7 MORE NEW SIGNINGS TO FOLLOW claims RIDSDALE

Cardiff City supremo Peter Ridsdale spent 1 hour online this lunchtime at Wales Online fendng a barrage of questions.

The full transcript can be found at this link (http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballnation/football-news/2009/05/11/peter-ridsdale-live-webchat-91466-23593769/) but edited highlights follow below. Some interesting stuff although his cards are typically close to his chest.

Please go to WalesOnline for the full read.

12:58	[Comment From benj] hi peter. can you confirm that we're in talks with anymore new players?
12:59	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Ben, We will need at least eight new players to have a squad capable of challenging next season.

12:59	[Comment From Alex Wilson] What plans do this current board have on driving this club forward? I think it's clear that whilst this team is a credible one it needs strengthening somewhat.
12:59	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Alex, I agree the team needs strengthening. Tried to make sure it has been stronger each season and we will work to do the same again.

12:59		[Comment From Michael Littlewood] Can you please have a meeting with Dave Jones and discuss his professionalism towards player relationships as I and many others believe that Dave Jones personal issues with certain players at the club has significantly effected the team, such as the transfers of Neil Alexander and Darren Purse. This aspect of Dave Jones management MUST be sorted out. In the real working world people have to work with people that they dislike.
1:00	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Michael, I am clearly not prepared to talk about the relationship with individual players, but everybody at the club including Dave recognises the strength of good team spirit.

1:01	[Comment From ThamesValleyBluebird] Why was there no apology for the collapse in the last four games. A lot of fans feel very let down by the team and management and there was no public "sorry".
1:02	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Thames Valley, If we have not apologised publicly and I thought we had on behalf of everybody at the club I will take the opportunity to apologise now. Whilst we all thought that we would make the play-offs it was premature and the last four game collapse was wholly unnacceptable and I unequivocably apolgise.

1:02	[Comment From Paul] Are there plans for a proper opening ceremony at the new stadium? The end of an era "was dissapointing and fans were very unhappy.
1:04	Peter Ridsdale: Hello Paul We totally accept that the end of an era was mismanagedand that is why we are having a party in the park on Saturday. We will be having 'an all singing, all dancing' opening ceremony on 22nd July followed by the match against Celtic.

1:04	[Comment From Redmond TB] How many season tickets have currently been sold for next season?
1:04	Peter Ridsdale: Aproximately 14,000 have already been sold and we are hopeful of getting closer to 18,0 by the time the season starts.

1:04	[Comment From James] Are the figures published in last years accounts of concern to you and the board?
1:05	Peter Ridsdale: Hello James, I am very pleased with the figures in last years accounts. When I arrived at the club we were losing aproximately £9m per annum and last year we achieved an operating surplus of aproximately £1m with a loss of approximately £1m after taking provision for repayment of Langston and stadium funding debt.

1:06	[Comment From Dave Sugarman] Hello Peter. Can you please confirm how the naming rights aspect of the Langston agreement works please?
1:07	Peter Ridsdale: Dave, I know I owe you a full response your e-mail earlier this week which I will send you. Simplistically everything up to £9m goes to Langston, everything over £9m goes to the club. If we get less than £9m then the whole £9m is written off the Langston debt.

1:07	[Comment From Ben Dudley] Why has the club continued to tolerate failure from Dave Jones in the second half of the season? It happens every year, he should have been sacked.
1:08	Peter Ridsdale: Hello Ben, I don't accept that we have collapsed at the end of every season. If you take 2007-08 season we recovered from a poor league position pre-Christmas and, of course, had a successful FA Cup run geting to the final. Finishing seventh in the League is not of itself a failure, but the last four matches clearly were which we must put right in the future.

1:09	[Comment From Gary] Hi Peter could you tell us how many players will be leaving us
1:10	Peter Ridsdale: Hello Gary, I don't know yet. It will depend in part on what offers are received and of course which players/positions Dave would like to strengthen. I would expect to see a minimum of eight new faces.

1:14	[Comment From Mark] We clearly need to score more goals. Is a player of the Jason Koumas stamp a priority fro the middle of the park. I think you and jonesy are doing a fine job.
1:15	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Mark, It's interesting that you think we need to score more goals because last season it wasn't the goals scored that was the major issue it was the goals against. I do, however, accept that having found forwards that can score we now need to find midfielders who can also contribute and that's what we are looking for.

1:17	[Comment From Carl] Have we had any official approaches for any of our players?
1:18	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Carl, No, although there is a lot of agent talk. But no direct offers.

1:20	Peter Ridsdale: Thanks Bryn, Joe Ledley has one year left on his contract and has so far indicated that he will not sign a new one. If we get the right offer he will therefore leave and Dave will be given the funds to re-invest in the squad.
1:20	[Comment From Leeds Fan] How much do you pay attention to the progress/results of Leeds United?

1:23	[Comment From Roger] Do you intend to keep Ross McCormack?

1:25	Peter Ridsdale: Hello Roger, As I have said many times every player is for sale at the right price. In the past this was just to survive, today it's if we believe that the money coming in can be reinvested in new players to make us stronger. I don't know, therefore, who will stay and who will go, only that we intend next seasons squad to be stronger.
1:26	[Comment From Jeff] Could I please have the pleasure of showing Parry, Whittingham & McPhail the exit door instead of you getting the honour?
1:27	Peter Ridsdale: Hi Jeff. Regretably the privelege of who comes and goes rests with me and the manager. Therefore whoever goes I will have the privelege of saying goodbye to them

1:38	[Comment From Richard] Ryan Giggs has said he wants to finish his career with Cardiff can we go get him?
1:39	Peter Ridsdale: I'd love to see a player of Ryan Giggs' quality and stature playing for Cardiff City. I haven't got a crystal ball so I don't know whether it will happen or when.

1:39	[Comment From Dean Ames] Has any player confirmed to the club that they want to leave?
1:40	Peter Ridsdale: The only player who has currently indicated that if the right Premier League club came in for him he would wish to leave is Joe Ledley. And who can blame him?

1:50	[Comment From Tonteg_Bluebird] Peter, you say we need eight new players which is good to see, what positions are you currently looking into?
1:51	Peter Ridsdale: Every position except goalkeeper which we filled yesterday by signing David Marshall.

1:52	[Comment From Guest] Are we likely to see any new faces this week?
1:53	Peter Ridsdale: Highly unlikely. Most transfers take place mid to end June. However, finding the right goalkeeper is more difficult and therefore we wished to move early and decisively which we did.

1:53	[Comment From Lee] Is there any truth in the rumour we are looking at bringing in James Collins? Probably part of silly season Peter, but it just seems a strong one
1:54	Peter Ridsdale: James Collins is a very good player, but he is currently contracted to West Ham. If he became available at the right price I am sure we would wish to compete to re-sign him.

1:56	[Comment From JonMorgan] Is there any truth in us being intrested in the hamlion player James McCarthy who looks a very hot prospect
1:57	Peter Ridsdale: We are interested in any good player. He is one of many, many players that we have looked at, but he is in great demand.

1:58	[Comment From james] is there any possibilty that we can have aaron ramsey back on loan due to him not playing enough 1st team football at arsenal?

1:59	Peter Ridsdale: My understanding is that Arsenal won't let him out on loan (I have asked).
2:01	[Comment From Nick] Is it true that in order for Jones to leave, he would have to be paid £75,000 (or was it £750,000?) to get out of his contract, and also that he has a lot of shares in the club? If so, was this a factor when deciding if he should stay or go?

2:03	Peter Ridsdale: I am not prepared to get into financial implications of the cost of changing the manager. However, when determining what we would have to pay I made sure that this would never be a barrier to change if we needed to. Dave bought shares in the club, but his shareholding is insignificant as far as his employment is concerned. He owns less than one per cent of the club shares.
2:03	[Comment From Phillip Leytonstoneblue] Have you heard from Sam Hammam lately? it seems to have gone quiet with Langston

2:04	Peter Ridsdale: Yes. He calls me on an infrequent basis and has been very complimentary about the progress that the new management have made. We have not, however, heard anything recently from Langston.
2:04	[Comment From Rich] What has been your favourite moment so far on and off the pitch?

2:05	Peter Ridsdale: Wembley for the cup final was something that will live with me forever. I am also very proud of the fact that we have funded and built the new stadium.