS.
“Personally I think if you are the winner of such a competition you should be allowed to participate in the international competition.
“But if a club wants to move from one association to the other that would need the permission of the Fifa executive committee.
“That would be the case if Cardiff City wants to play under the English FA.
“But for me the four British associations must try to solve whatever problems they have amongst themselves."

The Premier League have say on a number of occasions that in that case Cardiff would take up the European spot if they gain it, the only stubbing block could be the reaction of the ‘English’ team missing out to a ‘Welsh’. It could be a minefield.

Cardiff striker Magennis knocks home two for NI U21's

Young Cardiff City striker Josh Magennis was the star of Northern Ireland Under-21 6-2 defeat to Iceland by bagging both goals.

The game was all but over by the end of the first half with the home team 4-0 down one of the changes manager Steve Beaglehole did for the second half was to send on the young Cardiff City striker. The former goalkeeper turn striker was described has a livewire after coming on. He scored his first goal just after Iceland had taken a 5-0lead in the 58th minute, with the score now 5-1 the Icelanders soon scored again and once again Magennis stepped up and score his second of the night. The game final ended a disappointed 6-2.

Cardiff seems to uncovered a gem in Magennis who started the season on the bench coming on later in the second half. He scored his first senior goal for the Bluebirds in the Carling Cup win over Bristol Rovers after coming on for the last 11 minutes. He could do with a short loan provided if Cardiff City boss Dave Jones was mined, he is likely to be on the bench for much of the coming season with Michael Chopra, Jay Bothroyd and Ross McCormack in front of him. It could only favour both Cardiff and the player if here was to have some prolonged match experience

Shirts sponsor deal done

That last Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale could finally announce a sponsorship deal as been struck, no name just yet. The shirt will get its first airing on Sunday for the Newcastle game, in front of a packed house in front of millions of viewers as the game is live on Sky Sports One.

The club are waiting on the approval of the logo to be placed on the shirts and it is hoped that will be sorted this afternoon. There will be a rush to have the logo printed on shirts already have their shirts.

The word out in the world of the internet is that the most likely sponsor will be an internet bookmakers gambling company and guess what the club are opening a bookmakers at the Cardiff City Stadium so it’s easy to put one and one together and come out with a new sponsor. So it won't be Clarks Pie then.

Still no news on the stadium naming rights and stand sponsorship but rumours of takes with a Far East company interest, all we need is some stupid new for the stadium

Cardiff City and Hull City

During the meeting at Merthyr Peter Ridsdale took time to spell out some of the rumours surrounding Hull and the Bluebirds. He claimed Hull had made a very good offer to take Ross McCormack to Hull, the offer was in the millions but the club turned it down because it fell short of Cardiff’s valuation for him.

A cash plus player deal was suggested by Daniel Cousin agent, the player has been previously linked with the Bluebirds while he was at Rangers he was watch but Cardiff City boss Dave Jones decided he was not the right player for him.
Ridsdale said: “We were looking at him when he was with Rangers, but twice now we have decided no.
“His agent has been trying to put him into us – as a swap with Ross McCormack."

Yet in today’s Hull Daily Mail Cousin’s agent Willie McKay is still giving a possible deal on the hard sell saying, "He's got a contract for a couple of years at Hull.
"I wouldn't think that Daniel would want to move to a Championship club but Dave Jones at Cardiff is a good manager and always liked him when he was at Wolves."

Cousin’s is on a kind of gardening duty after a fallout with the Hull City boss, Cousin’s looked to be join Premiership new boys Burnley before to transfer deadline but before signing had a few choice words to say only for the deal to fall through.

The Hull boss Phil Brown was to tell the press he was unhappy playing £5m for a Championship player. McCormack has since been sideline with injury and could be out for a few more weeks.

Ledley in bumper four-year deal - will he sign????

A Merthyr pub was packed to the rafters last night for a question and answers session with Chairman Peter Ridsdale. Over 250 were there and one of the big questions was what was happening with Joe Ledley.

Answering Peter Ridsdale told the fans that he had been offered a new four-year contract with double the money he is on now and there is a get out clause, if a premiership comes in for him and match Cardiff valuation it would be up to him. On the other hand if Cardiff were to reach the Premier League the clause would be null and void.

Ledley miss be disappointed he didn’t get the call to step up in the summer transfer period with all the rumours flying about. The was being link to several clubs but not one offer was received for the player in the end Roger Johnson was the big transfer out of the summer to Birmingham. What player don’t have the dream of playing in the Premier League it is Ledley’s goal but he would like to do it with the Bluebirds. All the club can do now is wait on Ledley and his agent decision his current contract ends next summer and Ridsdale saying on the affair: “My commitment is to do everything I can to get Joe Ledley to sign a new contract and commit to this football club now the transfer window has closed.”
“Joe is mixed in his emotions.
“He wants to play Premier League and I don’t blame him for that. It’s the only place to be and I am desperate to get Cardiff City there.
“I have put to Joe Ledley a four-year contract which probably, as near as damn it, doubles his wages and does have an escape clause if a Premier League club comes in with the right offer.
“If Cardiff City are in the Premier League that clause would be null and void.
“If we weren’t in the Premier League that clause would stand.
“We have not had a response from Joe or his advisors yet, but I am told he is happy to talk.”

Dirty Sanchez star stabbed

Party animal and Cardiff City fan Mathew Pritchard was in hospital last night after a stabbing incident but has now been release. Pritchard who stars in the MTV show Dirty Sanchez was stabbed in the neck in a shop in Derehan after an altercation in the shop around 5pm yesterday with the confirming a man in his 30’s was arrested at his home soon after the incident.

Police said it was “a serious assault” and change the attack on the suspicion of wounding with what they are calling an “an instrument” for the time being until evidence is collected.

The MTV star used in Twitter and Facebook pages to thank staff at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital saying “Thank you for all your best wishes it means a lot and thanks to the amazing ambulance, doctors and nurses you were great.” A spokeswoman for the East of England Co-Operative Society said: “There was an incident in our Toftwood store. None of our staff were directly involved with it.”

His friend and co-star Lee Dainton said last night: “He is lucky to be alive.”

“He was trying to tell someone to chill out and leave and the next thing he was being stabbed in the throat and chest.

“Some guy was just freaking out at the counter in this shop.

“You do not stab someone in the throat unless you are trying to kill them.

“It was just in the middle of the day. He had gone out to get some food or something.”

“I thought it was a mad, crazed stalker fan at first but it’s just some totally random guy kicking off in a shop. Pritchard has tried to diffuse the situation and he has got stabbed.”

Rae in Scottish squad

Cardiff City midfielder Gavin Rae has had a surprise call-up for the Scotland squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifier against Holland. The last time he played for Scotland was in April in the 2-1 victory over Iceland he came off the bench minutes before the final whistle.

Rae has made an impressive start to the season since coming on for Joe Ledley in the first game of the season against Scunthorpe and has scored two goals of far. He said last week "The manager spoke to me before the current squad was announced and explained I wouldn't be included," he said last week. "Hopefully, I am still in his thoughts for future squads and the key is to play well for Cardiff. It was great that George Burley took time to give me a call."

Ridsdale happy with the Malaysia trip

Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale is back for his travels to Malaysia and is upbeat with the talks he has been having. His hard sell seems to be winning over people out there as he believes they want to be involved in Cardiff City. Business could be interested but football fans are Premiership crazy with the top four of the Premier League gained massive support.

Ridsdale hoped Dato Chan Tien Ghee, the Malaysian tycoon would be over for the Newcastle game but he can’t make it but still plans to come over. It’s a pity he can’t make the game Sunday he would see the stadium at its best, full has the game his going to be a sell-out and the stadium will be buzzing with media.
Ridsdale told the South Wales Echo, “The people in Malaysia want to be involved with this football club.
“They like what has been, and is being achieved, at Cardiff City.
“He was invited to our match against Newcastle on Sunday.
“That is not possible any more, but he will be over this month and we look forward to that.”
“The talks went well and this is moving towards one of the most strategic tie-ups we have had during my time with the football club.
“It’s not just about sponsorship and marketing, but access to the Far East marketplace.
“The people have affection for British football. I had what I believe was a highly productive trip.”

Cardiff City fans will have a chance to question Ridsdale tonight at an open meeting tonight in Merthyr and the trip and investment should top of the agenda, if he has any answers to give along with several other issues.

Non-League chat

With every little football I decided to have look and see what was happening in Non-league football. I was very sad to find out that Tony Kempster whose website I have visited for years for information has passed away. His site was packed with stats not just non-league but Premiership and League Football, RIP.

Farsley Celtic told their Conference boss on Friday they had lost their fight to survive and handed in their resignation papers only in the last minute to find a new backer just in time they withdraw their decision to quit.

Could Cornwell have their first Football League team, well Truro City is doing their best to reach that goal. There are only three promotions away playing in the same league as Newport County and are second in the table. Truro will then become the furthers away game in the English football, Carlisle 436.7 over Seven hours travailing time and Newcastle 456.3 miles nearly eight hours on the road.

Loan signs - Good or Bad

I’m not the biggest fan of loan signing if they are good enough for a loan deal why not buy them. But it don’t work like that these days the all important baseline rules, costs within football have gone throw the roof and a lot of club see the loan deal has the cheaper option.

A lot of loan signings are destined for the rubbish bin but there is always a gem, someone you need to buy but no cash means no deal or the player is looking to go back to their club. Two that stick in my mind Eddie Newton (1991/92) from Chelsea he conquered the fans and was carried off the pitch by the fans at his last game. Chelsea not interested in selling him the then manager said he was part of a Chelsea future. Jason Koumas was the other one joins the Bluebirds from West Brom after being sideline after falling out was the manager. He was easily the player of the season but is time at the club was spoiled by off the field problems. He want to stay with the City, the fans wanted him to stay but the Chairman Sam Hammam was playing is normal mind games. He was telling all that he wanted to do a deal West Brom but the days turned to weeks and nothing was happening a Koumas was sitting waiting. He even missed to start of pre-season but in the end he had to go back to West Brom with his tail between his legs after there was no call from Hammam.

Scores of young Premiership players are loan out these days to get experience in the lower leagues; some clubs even pay part of the wages to help deals along. Last season we had a few mainly goalkeepers while this season so far Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has brought in Kelvin Etuhu from Manchester City on a season-long loan has striker cover.

Etuhu is looking to improve has a player while here has at the moment his club is awash with strikers and if he had of stayed he would have struggled to make the bench. He made his starting debut in the Carling Cup game against Bristol Rovers but came on that the end of the Bristol City game the Saturday before. On the WalesOnline website he said, “I have come to Cardiff aiming to develop my game and improve as a player.
“I want to be a consistent threat in front of goal, both scoring and creating chances for others. “That’s what I’ve been brought to Cardiff to do and it’s up to me to deliver.
“I’m happy to do what’s needed of me, but I particularly enjoy playing on the left, coming inside and attacking defenders.
“I like to run with the ball at my feet, link up with other attacking players and get into the penalty area.
“Hopefully I can do that this season and come out of it having improved myself.
“Cardiff City is a good, stable club with an excellent stadium and manager in Dave Jones. It’s a great set-up and I’m glad to be part of it.
“There is great quality at this football club, but we have to maintain levels of performance as the season progresses.
“It’s no good looking back and saying we had a great start if we don’t keep this form up.
“We need to be physically and mentally strong.”

Cardiff City Theme Park’

I read that Real Madrid was considering opening a theme park a kind of ‘Disneyland Madrid’ with ride names like ‘Raul Rollercoaster’ and ‘Cristiano Ghost House’ it would be part of some Sports City that is being build in Madrid area. I would that work? I cannot see Atletico Madrid fan rushing to go on the David Beckham Big Dipper eating a Bernabéu Burger with a Kaka Slush Puppy. Can you picture coach loads of away fans say form Barcelona nipping in before or after a game, no way amigo.

Hatred and rivalry can run deep like for me its Welsh Rugby Union when the Welsh football team play in the Millennium Stadium I refuse to go because I would be pulling money into the pockets of Welsh Rugby that is how bad I hate the egg game. Someone had a poll on Mike Morris messageboard who would you support Swansea or England, I plumed for England that hatred/rivalry thing but if it was Swansea and Welsh Rugby it would be Swansea.

I was upset that the Play-off was played their but went after promising myself I would only buy the match tickets no food/drink anything else, I would rather spend my money down Chippy lane. I wish the Cardiff Blues were not in the new Cardiff City Stadium but enjoying the fact it’s our stadium and they have to play rent.
Back to the theme park story what if Cardiff were to follow Madrid’s lead, everyone knows the trouble Barry Island is in maybe Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale could put together some plans to show the Malaysian tycoon visiting in a week.

Picture it as you drive onto the island or get off the train, you are greeted with a big ‘Welcome to the Cardiff City Theme Park’ sign, I can see it now, The Dave Bennett Dodgems, The Robin Friday Ghost Train, Ledley and Earnshaw Slots Arcade, Dave Jones Crazy Golf and less we forget Tarki Micallef Love Tunnel. The highlight of the day could like the Disney parade with a football twist in a specially built amphitheatre once a day match day the Soul Crew slug it out with invited guests, it could be shown on Cardiff City own TV channel.

Looking for a club

With the transfer window shut a few days ago Cardiff City are still being linked with players rumoured to be on a possible move to the Wales club. One of the latest is a central defender Adrian Hawes reported by the Non- League Daily he plays for Hucknall Town in the Unibond Premier who ex-Cardiff player Andy Legg played for them and managed for a short them. According to his manager he spent last week with up at Motherwell and played a trial game for them.

Up the top end of the scale Cardiff are also link with Hull City's out-of-favour striker Daniel Cousin on a loan deal, the loan deal window opens next week for the League clubs Cousin was all about to leave Hull for Burnley and thing the deal was sorted he had a pop at manager Phil Brown only for the Gabon international to see the deal fall through. Brown is now looking to loan him out and would even be prepared to pay a proportion of his wages as a sweetener to any deal.

Dave Jones recently brought in Manchester City strike Kelvin Etuhu on a season long loan as cover for the injured Ross McCormack and allow Jay Bothroyd limped out of the last game, Jones expects him to be fit for the Newcastle game.

I think we have our full quota of defenders and strikers and chairman Peter Ridsdale has said that’s it in the way of new signings, he doesn’t want to push the wage bill up. There has to be a bit of scope in the plans for the odd emergency loan

The man from the East is coming

The Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale is returning to Cardiff after is Far East trip with a promise that the Malaysian investment tycoon Dato Chan Tien Ghee will be nipping over for the Newcastle United sell-out clash that Cardiff City’s new stadium where the red carpet will be rollout for the visitor. It is hoped that more talks could lead to so investment or sponsorship, Cardiff are still without a shirt sponsor.

It has been revealed the Malaysian tycoon visited the old Ninian Park last season with Ridsdale now keen to show-off the new stadium experience. With ten days to go to the game is likely to be a sellout with all parts of the stadium accept for the costly Premier seating, the away section will be full for the first which was always expected from the Toon fans.

The game should show off the massive potentially for Cardiff City with all the TV and media interest has well as it a top of the table clash. The fans could help with this be giving 110% support to the team and the club, maybe curtailing some of the anti-chanting, Swansea and England stuff.

Ridsdale will have to keep him close and out of the way from Newcastle United officials who are looking for a buy. Talking about his trip in the South Wales Echo, “We have invited him to Cardiff City Stadium for the Newcastle United game and the plans are in place.
“The Far East market is one of the largest in the world representing over half the world’s population. Their appetite for football is already proven.
“We think this interest is a massive coup for this football club and we know they have talked to other football clubs in the past about such an alliance and investment.
“Any deal will almost certainly include sponsorship and we are already talking about shirt sponsorship, stadium naming rights and an investment.
“These things do not happen overnight. It’s a case of them trusting us and getting to know what we are all about. We are now putting the building blocks in place to form an established football club.
“We have aspirations of Premiership football and with such an investment there is no reason why the club cannot reach its true potential”
“Cardiff City’s agreement in principle to form a strategic marketing alliance with Football Focus Asia will maximise the opportunities that exist for the club in the Far East.
“This marketing alliance will cover a broad cross-section of opportunities, including the establishment of a Far East youth development programme.
“We will also see the establishment of supporters’ groups to both support and visit Cardiff City football matches and enjoy the whole match-day experience.
“This will also see sponsorship finance brought to the football club and allow our first team to participate in pre-season tours, playing in key cities in the Far East.”

Sak not a Robin

The Wrexham Evening Leader is reporting that Erwin Sak has not join Wrexham has first thought yesterday. Today Dean Saunders like has denied claims but not shut the door completely on the Polish goalkeeper Erwin Sak following his release from Cardiff City. Saunders could be willing to have a look at the young keeper if he wanted to go up and train with them.

The story seems to come from Wrexham search for a keeper has clover because one of Saunders keepers has dislocating an elbow
The Wrexham boss told the Leader, “Nothing has happened, we have not signed Erwin.
“We know of him. It is probably because [goalkeeper coach] Michael Oakes enquired about back-up for Chris and Cardiff said Erwin was leaving.
“We might be interested in him coming up to train but we have not signed him.”

Villa date announced

Cardiff City have a date for their Carling City game with Aston Villa Wednesday 23rd September kick-off 7:45pm. Allocation and ticket details have not be released be should be in the coming days with Cardiff like to take a large number of fans to Villa Park. So far the Villa game is the only one schedule for Wednesday Sky Sports will be showing one game live that night but until all the fixtures are sorted we can only hope.

The Premiership club had a ropey start to their season losing to Wigan and than losing away to Rapid Vienna in the UEFA Cup but there form soon returned smashing Liverpool 3-1 at Anfield followed by victories at Rapid Vienna not good enough to keep them in the UEFA Cup losing out on the away goal rule. Next was a solid victory over Fulham in the Premiership.

Something that could play into the hands of Cardiff City boss is the fact his count part at Villa Martin O'Neill has selected a weakened team even this early into the season. Is priority over the last few seasons has been to break up the gang of four at the top of the Premiership and join the Champions League clubs. He could decide to chase some silverware this seasons have not won any since 1996 for the League Cup.

Still it's a long way to go for this fixture there are hope important game coming-up after the international break, Newcastle home, Reading away and finally QPR at the CC Stadium, nine points to be win.