Byrne leaves Cardiff City but did anyone see him here anyway?

No shots exist of Jason

in a Cardiff shirt ... allegedly

After the high profile transfer of Chris Gunter to Spurs and Kasper Schmeicel ending his loan spell during this transfer window, another one bites the dust but this time, there's a sense of relief about it as Jason Byrne as tonight signed for Bohemians and to return to his native Ireland as hinted by this blog last weekend.

I think every signing made last January (2007) transfer window by Cardiff City has proved a failure - Feeney, Forde, Redan, Walton, ENOUGH SAID! - but Byrne was a huge gamble than never worked at all.

Aged 30 next month, it seemed the wrong age to dip into League Football for the first time and the Championship proved to be a jump way too far for Byrne. Cousin of Spurs Robbie Keane and apparently signed for £100,000, he made an instant impact coming on as sub for his debut at Wolves and nettign a late winner.

Few saw it however as City fans were banned that day, Peter Ridsdale declared that goal and those points "enough to pay off his transfer fee already". Great sense of humour that man has!

That was in January'07, his only other start came at West Brom a month later when City had 6 absentees and were desparate. City lost 1-0, Byrne was taken off with 20 minutes to go. His last appearence in a City first team shirt was almost 10 months ago when he came on a sub for 4 minutes in a 1-0 home defeat to Sunderland.

Since then, "Where's Jason?" has become a more popular pastime than "Where's Wally?" to City fans. He was never mentioned by the club, never played in reserve matches and not seen around the club. He wasn't helped by injuries but he just wasn't up to it. Not strong enough, not fast enough, not alert enough, not skilful enough.

Good Luck at Bohemians Jason. He's been a big success in Irish football and I hope he finds his way again as he's one name to be forgotten at Cardiff, that's if he hasn't been forgotten by many already.

Cardiff City official website confirmation

http://www.cardiffcityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~1210098,00.html