This morning's News of the Screws carries a back page exclusive (aren't they all?) that the consultancy firm WH Sports owned by Cardiff City Chairman Peter Ridsdale has gone bust owing over £400,000 mostly to HM Customs and Revenue.
Ridsdale and his wife set up the company a couple of weeks after he departed Leeds but since being involved with Cardiff City, it is doubtful whether The Riddler has been involved in any consultancy at all.
There are suggestions that its only income in the past 2 years were Cardiff City bonuses of £1 Million in 2007 and a more meagre but still excellent £328,000 in 2008. Quite why 2008 was so much lower when City were so much more successful has never been made clear.
It's hard to make any judgements on this at present. It certainly again doesn't show Ridsdale's business acumen in a good light, some would suggest the company is set up pretty much as a tax vehicle. Whether this has knock-on implications to the football club remains to be seen.
This morning's Wales on Sunday (the newspaper with no news) carries an "exclusive" (of course) that Cardiff City captain Joe Ledley has not been offered any new contract by the club. Ledley is quoted as saying "I haven't turned down a contract, there has been no contract on the table whasoever, I know that and so does my agent".
Ledley's agent, of course, is on record as saying Joe wants away and that he will run down his existing contract and leave for nothing next summer if necessary. It is believed discussions were held to start contract talks but it was made clear Joe wants to leave this summer. All in all, no point if offering any contract then.
As a Canton born and bred guy, I found this spoof of my part of Cardiff very entertaining. Informative too ... there again, maybe not.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
CARDIFF CITY yesterday confirmed opening events to open/test the new stadium ahead of league and cup life beginning at the ground in August.
With opening capacity set at 26,828, the pre-season events are:
Saturday July 4th - Legends game Former Cardiff City players will play a Legends game kicking off at 3:00pm, tickets costing £5 (and £2.50 for concessions) with 50% capacity and Ambassadors/season ticket holders able to try their new seats.
Sunday July 5th - Training session Dave Jones and the Cardiff City squad will leave their Vale Hotel camp and hold an open session in the stadium where all Ambasadors, season ticket holders and a new category of Stadium Card Holders are welcome to attend.
Friday 10th July. Cardiff City v Chasetown The first match involving the first team at the new ground who have struuck up a relationship with the Staffordshire club after the FA Cup draw with them in 2008 that started City's journey to Wembley. Kick off is 7:45pm, capacity is set at 70% with tickets at £5/£2.50.
Saturday 18th July. Cardiff Blues open day Cardiff Blues Egg Chasers hold an own open day - ... that should keep their 5 fans happy!
Wednesday 22nd July. Cardiff City v Celtic The real launch as City go head to head with the Glasgow ginats they beat in pre-season action last summer. Capacity is 90% but ticket prices are extreme ... they're charging us normal matchday prices ... poor, poor, poor!
Saturday 1st August. Cardiff City v Valencia The stadium will be open to full capacity ... not that it will be full for sure. 7 days before the Championsship restarts, it'll cost us £20/£10/£5 for adults/oaps/kids.
With an average age of 21, the youngest Welsh side in history beat Estonia 1-0 in afriendly this evening.It’s a sign of the time the crowd at Llanelli’s rugby ground Parc Y Scarlets was just 4,201 despite all tickets being £5 and £10.
It’s also a sign of the time that a relatively meaningless friendly a month after the season had ended passed me by and I didn’t even find out the result until a couple of hours later.For John Toshack and his Juniors, it was arranged ahead of Wales playing a World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan on June 6 … and we’re already out of contention for that.
However, for the record, Wales were deserved winners and put on an excellent passing display captained by CardiffCity’s Joe Ledley but a lack of urgency, taking chances and tendency not to shoot meant teams were separated only by ROBERT EARNSHAW’s 26th minute penalty.
Had a fantastic evening in Costa Del Tropicana Cardiff tonight. The weather was truly outstanding, not a cloud within hundreds of miles, unbelievably warm and it was still light at 10:30pm!
It could have been Egypt, Turkey, Canaries ... but this was Cardiff.
Got to also add Tiger Tiger is a place I tend to avouid but I had a fabulous time. All the food half price and all the drink half price ... I don't think there's anywhere cheaper with offers like that.
Cardiff City are reportedly tracking Spanish MK Dons defender Miguel Angel Llera(with a name like that, you'd think he was a Swansea man!)after contract talks between him and his current club have stalled.
At 29, he would seem to be on the old side stepping up to the Championship but was a success at the Dons last season making 34 appearences and scoring twice. His disciplinary record isn't the best though - 10 yellows and a red card saw him miss a few games.
However he is available on a free unless Dons pin him to a deal in the next month and that has interested Cardiff as well as Doncaster Rovers.
GTFM are continuing to run a Cardiff City radio show over the summer but just 1 night per week (Wednesdays) on GTFM 107.9 FM or online.If you missed tonight's show to enjoy the demise of Manchester United, then here's a link to listen online to replay or download it as a MP3.
Got to admit I smiled when I read a dozen items from teh CCFC auction were withdrawn from sale at the last minute as fans had already pinched them from Ninian Park.
Most of us have handed the club money hand over fist for most of our lives ... they should be giving it to us anyway!
I can't get into this Champions League nonsense at all and haven't watched a single game in it all season long until tonight.
However tuned in tonight to watch Barcelona soundly beat Manchester United 2-0, the Spaniards letting United have the ball for the first 10 minutes and keeping it away from them for the remaining 80.
The next time I watch a Champions League game will be this time next yeat no doubt.
Personally, I’m not interested in any NinianPark artefacts.I’ve been in all parts of the ground and things that are there now weren’t what were there when I first went.
However I’m sure there is plenty of interest in the auctions whose closing bids take place tomorrow.
Hope it picks up though as there’s not much sign the sell off is going to raise a fantastic amount.
A dramatic final weekend of football saw 4 new opponents confirmed for Cardiff City in next season’s Championship.
Starting in the Premiership, the final league games of the weekend saw Middlesbrough and Newcastle go down providing a North East bonanza for City fans. In what must rank as the worst relegation battle ever, the four sides battling for survival – which also included Hull and Sunderland – collectively won 1 game each in almost 50 games. Suitably, all four sides lost on the final day and the three sides who came down all got 34 points or less … can’t say they don’t deserve it then.
Up from League One, via the play-offs, came Scunthorpe, who grabbed a late and deserved winner over Millwall to triumph in a 3-2 thriller. Millwall not only had 4 times as many fans (taking 45,000 to Wem-ber-lee) but they also featured ex-Bluebird David Forde in goals.
However the ex-Bluebird taking the biggest bow was Steve Thompson. Thommo after falling out with Dave Jones and finding himself surplus to requirements at Cardiff City, left for Burnley in January but became a massive hit getting a double figure goal return and starring into this afternoon’s 1-0 victory over Sheffield United that take The Clarets to the Premiership. Their following of almost 40,000 represented half the population of their town!
Last laugh on Thommo then but what agony for Cardiff City fans recalling how we were cruelly denied victory at Turf Moor this year thanks to a Ropger Johnson own goal while we deservedly gave the Lancastrians a 3-1 beating at Ninian Park at Easter, the only time Burnley lost in the last couple of months. Owen Coyle and his men deserve all the plaudits but. Really, it could/should have been us and Cardiff’s manager and players only have themselves to blame that is wasn’t. How gut-wrenching.
The Championship 2009/10 sides will therefore be: BARNSLEY BLACKPOOL BRISTOL CITY CARDIFF CITY COVENTRY CITY CRYSTAL PALACE DERBY COUNTY DONCASTER ROVERS IPSWICH TOWN LEICESTER CITY MIDDLESBROUGH NEWCASTLE UNITED NOTTINGHAM FOREST PETERBOROUGH UNITED PLYMOUTH ARGYLE PRESTON NORTH END QUEENS PARK RANGERS READING SCUNTHORPE UUNITED SHEFFIELD UNITED SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SWANSEA CITY WATFORD WEST BROMWICH ALBION
Parker games, makers of Monopoly, have captured the headlines by announcing it is to launch a Kairdiff version of the game later this year and inviting suggestions for places to includes as well as voting on what represents Mayfair, the most exclusive square in the game.
It's already been announced Caroline Street (Chip Alley) and Cardiff City's new stadium will be included (Ninian Park wasn't before) as well as City Hall, Millennium Stadium, Welsh Assembly and a Tardis with Dr. Who filmed there.
However, it seems everyone has forgotten ther Cardiff Monopoly was luanched about 5 years ago (asee picture above), it's just being re-packaged and updated ... I haven't told you though ok?
(1)Fine:This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.
(2)Five Minutes:If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.
(3)Nothing:This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.
(4)Go Ahead:This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!
(5)Loud Sigh:This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)
(6)That's Okay:This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.
(7)Thanks:A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').
(8)Whatever:Is a woman's way of sayingF--YOU!
(9)Don't worry about it, I got it:Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.
I went to Google Image for a Barry Yang's search ... and all I got was this
Went to a Chinese in Barry - Yang's in Thompson Street - which has a good reputation.
Food-wise, it wasn't bad at all - except dishes were overloaded with onions - but their pricing policy left a lot to be desired. Individual dishes vastly overpriced, it forces punters into the 'All You Can Eat' buffet at £14 each option. Each dish is cooked to order rather than visiting a table where pre-prepared foot has been under hot lights for hours. The menu also warns any dishes unfinished will be added to your bill at full price!
So I enjoyed it but it's clearly not working. Only 2 other people ate there in all the time we were inside so the place and atmosphere was lifeless - this on a Friday night of a Bank Holiday weekend.
The resaurant are now dealing with takeaway orders where, bizarrely, I could have had the same grub for little more than half the price I paid to eat inside. Takeaway deliveries were flying out.
When's it going to hit them that they have their set up wrong??
There's not a great deal to report or track down at Cardiff City for a very rare change.
From the snippets that have circulated, here's a quick update:
ARRIVALS LOUNGE
A curious lack of speculation at present although I suspect City will have to sell before they buy while season-long loans and getting players out of contract or with contracts running down won't be secured until June/July.
Sammy Clingan - the Northern Irish Norwich midfielder - was linked by the press but Norwich City yesterday confirmed they have not had any approach from any club to date.
DEPARTURES LOUNGE
Darren Purse - now at Sheffield Wednesday and our loan players were all released but it has now emerged that pacy young striker Jon Brown has not been offered a new contract either.
Brown, 19 later this summer, has arrived on the Wales Under 21 scene, played twice as sub for City in 2007/08 season and had a fairly successful loan spell at Wrexham this year but it wasn't to be with Cardiff.
He still looks a prospect to me but may well have to find a lower level club to get going. I hope he does.
Reading between the lines on news snippets, City are still awaiting approaches/bids from Premiership clubs for Joe Ledley but I hear he remains likely to move to Everton. Despite being in current discussions with Ross McCormack over a 4 year contract, I get the impression he'd be sold if offers came along, the contract always helps secure his value.
It does, though, appear that they will fight to keep Roger Johnson whom they also want to make captain for next season. Will a Premiership club bid for him?
City's other problem is that there are surely a number of players they would like to shift out if at all possible - contenders should include Miguel Comminges, Tony Capaldi, Peter Whittingham, Paul Parry, Steve McPhail to name a few.
However all are contracted to Cardiff and lucratively paid. Most are likely to appeal only to lesser clubs but could they afford them and offer better deals?
It's that time of year to take our annual senior citizen test.
Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As
we grow older, it's important to keep mentally alert. If you don't use
it, you lose it! Below is a very private way to gauge your loss or
non-loss of intelligence.
Take the test presented here to determine if you're losing it or not.
The spaces below are so you don't see the answers until you've made
your answer.
OK, relax, clear your mind and begin.
1. What do you put in a toaster?
Answer: 'bread.' If you said 'toast,' give up now and do something else.
Try not to hurt yourself. If you said bread, go to Question 2.
2. Say 'silk' five times. Now spell 'silk.' What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. If you said 'milk,' don't attempt the next
question. Your brain is over-stressed and may even overheat. Content
yourself with reading a more appropriate literature such as Auto
World. However, if you said 'water', proceed to question 3.
3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made
from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black
house is made from black bricks, what=2 0is a green house made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said 'green bricks,'
why are you still reading these???
If you said 'glass,' go on to Question 4.
4. It's twenty years ago, and a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over
Germany (If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically
divided into West Germany and East Germany .) Anyway, during the
flight, two engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining
engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure.
Unfortunately the engine fails before he can do so and the plane
fatally crashes smack in the middle of 'no man's land' between East
Germany and West Germany . Where would you bury the survivors? East
Germany , West Germany , or no man's land'?
Answer: You don't bury survivors.
If you said ANYTHING else, you're a dunce and you must stop. If you
said, 'You don't bury survivors', proceed to the next question.
5. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to
Milford Haven in Wales . In London , 17 people get on the bus. In
Reading , six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In
Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff , 11 people
get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea , three people get off and
five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and th ree get on.
You then arrive at Milford Haven.
What was the name of the bus driver?
Answer: Oh, for crying out loud!
Don't you remember your own name? It was YOU!!
Had to smile as news broke today that Swansea City Football Club(whose Chairman Huw Jenkins gace Cardiff advice on how to get crowds a couple of years ago when they're now a few thousand behind the Bluebirds and now gives out financial advice too when his club have hit administration a couple of times)are actively chasing two goalkeepers who Cardiff just returned after a moderately successful loan (in one instance) ad a complete disaster in the other.
TOM HEATON proved a good shotshopper and has potential but wasn't quite the answer for Cardiff. Although he expressed a desire to stay, it was never going to happen and with Swansea keeper Dorus De Vries in a contract wrangle, he is being seen as a good replacement. I'm sure he would do a good job for them too but he needs development.
Dimi The Drop on the other hand was only denied being the worst Cardiff City goalkeeper in my lifetime by the never to be forgotten solitary performance of Peter Zois.
Zero at Cardiff, Dimi is a Swansea hero for his failures with us but also strong loan showings with the Swans. A touted loan move next season to lower league Hartlepool seemed appropraite but Swans may step in. On the evidence of what I saw, I hope the Swans get him!
It appears that DEVO’s main frontman Mark Mothersbaugh is 59 today.Seriously old for a rocker but he puts more into his shows and performances than most do half his age.
Search the web to see how wide and varied his talents lie and his influence is but, for me, he’s DEVO’s lead singer more than anything.
I love this vintage pic courtesy of Hilobrow.com though.It seriously looks like it was taken after MM was caught in the act.Good work fella!!
In a move that may produce some heated reaction, the Football Association of Wales have decided to take no action against Cardiff City following the Mike Dean coin-throwing incident that marred a live Sky tv howitzer of a derby versus Swansea City. The incident was magnified and blown out of proportion by being beamed nationwide but is no action at all appropriate???
“We have had full and written confirmation from the FAW there will be no further action,” said Bluebirds chairman Peter Ridsdale, probably relieved and clearly happy at that outcome after the FAW acknowledged City took all possible steps they could reasonably take to ensure that type of incident did not occur.
Swansea will have a moan - they can't stop themselves, can they? - but they had no action or investigation into the naughtiness at their place this season which I would argue was worse when Cardiff went there.
The club acted immediately and banned the thrower for life and saw him convicted and are still working to do the same with others - I'm not even sure Swansea took any action against their pitch invaders for example.
However a ref was still injured, it was an ugly incident and overshadowed a fantastic game. Think there could have been a suspended fine or warning - in line with what happened to Newport a couple of years ago. It's as if the FAW have lost sight of that.
Within hours of that awful day a fortnight ago when Cardiff City lost at Sheffield Wednesday to complete the most spectacular play-off failure ever, Bluebirds skipper Darren Purse was linked with a move to the victors that day.
Overnight it has been confirmed that Purse - who was at a Ninian Park Friday night function - has agreed a new deal with the Owls and officially becomes their player on July 1st when his Cardiff City contract expires.
SWFC boss Brian Laws was delighted and commented, "My main priority this summer is to sign players with quality and experience. In Darren Purse we have secured the services of someone with both of those qualities in abundance. He has experience of getting promoted from this division and of playing at the very top level but most importantly he is a leader on the pitch. We already have some excellent young players at Sheffield Wednesday and Darren will help bring out the best in the other defenders around him."
It has been apparent for many months that despite his own desire to stay, Purse was not going to be offered a new contract by Jones. He his a genuine Mr Nice Guy and showed more desire and commitment to see City make the play-offs that many of his under-performance passion-drained team-mates when it mattered.
However while he can still produce man of the match displays, he has lost pace, can be clumsy and is not going to be a first team regular so a move to a club offering that for the 32 year old suits Purse as well as Cardiff it seems.
In 4 years at Ninian Park, Purse - signed by City for £750,000 -played 119 times and scored 12 goals - a mix of penalties and being in the end of set pieces. Some will remember how he also scored a couple of spectacular own goals and got sent off 6 times although a couple were rescinded under appeal.
Purse is a terrific leader, personality and deserves to play and do well. Good Luck Darren.
