Jones and Ridsdale have a tiff " allegedly "

I am not sure if the Wales on Sunday is banned, it probably will the after the story headline ‘Ridsdale and Jones in Bluebirds dressing room bust-up’, as the relationship turned sour between the manager and is chairman which was also reported in a few other of the national press.

The report suggests Ridsdale was unhappy with the way players surrendered to a ten men Preston with the City only 1-0 down at the time with nearly forty minutes left in the game. The reports state that soon has the game was over the Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale burst into the dressing room to vent is anger with the players.

Manager Dave Jones was said to be annoyed with the chairman intervening into his dressing room has he was dressing down his players after the game. According to bystanders, the two had a blazing row in front of the players and according to the News of the World, they both stepped outside the dressing room to carry on their spat.

Jones left the ground without taking part in the post-match press conference to waiting journalists but the clubs press officer release and short statement, “Giving away a penalty was a piece of stupidity.
“There was a push and it was definitely a penalty. It was a horrendous mistake and stupidity costs you.
“We’ve not done the right thing. There was a lot of stupidity and a lot of my players need to take a long, hard look at themselves.”

The players were under instruction not to talk to the press after the game.

City still hanging on to sixth

Cardiff City managed to half last year score line at Preston today from 6-0 to 3-0 so maybe the next fixture could be 0-0 and after that the score could turn positive for the City.

If you believe stats Cardiff should have walked the game the BBC stats man gave the City a possession rate of 68% to Preston’s 32% and more attempts on target and off then the home team, but stats mean nothing if you do not score goals.

Defeat today has Cardiff still in a play-off place (6th) but there place looks shaky with teams piling up just behind them. Any hopes of automatic promotion are now over we are now fourteen points behind second place West Brom. Fifth place Leicester are five points ahead of Cardiff but it is the number of teams in striking distance of the sixth place at is worrying.

Only four points separate Sheffield Utd, Blackpool, Middlesbrough, Coventry and Barnsley next Saturday Cardiff have a tough home game against Middlesbrough who have had a hit and miss season were one of the favourite for automatic promotion. The City managed to squeeze 1-0 win at Middlesbrough earlier in the season and everyone would be happy with that on Saturday.

Time up for some ......

A number of Cardiff City players are out of contract in the summer giving boss Dave Jones something to think about I would thing most would be looking for new clubs next season.

Joe Ledley – One of the club biggest assets and a must to leave the club the money will be desperately needed the club will have to wait on the fee until the transfer panel decided. I cannot any club paying for him before the end of his contract so the club will not be getting anywhere near the clubs valuation of £6millon. The only thing that could keep him here is if the City would some how win promotion.

Peter Enckelman – Second keeper at the club who has not had many chance against first choice David Marshall but has had the nod for the last to games. If down to money/wages I cannot see him being offered a new contract. City boss Dave Jones will probably but looking to bring in a cheaper free signing.

Mark Kennedy – Is getting on a bit he should be on his way in the summer.

Tony Capaldi – He was out on a short loan with Leeds in December with a view to a permanent deal but returned to Cardiff at the end of the loan spell. The Cardiff boss was willing to let him go out on loan again but the failer of the ‘golden ticket’ season ticket offer Jones need him to stay has cover for his injury-plagued squad.

Miguel Comminges – Goodbye, one of those players you wonder way he was signed. In the two seasons this summer he has been at the club he has contributed next to nothing to the team only starting 12 league and cup games playing more off the bench (23).

Aaron Morris – A youngest who boss Dave Jones claims has a future with the Bluebirds. He has been on loan to runaway leaders of the Conference South Newport County since early December has played a few games.

Josh Magennis – The young goalkeeper turned striker is out with a broken leg but should still be here next season.

Warren Feeney – His three-year contract ends in the summer god knows how much Cardiff paid in wages to him but here did not earn it playing for the City. Like Comminges, you just cannot see why Dave Jones brought him. Today he has started two games and a dozen off the bench with no goals. He has had more success out on loan first at Swansea then last season he spent it in Scotland with Dundee Utd and this season had a spell Sheffield Wednesday. His future with Cardiff must be none.

Cardiff team v Preston

Enckelman
McNaughton Gyepes Quinn Gerrard
Rea Whittingham Burke
Chopra Bothroyd McCormack

Substitutes
Marshall, Kennedy, Capaldi, Taiwo, Blake, Matthews, Wildig

Enckelman keeps his place in the starting line-up and I defence Quinn is in for Kennedy while Wildig drop’s to the bench to make way for McCormack.

Cardiff City looking to do a deal with Shine

The mystery of the firm rumour to be seeking a new winding up against Cardiff City revealed has South Wales Echo as a small South Wales fair Shine Food Machinery, of Newport. A winding-up petition was reported to have been taken out in county court in Cardiff just before Christmas against Cardiff City Stadium Limited, a sister company of the football club for whom it carried out the work on the stadium.

They are chasing a debt of more than £750,000 for work done in the new stadium installs commercial kitchens, fitted out the catering kitchens. According to the paper Shine were happy to adjourn the count case because the debt was being reduced and that half the debt had already been paid.

At the EGM on Wednesday when the subject of a second winding up order was raised the meeting was told the club indicated they were hopeful of agreeing a payment deal before the next the court date on April 28. >>>>> Echo Article

Will Ledley play for the City again

Does Joe Ledley know something we don’t, has he taken a ride in Dr Who’s Tardis to the end of the season, well with a headline in the South Wales Echo like is “I’m targeting a return for the play-offs – Ledley” you would think he had.

Ledley as now had the two hip operation the need and is on the road to recovery. The Welsh international visits the Vale of Glamorgan training ground daily and users the static cycles and weights to up his general fitness level but a month from the next level. He told the paper he hopes to be back training with the team April. He hope's to be fit to catch the last few games of the season and the play-offs if Cardiff can keep their current league position. His last game before submitting himself to the surgeon's knife was that incredible 6-0 victory over Bristol City and without the play-off he could have played his last ever game for the Bluebirds.

He will be out of contract in the summer it is very unlikely the City will get a fee for him and will have to depend on the judgement of the transfer panel has he is under 24 years old. Without promotion, he is certainty to be on the for sale list in the summer. At yesterday’s EGM chairman meeting Peter Ridsdale said he was expecting to sell two players during the off-season last summer one of which was Joe Ledley.

Ledley told the South Wales Echo, “We all believe we can achieve what we want – and I am relying on the boys to get us to the play-offs.”
“I have been to see the surgeon this week and everything is fine,” said Ledley.
“I won’t be able to run for four weeks and there is no rushing back from these operations.
“If I try to get back before the right time I could fracture bones. I will be patient, but I am delighted with progress so far.
“I am intent on playing this season, hopefully in the play-offs and maybe before that.”

A must read for any Cardiff City fan

Extraordinary General Meeting Report from the Dave Sugarman The Lone Gunman posted on Mike Morris Cardiff Online Website

Representing Cardiff City Football Club (Holdings) Ltd at today's Extraordinary General Meeting were Chairman Peter Ridsdale, Group Finance Director Alan Flitcroft, Company Secretary Alan Whiteley and board member Steve Borley. Apologies were given for the absence of missing board members Keith Harris and Dato Chan Tien Ghee >>>>>>>> Follow Link

Ridsdale staying whoever thought he was going

The EGM meeting called to rubberstamp the land sale deal has been agreed which was expected freeing up a possible £1.8million in the sale for the club.

Chairman Peter Ridsdale won a kind of vote of no confidence when the question was put before the meeting, no surprise there. I cannot believe any Cardiff fans could have thought any vote on that subject could have ended in victory. Who in their right mind would want to takeover Ridsdale position as chairman with the club current financial situation?

Cardiff could have another winding up order has well as the taxman in April with one other creditor seeking payment with the club talking to them. More money will be paid to the taxman next week according to the club and the sooner, as the taxman is off the clubs back the better.

Official Statement

So the future of the club is firmly in the hand of Peter Ridsdale like it or not so I for one hope he can turn it around. He is said to be in talks with parties unknown a takeover or investment the sooner the better. His three-point plan for the future of Cardiff City is to sell the club, secure some much-needed investment and to cut costs.

The protest match is on the for the 6th March from the empty car park behind the Admiral Napier Pub at 1:30pm leaving for the stadium at 2pm.

Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale hails land sale agreement

Cardiif City chairman Peter Ridsdale says it was important to get the £450,000 land deal given the green light by shareholders. I thought the land deal was worth £1.5m plus?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/8535387.stm

Cardiff drop a place

A win for Leicester tonight at Doncaster push Cardiff down to sixth in the league table the lowest league placing since the Bluebirds lost to Ipswich back in the end of November.

Cardiff has game in hand over all the teams above them except for Nottingham Forest who have played to more. Cardiff had games in had last season and look what happen then, unless you win those games they mean nothing. The game for Saturday have thrown up a few interesting fixtures.

The Coca-Cola Football League Championship
Barnsley v Blackpool, 3pm

Leicester v Nottingham Forest, 3pm

Preston v Cardiff, 3pm
Swansea v Peterborough, 3pm
Watford v Newcastle, 3pm
West Brom v Derby, 3pm

If I hit it big on the Lottery I would keep the money

Asked how much would I put in the pot if I wanted to help save the Bluebirds, years ago, I would have emptied my pockets in seconds, now I would ask to see the books first.

It’s old hat but football is pricing fans out of the game and it show this season with crowds down which was not help by the country’s finances hitting rock bottom. However, you still have players with their noses in the trough looking for more money and clubs looking to put up the match day ticket.

Fans are cherry picking games more and more it can the seen with the Cup games, attendances are way down has fans put the league first has big clubs play weaken team up to protect their league status. This season the attendance figures at the Cardiff City stadium have been holding up well except for the cup games with an average of 20,483 so far but we are way ahead of Swansea with 15,234. Seeing most fans are season ticket holders what is the gross take on match day. Does it cover the match day cost? If it is depended on match day ticket sales surely not.

Cardiff have created one massive headache for themselves financially this summer, normally the sale of season tickets would boost the club in summer there will be next to none. The ‘Golden ticket’ money is gone according to all the rumours soaked up with other things but players the fans were lead to believe. If Ridsdale can guide the club around the minefield it is in club should be primed for some investment or a takeover. It the reports are true Portsmouth bottom of the Premier League with debts of £70m, and the winding up order was over £7.5m owed to HM Revenue and Customs have three different group interested in buy the struggling club. Why, if they were save they will be playing Championship football next season so why are they not will to save money and come here. With a reported £50million, a year player’s wage bill if they do go down this season who many of the big earns will be knocking on the door of the chairman asking for a pay cut.

They seems to be a lot more fans protesting these day one of the biggest is the one being carryout at Manchester United, there debt make outs look like small change, a whooping £700m and the owner are hated more than Ridsdale simply because they are have been hating longer. I do think they have the best protest statement wearing the traditional green and gold colours of Newton Heath the ordinary name of United. Could the colours of Riverside FC chocolate and amber be the future of a protest in the shape of a football scarf?

The March

A section of the Cardiff City fan base who have been calling for protest after recent games, which it has to be said were not very successful are planning a change of direction for the Middlesbrough game Saturday, 06 March.

Depending on the outcome of the EGM this week where they are hoping, it will single the end of Peter Ridsdale reign at the club, unlikely but there could be a surprise.

The plan is to March on Cardiff City Stadium from a location in Canton to the front entrance and protest against Peter Ridsdale. It is hope for a large turnout. More on where the match will start from closer to the date.

What does banning the Echo do

Managers and chairman love to throwing a wobbly with the press from time to time only a few weeks back Chairman Peter Ridsdale was up in arms banning the South Wales Echo some article or other and last week manager Dave Jones as joined the club and banned them has well.

How long for who knows, it will not be for that long over the years the Echo have been banned countless times. Contact with your local press is important because unless you are in the Premier League or playing one of the big clubs you get next to no coverage in the national papers. Take the day Cardiff were in court for the winding-up order there were four teams in court that day but if you looked in the national papers the next day you would think there was only one Portsmouth.

When it come to carrying on a ban when most fans do not a f*** about is Sir Alex Ferguson who has not spoken to the BBC since 2004 after they run a Panorama documentary which portrayed his son, Jason, an agent, as using his father’s status to gain influence in the transfer market he was never found guilty. Ferguson senior swore never to speak to the BBC again.

Premier League has passed a motion for next season to make managers post-match and after match interviews mandatory for the manager or a senior member of the coaching staff to give a press conference.

The Bluebirds need the media has much as the media needs Cardiff City stories and articles come and go and it seems the latest was over a headline. We get a lot of coverage in the local written press, good bad or ugly I get hot under the collar sometimes with the players ratings. I cannot understand why some fans go on and on about the South Wales Echo is anti-Cardiff and in the same breath, say its run by the Rugby mafia. Per week I would say there is more stories about the City than the Blues the finance problem take up a lot of space in the last few weeks.

Hands off that pie is mine

There is only one pie in Cardiff, the good old Clark’s pie which is wrapped up in Cardiff folk law. The pie loved by generation of Cardiff folk first presented to the people of Cardiff before the First World War over a hundred years ago. However, an upstart from the valley based Peter’s Pies are planning to celebrate 40 years in business with a special ‘Cardiff pie’ what have they to do with Cardiff. I have yet to take a bite out of one of these Cardiff pie but I am not hopefully of the outcome.

I see nothing special about Peter’s Pies yes I have spent money on them but only has a last resort I just do not like the mass-production pie. Although the Pukka Pies range fall into that area it is by far the best. Peter's has compared to Pukka falls so far behind there are a bit of a joke. I just wished the club would bring it Pukka Pies to join the Clarkies and drop them Peter’s in the bin.

I will hold my hand up to Peter sausage roll and the cornbeef pasties they are tasty but I still prefer the much maligned underated Clark’s pasty.

A few weeks ago, I had a Peter’s pie from the fish shop, they sold out of Clark’s pies again, and they always sell out of Charkies. I lifted out of its foil tray and it just disintegrated, typical.

There is a new boy entering the pie market the ‘The Pembrokeshire Pasty and Pie Co’ who have been looking for a shop in Cardiff, competition for the Clark’s Pie, who knows but I look forward to giving there pie ago. The real competition is from small independent pie makers like Rees the butchers in Canton whose full range is top quality.

Barnsley win made me feel miserable

Not a good day that the office for the Bluebirds today on the pitch or in the stands. Schoolboy defending in the first 12 minutes cost Cardiff City the game and three points but what about the rest of the game, some 78 minutes plus. Well for the rest of the game it was a case of schoolboy football all round has the hapless Cardiff never looked like there were going to claw themselves back.

Manager Dave Jones said after the match, “We showed a lack of awareness defensively and they were crazy goals to give away,”
“Our passing and movement wasn’t right and there was no sustained pressure.
“We played at too slow a tempo and one or two heads dropped, so welcome to the real world.
“The two central defenders were done by simple through-balls but the full-backs and midfield players are also responsible.
“They can look at fatigue as a reason but we are better than that and never worked hard enough.”

While Cardiff pointed points against Barnsley team above and below us were collecting points but for West Brom who play away at Bristol City later today. Cardiff have dropped 4 points off the pace of the top 4 in the league table and are how head of a small group fight it out for the bottom two play-off places. That could all change Cardiff only have 15 games to consolidate their position in the top six. I hope that is well before the last game of the season.

It is the EGM next week with most fans hoping for some kind of vote of no confidence in Chairman Peter Ridsdale at could see him out the door, but who would want the job. The land deal the reason for the meeting should glide through and Ridsdale said on the Week in Week out programme he would be willing to discuss other issues. We will just have to wait and see.

No midweek game should help with boss Dave Jones with a rest for his injury player’s before Preston a Saturday.

Cardiff team v Barnsley

Enckelman,
McNaughton, Kennedy, Gyepes, Gerrard,
Burke, Whittingham, Rae, Wildig,
Bothroyd (c), Chopra.

Subs: Marshall, Quinn, Matthews, Taiwo, Blake, Feeney, McCormack.

Keeper Peter Enckelman get’s his first League start of the season today has first choice keep David Marshall pick-up a knock in midweek and only fit for the bench today. Both Peter Whittingham and Jay Bothroyd were doubtful for the game but are both in the starting line-up. Ross McCormack is on the bench again

McCormack tiring of the bench

Cardiff City striker Ross McCormack is unhappy warming the bench and believes his confidence is draining away and has things look he could be the first knocking on managers Dave Jones door come the summer asking about his future. McCormack got into trouble with a in the summer after he said he would like a move along with a rumour at he had handed in a transfer request. His agent then said he had a 'gentleman's agreement' in his contract that stipulates that he can speak to any Premier League club who bid for his services.

Hull was definitely interested but the manager was not happy with the valuation placed on the player, Portsmouth also looked at the Scottish international but interest soon drifted away. He got some stick when he turned out for City at Swindon. McCormack said after the game, "I'm upset by the fans reaction to be honest.
“They were chanting and there was some abuse. I expected it. I suppose I would be disappointed if I were a fan in this situation,"

It was not a good start to the season for the City striker after playing in the first game was then out until the beginning of October with a hamstring injury and have spent the rest of the season on and off the bench mainly from midfield.

He said recently, “I’m a bit fed up and frustrated.
“I thought I’d be back in the starting set-up after playing five games and scoring three and playing reasonably well.
“Then I get dropped. It’s disappointing, but I can’t let it affect me.”
“I think I can play in a number of positions, but it’s down to the gaffer whether he has got the confidence in me to play me in those positions.
“Its doesn’t worry me to play out wide.
“Obviously I prefer to play through the middle, but, provided I start, I’m happy.”

He has only managed three goals this season two in the league from his limited playing time but Michael Chopra and Jay Bothroyd are the preferred attacking option of the Cardiff manager. The same old story, three strikers into two just do not go, one left to the sidelines and nine times out the ten will be unhappy with the situation. If McCormack was not getting frustrated and voicing his concerns the fans would worry about his commitment to the club.

Matthews want's to commit to the City

It is good to hear that a young player like Adam Matthews want to commit his future to Cardiff City, if there is a future of the club with all the finance trouble surrounding the club. However, everyone and his or her monkey’s uncle know his future depends on his future transfer fee. I would not be surprised if he goes in the summer it all depends on the magic word ’Promotion’ unless some rich guy buys the club.

At his age only been 18-year-old he has brains enough to no he would be better off stick with the City where he would play more first team football. If he was to join, any of clubs rumoured to be watching him Manchester United or Arsenal his first team opportunities would be very limited.

Just look what as happen to Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger used him for mainly early round of Cup games and in European games mostly from the bench. This season he has received more starts in the Premiership but Arsenal boss Wenger is on record has saying he will protect is young star. Another City youngest who had a different experience with his move Chris Gunter. Tottenham snapped him up but like youngest in the top team he was used for European and Cup games so he when out on loan to Nottingham Forest before they brought him.

Even here at Cardiff boss Dave Jones still tries to protect his young players like Matthews and Aaron Wildig he knows playing young players to much to early can leave a player burnt out at a yound age. Both have played a few more games than he would have like or they would of expected because of Dave Jones injury problems and his inability to bring in new faces last month.

Matthews speaking to the South Wales Echo said, “If I went to a Premiership club, I would not get to play so much so I can rule out a move like that.
“I’m happy to remain at Cardiff for as long as possible. There is a great bunch of players here and a good coaching staff.
“I play regularly here, so I’m learning anyway,”
Asked about reports linking him with a £4m move to a Premier League giant, Matthews went on: “I just try to forget about it to be honest and remain level-headed.
“I’m just concentrating on playing my best football for Cardiff and, with the speculation over and the January transfer window gone, I can just get on and do that.”

Will Dennehy stay put

Looks like Cardiff City defender Darren Dennehy is a hit on loan with Gillingham so much, so the Gills boss Mark Stimson would like to extend his loan period until the end of the season. Cardiff has agreed but it is down to the player now.

It is more than likely he will agree has even with injury hit Cardiff they seem to be able to do without the young defender. Since join the Bluebirds in June 2008 he has not played one game for the City, he has been on the bench as an unused substitute. Dennehy joined the Bluebirds with a bit of a fanfare has he turned down a new one year contract with is then club Everton in search of first team football and with a few offers decided to plum for Cardiff City.

In his first season, there was no opportunity for first team football so he jumped at the chance to go on loan to Hereford. He was there for 3 months where he only played three games injured for some of the time. Hereford asked again in July 2009 if they could loan him which Cardiff City once again for another 3 months this time playing more games. Within a month of coming back to Cardiff, he was out on his travels this time a month’s loan to Gillingham.

Boss Mark Stimson told the Kent Messenger, “We’re trying to sort something out with the lad, He’s interested in staying and we’re interested in keeping him plus Cardiff have given us permission to keep him if he wants to stay”.
“He’s come in and done well. He’s a young lad, he’s big and he puts his head in and he must have been performing pretty well because he’s been called up for the Republic of Ireland under-21 side again. We’ve helped him get back in contention and that’s good for Darren.”

He looks to be no future for with Cardiff with Dave Jones the boss anyway so he should take up the off he as more chance of first team football.

Tight at the top

It was a good draw last night and a strong performance from Cardiff players after the defeat at Chelsea at the weekend. it was never going to be easy in this top of the table clash between the Bluebirds and West Brom both teams are the highest scorers in the league so it was always going to be tight. The draw saw the visitors go back on top of the table level on points with second place Newcastle who play tonight while Cardiff’s point kept them in fifth place.

Of the top six, five played last night only Nottingham Forest won their game the other four drew their games. The remaining games of the season take on an whole different mean now, how can Cardiff City fans forget the collapses at the end of last season going from a possible automatic promotion place to a play-off place to finish in seventh place.

This Saturday the top of the table games are (all 3pm kick-offs)
Cardiff v Barnsley
Derby v Swansea
Newcastle v Preston
Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough
Plymouth v Leicester

Top scorer Peter Whittingham added to his impress goal total for this season with his 19 when he hammered home a first half penalty after Jay Bothroyd went pulled down in the penalty area. Not long after that Whittingham was off with a groin strain with could make him doubtful for Saturday.

The possible loss of Whittingham would put even more of an increasing strain on boss Dave Jones beleaguered midfield. Allow he did not say anything about when the rest of the debt would be settle but just rang off a list of monies the club are expecting. Soon has the taxman has been paid the sooner the Football League can lift the transfer embargo off the club but the lack of urgency leads me the thing there is no money to bring an loan players anyway.

Following the Barnsley game on Saturday and Preston away the following Saturday there are no midweek games for two weeks hopefully that will give manager Dave Jones some time to give a rest to some of his squad. After that starting with home game with Middlesbrough on March 6th until April 10th it is two games a week for the small Cardiff squad.

Week in Week out on the Iplayer

If you were stuck in the traffic on the way home last night and miss the Week in Week out programme last night it is now available on the Iplayer. (UK Only)

Copy and Paste http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00qzkyk/Week_In_Week_Out_Fantasy_Football/

Cardiff team v West Brom

Marshall
McNaughton Gyepes Gerrard Kennedy
Rae Whittingham Burke Wildig
Chopra Bothroyd

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

Automatic promotion still on the card???

I am with City boss Dave Jones when he says the top-two spots in the Championship are still there up for grabs, and a win tonight would be a great help.

Both top spot Newcastle and fourth place Nottingham Forest have been dropping points recently making it more interesting at the top. Between Cardiff and the top spot are four teams and 12 points, Cardiff also have a game in hand over three of the top four and two games over Nottingham Forest.

You hear a lot about a top six finish but a play-off place is no guarantee of promotion there are still two games plus a final to play. I have never like the play-off and the two header with Stoke City back in 2001/02 put any lingering thought of the play-off being fun. The target must be automatic promotion and it should be a mindset pumped into the head of the players.

What the Cardiff boss said on the subject, “Nothing is impossible. If you start giving up now and saying the top two are away then you might as well forget it.
“You are always in with a shout. If we beat West Brom and win our game in hand then the gap looks a lot closer.
“Forest are dropping points and everybody will drop points between now and the end of the season.
“It will be all about who can go on that little run and keep the consistency going until the end of the season.
“West Brom are a very, very good side and had a good result in the cup at Reading.
“But their concentration will be back on the league and they will want to keep their run going.
“We are both high scorers so it should be a feisty game. They will want maximum points to keep their push going and it’s the same for us.”

Games of interest playing tonight

Bristol City v Leicester,
Cardiff v West Brom,
Nottm Forest v Sheff Utd,
Plymouth v Swansea,

Playing tomorrow
Newcastle v Coventry,

A prefect outcome would be a City win and defeat for all our other promotion rivals

Ridsdale - Week in Week out 10:35pm Tonight

Cardiff City Chairman Peter Ridsdale will talk tonight on Week in Week (BBC 1 Wales only) at 10:35pm about the struggle he has been facing at Cardiff over the last few months.

The programme call ‘Fantasy Football’ and will investigates the health of the football team and the role played by Peter Ridsdale. Fans will be more than interested in what he has to say as since the court case the Chairman has reminded silent.

From the short clip shown this morning Ridsdale said he was will to go if someone would take over but I one wants’ to.

Ridsdale is the number one hate figure with fan more so since the collapse of the season ticket deal where fans believed the money would go to strength the squad. Fans wanting to watch the programme will have to get a move on after the West Brom game tonight or wait for it to come on the BBC Iplayer.

Back to league football

Back to the bread and butter now, no more cup games to interfere with the relentless push for promotion starting with West Brom tomorrow night.

The top of table clash at the Cardiff City Stadium with see the Bluebirds have a chance complete the double over our promotion rivals, they have already suffered defeat to the City losing 2-0 at the Hawthorns.

Both teams were involved in the FA Cup last weekend but only one was in the pot for the 6th round draw after West Brom drew with Reading, the draw will not help West Brom with a possible fixture pile-up. If they beat Reading in the replay, next up would be the winners of the Aston Villa/Crystal Place replay. If Cardiff had beaten Chelsea a semi-final, they would have taken on the winners of the Manchester City/Stoke City replay

Once again, Cardiff boss Dave Jones will have to wait on the fitness of Jay Bothroyd revealed in the press today that he needed an injection on his damaged ankle before the Chelsea game Saturday. He is hoping to be fit for the Tuesday night game but will have to wait until a few hours before kick-off before he is sure. There was a few surprise in the squad at Chelsea Gavin Rea was in the starting line-up when it was believed he would miss the game with a hamstring injury. Another was Darcy Blake's coming on for Rea late into the second half after recovering from a back problem but fit enough for Stamford Bridge.

Tony Capaldi will be available after being cup-tied on Saturday.

One dream ends but there is always the League

At 1-1 all chairman Peter Ridsdale Christmas seemed to have come at once, but it was not to be. Didier Drogba open the score within two minutes has he found the Cardiff defence sleeping. It was the worst way to start the game and you could help but think here we go.

Chelsea are FA Cup holders and are top of the Premier League but Cardiff intended not to be some kind of wiping boys and make the Londoners work. Cardiff could have equalised from a set piece when a Peter Whittingham’s free kick found Anthony Gerrard head, he fired the ball towards the top corner only for the Chelsea keeper to make a fingertip save, and the ball sailed past the post. Within minutes Gerrard had another this time he glanced the ball, which hit striker Michael Chopra to high for the striker to control the ball.

Allow Chelsea were in control Cardiff were still having chances and in the 34th Cardiff had took their chance. It fell to Chopra to get 6,000 Cardiff City jumping for joy and Chairman Peter Ridsdale getting his old abacus out brief working out the paid day of a replay. It was an unusual goal for Chopra as from a Chris Burke’s cross he headed the ball passed the helpless Chelsea keeper. With the score level at 1-1, the dream was back on.

Cardiff held their own for much of the first half soon as they got over the shaky start and was good for the 1-1 score line at half time but what will the next 45minutes bring. I hope that boss Dave Jones was putting fire in his team bellies.
It was not long after the restart of the second half that Chelsea retook the lead and it down to the Michael Ballack to put some heart back into the home fans when he volley home the Londoners second goal on the 51st minute.

Cardiff were on the back foot has they failed to break the Chelsea defence it was Chelsea who were put pressure on in front of goal, they had a certain goal cleared an Drogba who was a torn in the side of the Cardiff defence miss one along with Sturridge.

Sturridge had only missed a shot at the City goals and minutes later, he was back and this time he did not miss. It was much easier than his earlier chance the ball was loose and Sturridge was on hand to slip the ball beyond Cardiff keeper Marshall. It was 3-1 now and the game looked over for the Welshman.

Cardiff were not finished Kevin McNaughton and Peter Whittingham had a chance to get a goal back and who knows what could have happened at 3-2. However, it was not to but the game was firmly all over when Kalou at a fourth 4 minutes from the full 90 minutes.

Cardiff City players can hold their heads up high after this performance and if they can take it through to West Brom on Tuesday night, they can come out on top of this top of the table clash.

Dave Jones after match comments

"It is hard on them because the scoreline looks like it has been a bit of a drubbing.

"That bit of quality has come through for them. Certainly for over an hour we gave a good account of ourselves and showed great character after going a goal down after a couple of minutes.

"I decided to come here and have a go. Every player today deserved a lot of plaudits because they worked their socks off but you get undone by the little bit of quality their guys have.

"We regrouped after conceding an early goal and stuck to our gameplan when they were in possession.

"We grew in confidence and their keeper pulled off some fantastic saves. But as the game went on they imposed their quality.

"It gives us some credit that Ancelotti brought on his big guns. Great credit to our lads though.

"Chelsea is the best club in their division at the moment but when you look at the players they have got, it was a great achievement from our players."

Jones says that his players will not be too disappointed after putting in such a battling performance and insists they will pick themselves up quickly for a promotion push.

He added: "I cannot fault them in anything they have done, they were magnificent. It looks like a drubbing but it was far from that.

"This result is done and dusted now it is back to the bread and butter on Tuesday.

"I've come here with players that wanted to play. You don't come to places like this and play as well as you have and be downhearted, we go again.

"Even when they lose, they have never let me down. I've now got to get them up again for a big one against West Brom but we have great camaraderie."

Good luck City

Both club'e might be miles apart financial and millions between both teams BUT I do not care. Today could be the day I could turn around say stuff Cardiff City and become a glory hunter, but how could I. What are Chelsea to me, a big flat nothing - the only time they hit my radar is when we play them. I am Cardiff City to the core you could open me up and stamped on my heart you would find the word ‘Bluebirds’.

I don’t care if we get stuff today it will be history as soon as the ref blows up for full time, come the end of the game I will be looking forward the draw hopefully if not Cardiff have a top of the table clash on Tuesday night went West Brom up the trip down from the Midlands.

Stamford Bridge would have not seen anything like it in awhile 6,000 Cardiff City fans signing their hearts out wishing there team forward. Unleash" the Dogs of War

Chelsea name their team

I was thinking if Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti were to be playing Manchester United tomorrow would he be naming his full squad the eve of the game, of course not. So why when you are playing Cardiff City is it a case of its only Cardiff City, a Championship club, we just need to turn up. That mistake as been done before, underestimating your opposition.

Chelsea are resting a few player but I cannot tell you who but I know goalkeeper Petr Cech is rested along with striker Nicolas Anelka other who started at Everton midweek and or not in the starting line up tomorrow, Branislav Ivanovic in on the bench with Florent Malouda. Ashley Cole is injury an John Terry is taking time out to rush to his wife’s side, two weeks late and only because there is no Premiership game this weekend.

The Chelsea line-up

Hilario,
Ferreira, Alex, Carvalho, Zhirkov.
Lampard, Mikel, Ballack, Joe Cole,
Sturridge, Drogba.

Bench: Turnbull, Bruma, Ivanovic, Malouda, Matic, Borini, Kalou.

There is one old face in the Chelsea team tomorrow goalkeeper Ross Turnbull who spent time on loan with the Bluebirds at the start of the 2007/08 played a few games before heading back to his club Middlesbrough.

Ledley coming long nicely

It was thought Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley would miss the rest of the season with the player himself only optimistic of being fit around play-offs time that if the Bluebirds reach them. After his two hip operations he now believes he could be back has early as April.

It would be great news for manager Dave Jones to have him available for the running to the end of the season especially if Cardiff are still in contention for a promotion push. Ledley told the South Wales Echo, “The first op went really well, while the second was just as good.
“I am still keen to play again this season.”
There are some big games in April the Welsh derby game starts of April and based on the league table today would be a top of the table clash and that would be followed two days later with a trip to Nottingham Forest again a massive game, both game are being televised.

The four games left after them, two are against teams currently in the bottom half of the table, Reading at the CCS followed by a trip to London to face QPR who could have a new manager by then. Cardiff last home game of the season (hopefully in front of a full ground celebrating promotion) will be against Sheffield Wednesday. The last game is away with a trip to Derby unless of course, we make the play-off then there is up two or three games left.

Unless we bet the odds and get promotion it could be the last time Joe Ledley’s plays for the Bluebirds has he will be out of contract and free to find himself a new club.

Take it to Chelsea and then West Brom

I know a lot of fans are saying they don’t care about Saturday and the Chelsea game it’s more important about Tuesday and West Brom, and I tend to agree with that sentiment but I don’t what to see the City massacred.

Playing Chelsea is not like playing West Brom no one care outside British Football but Chelsea are one of the top supported clubs in the world. The game will reach out across the world via the internet and Cardiff City has to put on a good show and to win would see the name Cardiff City go global. The last time City got that kind of coverage was when we reached the FA Cup final. We are hoping to play teams like this in the League next season that is if promoted. The thing is if promotion were to come the way of the City, the team playing Saturday would make up the bulk of next season squad because the club would be paying off debts with the Premiership cash.

We do not want to make the headlines for all the wrong reasons some big score. A few days ago I saw on one of Chelsea’s messageboard a Chelsea fan asking what the record score lines for the FA Cup, well the biggest home victory was Preston North End 26 Hyde 0 back in 1889 so that looks safe.

Manager Dave Jones as little choice anyway he can only play a weaken team, it is all he got, the team in the treatment room is stronger than the one that will take to the pitch Saturday if Bothroyd is out. Best result would be a draw if you are looking for a payday (Ridsdale), a defeat if you think the league is more important. With John Terry out and now Ashley Cole out injured looks likely Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti could be focred to play a weaken team. Chelsea lost 2-1 to Everton on Wednesday so they are beatable

We seek him here, we seek him there,

Silent’s is golden the song goes and we are getting the silent treatment from Chairman Peter Ridsdale, maybe he is building up to something, who knows. Time we the fans were told exactly what is going on with the club’s finances what is there to hid.

It looks like the EGM could be at bit of a whitewash, fans were hoping it would be a chance for some tough questioning about the clubs finances but there might on be enough time. According to reports, the reason the meeting being call is to do with the selling of valuable asset to director Steve Borley and that is the only item of business for the meeting.

The Cardiff City Supporters Trust have been very vocal in calling for an EMG meeting are unhappy and have called for extra time at the meeting to discuss the clubs finances and future.

Trust secretary Geraint Jones said: “We note with concern that Cardiff City has not called the meeting to clarify the company’s financial situation, but instead seems to have been forced into this position as a result of the decision to sell a valuable asset to an existing director, Mr Steve Borley, this being the only item in the order of business for the meeting.”

Like the Trust, all the fans want to know the state of the club and what the future as installed if we do make it to the end of the season and do not make the Premiership or get new investment everyone can see what happens next. The sale of any player worth any money and anyone else who can be cleared off the wage bill. What has happened to the talk of a takeover and the talk of investment was it ever going to happen. On the pitch we are sailing along well been in the top six for most of the season but the off the pitch problems are starting to interfering with the playing side of the club. We need players but if the club strapped for cash how can we bring in any in, even a loan player costs there are the wages and clubs ask for a loan signing on fee.

Everyone is waiting on Ridsdale to come out with the truth.

The BBC will be looking into the troubles surrounding Cardiff City next Tuesday at 10:35pm so Cardiff fans will have to get a move on after the West Brom game at the CCS or Sky plus it.

Fantasy Football
Presenter Peter Johnson
Cardiff City Football Club are struggling to pay their bills. As they try to balance the books, Week In Week Out investigates the health of the capital city's football team and the role of controversial chairman Peter Ridsdale.

Injury hell for Dave Jones

It is good the club have a 28-day reprieve but where does that leave Cardiff manager Dave Jones with the transfer embargo still in place. With the mounting injury problems, Cardiff will soon be playing academy players.

Last night three players were added to the ever-growing number on the sick list. Stephen McPhail went to hospital during the game last night after picking up a rib injury, he had only just come back into the team following a long apsents it is unsure if he will be fit for Chelsea Saturday. Darcy Blake when off early into the game with back trouble and according to his manager he is also having with his calves, meaning Cardiff have lost two more midfielders.

Jay Bothroyd was reported as only 50/50 for the victory over Peterborough last night, he played a full 90 minutes before coming off at the start of extra time. He could be doubtful for Chelsea with reported ankle ligament damage.

Others on the injury list or on loan
Kevin McNaughton Tony Capaldi Miguel Cummings Gabor Gyepes Adam Matthews
Mark Hudson out for two months
Joe Ledley out until the end of the season
Gavin Rae out injuried
Josh Magennis broke leg
Kelvin Etuhu still out
Aaron Morris on loan Newport
Darren Dennehy on loan Gillingham

Surely, representation should be made to the Football League to see if the transfer embargo can be lifted so the club could bring in a few loan players, if the club could afford them sound unlikely. Without new faces at the club boss Jones will be forced to play players who are not 100% fit.

Cardiff case delayed for 28 days

So we are safe for now but what must happen now is Chairman Peter Ridsdale as to come out and be truthful and honest to the fans over the state of OUR football club.

If he had come out with the right facts when all this started I think he would have found fans more willing to support. At the end of the day, WE want is for the club to survive but how can people show support when the news about the club is spun. Cardiff along with Southend has had their orders adjourned for 28 days then back to court.

It will be back to court for the 10 March unless the club pay of the debt before then. So after there is no detail of what the club has done to make the Taxman or Court give more time.

Cardiff paid up £1million to the taxman today so now owe £1.7million

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.

The Specials in concert tonight on Sky Arts

Showing tonight on Sky Arts 1 (256) and in HD (258) 9pm, the concert filmed at the Wolverhampton Civic Hall featuring Two Tone giants The Specials will be aired. The band reformed last year and have been playing to packed out halls around the country has part of their 30th Anniversary tour.

I want all you skinheads to get up on your feet
Put your braces together and your boots on your feet
And give me some of that old moonstomping

Stupid Marriage

Message to Mr Ridsdale

Pay the F***ING taxman for christ sake so that Dave Jones can bring in some loan players and get us back on track or we will drop off the pace. Yes we are only fourth in the table but only because anyone can beat and take points off anybody in this division. Our squad is to small and down to the bare bones. The squad is not big enough to cope with the fixtures pile-up we have coming up. SORT IT OUT NOW.

Cardiff City failed to turn up Football League to investigate

The game was over with 15 minutes striker Andy Carroll score two and it could have been a hat-trick has his shot hit the post only to bounce out a hit Cardiff defender Gabor Gyepes put the ball into his own goal.

That was it game over Cardiff had nothing in the tank, they did for the first 15minutes anyway. Newcastle had full control of the pitch and just to put the sword into the Welshman six of the team were new signings in January 2 some only played a handful of game two of which had never played a game for them.

Michael Chopra was booed constantly throughout the game, it never looked like he would get the chance not to celebrate a goal. The loss of Jay Bothroyd in the first half was very worrying with Cardiff due to play Peterborough Tuesday night, will he be fit.

With 20 minutes to go the game light up again it was a pity has the spark of lifting Cardiff they were to be cruelly put down when Newcastle got there fourth of the night. Peter Lovenkrands who had only been on the pitch for about 10 minutes that got the goal, with ex-Cardiff loanee Wayne Routledge who helped create the goal. Routledge who joined Newcastle from QPR was a thorn in the side of the Cardiff defence throughout the game.

Carroll was denied a hat trick when the ball was cleared of the goal line but minutes later it was Lovenkrands made it 5-0 with a fine finish. What a night but there we go it is history now there are three points to win on Tuesday.
Cardiff did get a consolation goal when young midfielder Aaron Wildig saw his strike find the back of the net for his first senior goal.

Can we blame the players not really this was not there night the lack of new faces in January could kill our season.

Two game live over Easter

Easter is going to be a bumper time for the Cardiff City armchair supporters has Cardiff will have two games televised over the Easter period.

Today the Cardiff City v Swansea City game was picked up by Sky Sports be show on April 3th kick-off 5:20 it will be their first visit to the Cardiff City Stadium. On the Easter Monday 5th April the BBC will be showing the Nottingham Forest v Cardiff City game at 5:15.

WAG No21 (Helen Flanagan)

We are back with the WAG thing again after a long break. We have made a few changes no more rating and not weekly. The move was motivated by the arrivel of the lastest WAG on the block.

Helen Flanagan better known, as Rosie Webster is back among WAGs somewhere she been before. A number of years ago she was dating Manchester City defender Micah Richards after which she moved on to a builder she met at the gym and was shacked-up and loved-up for a few years.

Recently back on the market following a relationship break-up and is now reported to have linked up with Chelsea striker Scott Sinclair who is currently on loan at Wigan and lucky for him he can keep her off the radar of John Terry who likes to share.

Their relationship started around Christmas with the couple recently outed in the press. She was unlucky to be at the midweek game and saw the Premiership team knocked out of the FA Cup by League Two Nott’s County.

Flanagan claim to fame is she plays Rosie Webster on Coronation Street her only acting job todate whose role has changed for a plain jean schoolgirl to a hot sex kitten with a lot of cleavage on show. Her latest storyline involves her having a boob job in the hope to pull and A-list celebrity or a footballer and become the new Jordon.

Cardiff City team v Newcastle

CARDIFF (4-4-2)

Marshall,
Matthews, Gyepes, Gerrard, McNaughton;
Blake, McCormack, Whittingham, McPhail;
Chopra, Bothroyd.

Subs: Enckelman (gk), Kennedy, Burke, Quinn, Taiwo, Feeney, Wildig.

Under strength, patched-up players not a 100% but up for the game. Burke is one the bench and McCormack who both featured in the Doncaster victory. McNaughton and McPhail have replaced them.

Broadcasting - News - Premier League to 'get £1bn TV windfall' - Digital Spy

Broadcasting - News - Premier League to 'get £1bn TV windfall' - Digital Spy

Ridsdale's Cardiff realisation in tatters - Up the Football League we go - FourFourTwo

Ridsdale's Cardiff realisation in tatters - Up the Football League we go - FourFourTwo

Judgement night at St James Park

You can look either side of the coin about Newcastle tonight, they could carry-on with their current from which is one win in the last five or tonight come see a revival and the start of a new unbeaten run. Allow in a bit of a slump that as seen their lead at the top of Championship table cut Newcastle have yet to be defeated at home this season.

Cardiff City boss Dave Jones said as the team travel to the top of the table crash in the North East he has no fear of the opponents tonight and 2,000 plus fans will back the team as the City took up their full allocation for the game, not bad for a Friday night game over 300 miles away.

Cardiff will be without midfielder Gavin Rea who as hamstring trouble limited Dave Jones options with the midfield lacking experience. Peter Whittingham is likely to play out of position and line up in the middle of midfield. The other spot in the middle will between either fit-again Aaron Wildig or Darcy Blake leaving with Chris Burke and Ross McCormack on either flank.

There should be no change with other positions as Cardiff look to extend their unbeaten to eight games and while Cardiff has been unable to strength their squad Newcastle have been busy.

The Magpies boss Chris Hughton brought in six new faces during January, defenders Mike Williamson from Portsmouth and Danny Simpson Manchester United and on loan Patrick Van Aanholt from Chelsea. He also raided QPR taking defender Fitz Hall on loan and the much travelled Wayne Routledge who had a belief loan spell of not even two months with the Bluebirds playing nine games, scoring two goals. Routledge was offer a contract but an early morning phone call to his hotel room saw him decamp and leg it down the M4 towards QPR without saying goodbye, it was a better deal moneywise. In addition, he topped up his striker force signing Leon Best from Coventry who has not been the most prolific of strikers this season in the Championship.

Geordie Michael Chopra will have to forget he is a Newcastle fan and will, as he is a professional and tonight his job is to score goals and help Cardiff City to win. Because he has crossed the divide between Newcastle and Sunderland, he is likely to get a hostile welcome for most of the home fans. He indicated that if he were to score tonight he would not be celebrating goal at St James’ Park.

Boss Dave Jones said, “The one thing that ‘Chops’ can do is score goals for you, but it’s a team game after all.
“We know we can score from all different positions and that has been one of our strengths this season.
“Now we’ve got Ross McCormack back up to full fitness, with the bit between his teeth, and he’s scoring goals too.
“We’ve already scored 50-odd goals, which is absolutely fantastic.
“We are a good attacking side and if everything clicks then we can do some damage to any team in this division.”

Council comes good

Cardiff City Council have agreed to allow Cardiff City to sale two parcels of land one earmarked for the proposed hotel the other is the coach park adjoining the Leckwith stadium which could be used to house warehousing.

The council have also agreed to defer payments from the sale for five years however will pay immediately if the Bluebirds are promoted to the Premier League. The club has undertaken to start work on the House of Sport within three months and will provide offices space in the complex for Cardiff council's sports development staff.

Council leader Rodney Berman said: "Today's decision represents the best way forward for both the club and the Council.
"I also want to make it clear this is a beneficial arrangement and there is no question of the taxpayer bailing out the club.
"On the contrary this proposal will in time see money coming back to the council.
"Under this agreement the club's contractor partner aims to start work on the House of Sport within three months.
"This is going to be an important community facility, with indoor pitches and a multi-use sports hall. The proposal provides a much greater guarantee for securing the delivery of the House of Sport."

Now it is up to chairman Peter Ridsdale to come good and stump up the unpaid £2.7m tax bill, paid the taxman. Tell the fans if there is any scope for manager Dave Jones to bring in some loan players once the transfer embargo is lifted. He needs to be open with the finance position of the club. The survival of the club is the most important and No1 issues to be undertaken and who cares who can achieve it. Ridsdale did it before let us hope he can do it again because it does not matter how many protest the fans have he is going nowhere.

Terry skipping Cardiff clash

There is a bit of disrespect here if the story coming out of London are correct, Chelsea and England captain John Terry is set to miss the Chelsea v Cardiff FA Cup clash not because he is injured or suspended. He will miss the game in a bid to save his marriage, which means a trip to Dubai, he is planning valentine reconciliation with his wife.

He is not in much of a hurry to save his marriage that he will miss Sunday’s top of the table home clash with Arsenal but will miss the clash with Cardiff. Is it because Chelsea expect to just to turn up on the 13th and win, how disrespectful is that and how will his wife feel knowing Arsenal is more important than your marriage.

With Publicist Max Clifford on case for the girlfriend and offers of £250,000 dropping through the letterbox the pain of the Father of the Year might not be over just yet.

With any luck, his wife will dump him take him to the cleaners and he will play so the Cardiff fans who have been hard at work thing up John Terry chants will get there chance to air them.

Team intact - Council meeting today

I when to bed before the closer before the Scottish transfer window and a rumour that Ross McCormack was since close to the Scottish border, but it turnout to be a wind-up. So manager Dave Jones survived the day with his squad intact one promise chairman Peter Ridsdale has kept, he did say no one would be going. It would be nice to believe the phone was red hot with offers and he turned them down.

So is the squad good enough to secure a play-off place, yes if key players remain fit and players out injury make swift recoveries’
Top of the list is Joe Ledley who will be out for the season but he believes he could in time of the Play-off if the City reaches them.
Captain Hudson is out for a couple of months after having an ankle operation.
Young striker Josh Magennis out with a broken leg is out for 8 to 10 weeks.
Closer to fitness are Stephen McPhail recovered from his cancer scare and eyeing a return for the West Bromwich Albion game if not before. Midfielder Kelvin Etuhu is on the mend from an ankle injury with a end of the month target to be fit.

It is an important day off the pitch again today has the Cardiff City Council have a meeting about the land Cardiff City want to sell. The land is worth around £2million and earmarked for a hotel and it is believe a buyer is interested and the club are looking for a quick sale with the money going to the taxman.

The Echo will bring little joy to Ridsdale this morning has opposition councillors are looking for more scrutiny surround the land deal. They are unhappy that they will not see the report until this morning and if they do not like what they see, the deal could be blocked or ‘calling in’ in council talk. The scrutiny committee can block a call in but only if they believe it is in the public interest.

That hotel will be really close to the Stadium if it is tall enough maybe you could watch the match from the top floor, but I would expect some kind of height restrictions.

FA Cup Matchday Packages?????

With all the tickets sold out for the trip to Stamford Bridge Cardiff fans without tickets could try to buy a Matchday Package, the bronze and silver package look more suited to a Cardiff fan. There is nothing on the website saying away fans are banned so could be an option for the desperate.

FA CUP MATCHDAY PACKAGES
Chelsea FC v Cardiff City FC
BRONZE £99 per person
- Padded seat located in either the East stand Middle Tier or the West Stand (Middle Tier or Upper Tier)
- Half bottle of wine and water per person (seated dining only)
- Pre-match dining (either informal buffet or sit down meal)
- Matchday programme and Team Sheets
- Full time refreshments

SILVER £120 per person
- Luxury padded seat near 18 yard area, West Stand Middle Tier
- Pre-match 3 course dining
- Complimentary bar of beer, a selection of wine and soft drinks
- Half and full time refreshments
- Matchday programme and Team Sheets

GOLD £150 per person
- Luxury padded seat just passed the halfway line, West Stand Middle Tier
- Pre-match 3 course dining
- Complimentary bar of beer, a selection of wine and soft drinks
- Half and full time refreshments
- Matchday programme and Team Sheets
- Exclusive Chelsea gift

PLATINUM £195 per person
- Luxury padded seating on the halfway line, East Stand Middle Tier
- Pre-match 3 course fine dining
- Complimentary bar of beer, a selection of wine and soft drinks
- Half and full time refreshments
- Matchday programme and Team Sheets
- Exclusive Chelsea gift
- Pre-match tour of players' tunnel and pitch side*
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 0871 984 1955 or BOOK NOW

All safe or is it

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones must have danced around his office come one second after 5pm has all his small squad are still intact as the transfer window closes until the summer. The only pity is the lack of new blood coming but when the bill to the is paid there is always the emergency loans period.

We cannot be sure if offers were made until were hear something official.

Celtic who were rumoured to be interested in Ross McCormack have been busy so far signing two players including Fulham striker Diomansy Kamara so are they still in the market for another striker. The other problem is that the transfer window in Scotland doesn’t closes until midnight leaving Cardiff City fans and Dave Jones to sweat for a few more hours.

Manager Roy Keane who was interested in Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra went for another old boy from his Sunderland days, Northern Ireland striker David Healy joins them on loan until the end of the season. It was sugguested the Ipswich could not affort Chopra and they look to be right.

Sell-out for the Bridge

An allocation of 5,800 tickets for the trip to Stamford Bridge was never going to be enough to quell the hungry for this game. Some supporters started queuing outside the Cardiff City Stadium at 1am this morning, word soon got around, and the line grow.

The ticket official opened at 8:30am and by 9:20, all the tickets had gone, and with 15,000 season ticket holders to keep happy there must be a number of upset fans. More tickets are very unlikely as Chelsea are expecting a sell-out crowd for the game

For those who cannot get a ticket the game will be screen live on the internet via FATV at (www.thefa.com) website and S4C the Welsh language broadcaster with Welsh commentary. None Welsh speakers have English subtitles so if I was you turn the sound down and put the radio on.

No Comment Ridsdale

The protest by 300 odd Cardiff City did not pushed the Cardiff City chairman Peter Ridsdale over the edge and see him resign. Ridsdale only comment was not to comment and only said, “With regards to after-match events, I’ve no interest in making any comment upon them.”

The City chairman is a professional when it comes to fan protests, while chairman at Leeds Untied he had to hire bodyguards after a number of threats he received from fans. Leeds fans also protested but it lead to nothing he was even re-elected as chairman by an AGM. The board of directors at Leeds finally pushed him out after the stock market started questions about the leadership of the club. Leeds was a limited company at the time.

From Leeds he went down the road to Barnsley where there was a bit of unrest not has much as Leeds but they were not too happy after what happen at Leeds. He left after losing out in some kind of boardroom battle. Interesting point while he was at Barnsley was the failure of the True Red Barnsley Bond scheme. The money making plan, asked fans to invest £150 (2004) for season ticket discounts and a possible cash payout if Barnsley reach the Premiership, it flopped with less than 100 supporters subscribing, sounds a bit familiar.

Now it is Cardiff fans who are protesting for what good it will do has long as Ridsdale as the backing of the board he will be going nowhere he has stated he will be staying. The Cardiff City Trust are holding a open meeting tonight at the Duke of Clarence pub in Clive Road, Canton, Cardiff at 7:30pm (open to all City fans) to discuss the current situation at the club.