Magennis off to the seaside on loan

I'm off to Cleethorpes!!!

Cardiff City goalkeeper turned starlet striker JOSH MAGENNIS is heading to Grimsby Town, 22nd in League Two, initially on a 1 month loan.


The Northern Ireland Under 21 man, who has just turned 19, had had 7 substitute outings this season and scored in a Carling Cup victory over Bristol Rovers but with other forwards Ross McCormack and Warren Feeney fit again, he would be squeezed out of the current matchday squad.

He has pace, presence and potential but also a rawness and would clearly benefit from regular first team football so it's a great opportunity for him and UI'm sure he'll get a few tips from his new boss, old striking warhorse Mike Newell. He's expected to feature in The Mariners home clash with Rochdale this weekend.

Reserve Friendly: Bristol Rovers 1 Cardiff City 1

Miguel Comminges - City scorer today

Despite dominating from beginning to end, Cardiff City had to accept honours even if a friendly against Bristol Rovers at their Memorial Ground this afternoon after conceding an 89th minute penalty.

Cardiff took a mix of Academy kids and pros in the shape of Enckleman, Capaldi, Taiwo, Scimeca and the returning Celtic duo of McNaughton and McCormack.

City opened their scoring in the 21st minute via a Miguel Comminges drive and should have got more but have to reflect on a series of superb saves, near and bad misses as well as hitting the woodwork.

Enckleman was a virtual spectator but was left to pick the ball out of his net as Duffy fired that late penalty past him.

The best news is that all players came through unscathed and surely McNaughton and McCormack will be in the squad for the weekend home game against Crystal Palace.

The Week Ahead for Cardiff City

International Breaks mean low activity at Cardiff City but there are a feww things in the week ahead.


TODAY - City play Bristol Rovers in friendly. These games get no publicity so I've no idea whether it's home or away, behind closed doors (most likely) or not but there will be some news on it later.


TONIGHT - JAY BOTHROYD is the latest player guest on the Cardiff City Phone-In and you'll even hear me ask him a question or two you lucky things!

The show is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday from 7pm to 8pm with host and former Premiership referee Keith Cooper.


The phone number remains the same as before, 01443 654654 while e-mails should be sent to a new address bluebirds@mail.com

It can be heard on air on the web of;

Radio Cardiff on 98.7FM www.radiocardiff.org

GTFM in Pontypridd www.gtfm.co.uk on 107.9 FM.

Bro Radio (Barry) www.brofm.com on 98.1 FM

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MIDWEEK INTERNATIONALS - Wales finish their tortuous World Cup campaign disaster in Liechtenstein but with only 1 Bluebird in the form of called up man Darcy Blake. Gabor Gyepes is the only other Bluebird away this week, or so I believe, as he plays with Hungary.

Video Highlights - Cardiff City 3 Bristol Rovers 1

CLICK LINK to VIEW:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/8225211.stm

In Photos - CARDIFF CITY 3 Bristol Rovers 1 Carling Cup Round 2

City home to Bristol Rovers in Carling Cup Round 2

Tonight's second round draw for the Carling Cup has pulled a Severnside Derby as Cardiff City were pulled out to play at home against Bristol Rovers which means a return to the city for Rovers Director of Football and former City boss Lennie Lawrence.

Cardiff were ranked as one of 25 seeeded clubs meaning they were going to face a lower divison side, the tie offers them a strong chance of progress.

It will be the first clash between the clubs in almost 9 years when City, the ranked lower, hammered them 5-1 with Earnie bagging a hat-tick in a live Sky F.A. Cup game.


The game will take place on two weeks tonight on Wednesday August 26, ironically just three days after City play their neighbours Bristol City in a Championship clash.

As someone has already remarked, we're going to see a pair of Bristols down the City!

FULL DRAW

West Brom v Rotherham
Norwich v Sunderland
Tranmere v Bolton
QPR v Accrington
Bristol City v Carlisle

Leyton Orient v Stoke
Port Vale v Sheffield Wednesday
Hull v Southend
Leeds v Watford
Cardiff v Bristol Rovers

Portsmouth v Hereford
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
Wolves v Swindon
Gillingham v Blackburn
Blackpool v Wigan

Southampton v Birmingham
Preston v Leicester
Newcastle v Huddersfield
West Ham v Millwall
Coventry or Hartlepool v Burnley

Nottingham Forest v Middlesbrough
Reading v Barnsley
Swansea v Scunthorpe
Doncaster v Tottenham
Peterborough v Ipswich

Ninian Park rates highly in most atmospheric grounds in world football

Blessed be Thy Ninian

That reliable source of sense and sensibility(!!!???!!!) The Daily Mail has produced a list of what it considers to be the 50 most atmospheric grounds in world football.

And, in there, at number 22 is Ninian Park, home to Cardiff City F.C. (for 5 more months!). However you need to laugh and wonder at some of the choices and its credibility when 35 of its 50 selections are British grounds, Millennium Stadium is number 17, Bristol Rovers egg chasing ground is 32 and Wrexham are 37 among many curiosities.

The full article appears here but the list follows:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1101536/THE-LIST-10-1-atmospheric-stadiums-football.html?ITO=1490

1. Anfield - Home of Liverpool F.C.

2. Camp Nou - Home of Barcelona F.C.

3. Parkhead - Home of Celtic F.C.

4. St. James’ Park - Home of Newcastle United

5. Old Trafford - Home of Manchester United

6. Goodison Park - Home of Everton F.C.

7. San Siro - Home of Inter Milan & AC Milan

8. Santiago Bernabeu - Home of Real Madrid

9. Wembley [with the Twin Towers] - Home of English Football

10. Fratton Park - Home of Portsmouth F.C.

11. White Hart Lane - Home of Tottenham Hotspurs

12. Maine Road - Old Home of Manchester City

13. Ali Sami Yen Stadium - Home of Galatasaray

14. Westfalionstadion - Home of Borussia Dortmund

15. Ibrox Park - Home of Rangers F.C.

16. Hillsborough - Home of Sheffield Wednesday

17. Millenium Stadium - Home of Welsh Football & Previously FA Cup Finals

18. Stade Velodrome - French Football Stadium

19. Hampden Park - Home of Scottish National side

20. La Bombonera - Home of Boca Juniors

21. Roker Park - Former Home of Sunderland

22. Ninian Park - Home of Cardiff City F.C.

23. Estadio Mestalla - Home of Valencia F.C.

24. Tynecastle - Home of Heart of Midlothian

25. Elland Road - Home of Leeds United F.C.

26. Upton Park - Home of West Ham United

27. Boothferry Park - Old Home of Hull City

28. Sukru Saracoglu Stadium - Home of Fenerbache

29. Stark’s Park - Home of Raith Rovers

30. The Hawthorns - The Home of West Bromwich Albion

31. The Dell - Home of Southampton F.C.

32. Memorial Ground - Home of Bristol Rovers

33. Ashton Gate - Home of Bristol City

34. Maracana - Brazilian Football Stadium

35. Stadio Olimpico - Home of Roma and Lazio

36. Ayresome Park - Old Home of Middlesborough

37. Racecourse Ground - Home of Wrexham

38. Stade Felix Bollaert - Home of French side Lens

39. Turf Moor - Home of Burnley F.C.

40. Stadio San Paulo - Home of Napoli F.C.

41. Maksimir Stadium - Croatian Football Stadium

42. Loftus Road- Home of Queens Park Rangers

43. Britannia Stadium - Home of Stoke City

44. Villa Park - Home of Aston Villa

45. Stamford Bridge - Home of Chelsea F.C.

46. Stadio Luigi Ferraris - Home of Sampdoria & Genoa

47. Stadium of Light - New Home of Sunderland F.C.

48. The Den - Home of Millwall F.C.

49. Bramall Lane - Home of Sheffield United

50. El Monumental - Home of River Plate

DAVE JONES - Manager of the Month

Who you calling Cokehead?

Cardiff City's Dave Jones has been confirmed as the Championship's Coca Cola Manager of the Month for October today.

He was named on a shortlist earlier this week along with Simon Davey (Barnsley), Paul Jewell (Derby County) and Alex McLeish (Birmingham City) but his, and City's record, of 3 wins and 2 draws rising to 3rd place last month was the best of all contenders so it would have been a shock had he not triumphed.

In awarding the honour, Chris Kamara who chairs the panel paid this tribute, "Dave Jones is proving once again just what a top-class manager he is. He guided to Cardiff to the FA Cup final last season and, despite having little money to spend in the summer, has worked wonders to ensure his side have remained competitive at the top end of the Championship so far this season."
Congrats to Dave and Cardiff City.

For the record, Paul Trollope won the League 1 award and Huddersfield's Peter Jackson took the gong for League 2

EX-City man tries out Brizzle Roverzz

Ex-Bluebird Richard Langley is trying out his energies with The Gas - he's on trial at Bristol Rovers for the 2nd time this season under his former Cardiff City boss Lennie Lawrence.

Langley, now aged 28, has had a torrid couple of years mainly due to injury woes. After leaving City in the summer of 2005 to return to QPR, he had a reasonable season but moved on after 1 year to Luton where he started just 18 league games in 2 seasons, last season saw him play their final league game only after crucitae ligament injury.

He initially tried Hereford this summer before getting a trial at Rovers where he ironically pulled his hamstring in a friendly against ... you guessed ... Cardiff City.

Good Luck Langers - I got to know both his parents when he played at Cardiff and it's a shame if talent like his goes to waste.