Wednesday, January 23, 2008

CARDIFF CITY's New Stadium - when do WE get to be part of it???

There's no bigger critic of Sam Hammam than myself but one thing I know is that he would have gone out of his way to make sure Cardiff City fans were pivotal to everything going on as the new stadium progressed. Some City fans may not feel that's important but a majority will.
From the very outset, I remember well how Hammam held meetings, shared the designs and details with us, talked us through the plans and enthused us. We all know it didn't happen under him but I couldn't fault how he connected us in all that was going on.

How I wish Peter Ridsdale and his lot would take a small leaf out of his book.
Looks like the club had a shindig today with the media involved, Ridsdale, contractors and partners but no supporters. This follows the first sods of the ground cut with just Ridsdale and Council Leader Rodney Berman present. Months of work have taken place but at no time have City fans been invited to take a look. There has never even been a display/exhibition/meeting about it.
Those able to invest in boxes or become "Premier season ticket holders" have been able to have a visual demo. The Cardiff City official website talks today to its corporate or high roller fans about the Premier Club, it's a passionless statement talking about corporate facilities and even going blah blah blah about the bloody egg chasing and the benefits of signing up for both City and Blues. Why? CCFC have appointed a third party to do it for them, there has been no message from the club to its followers direct.
All of this goes right over the heads of most of us - especially the Ambassadors and season tickets holders - whose only communication so far has been about the Premier Club which will hold little more than passing interest to the overwhelming majority. Those who are just regular fans have had nothing.
On site, boards around the development make it impossible to see the development. Vince Alm rightly pointed out last week that most major projects like this have sight holes cut in them, not for us though.
So what have they offered us so far? The opportunity to buy bricks in a self-styled Walk of Fame. Sounds good but they tend to disappear in a few years. Don't believe me? Take a look at the Millennium Stadium walkway.
I thought this was a stadium for Cardiff City supporters first and foremost. Judging by the behaviour and our involvement so far, we do appear to be an afterthought. Little wonder we feel underwhelmed.
C'mon City - you can do much better than this. You really must.
BBC STORY
CCFC OFFICIAL WEBSITE "PREMIER CLUB" LAUCH ANNOUNCEMENT
(Talking in an alien language)

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