FAW take no action after the Swansea ref coin throw incident

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.

CHRIS GUNTERS TALKS ABOUT CITY'S F.A. CUP FINAL & WALES v ENGLAND UNDER 21

It's quite easy to forget the flying and hugely successful Wales U21 side are playing their English counterparts at Wrexham tomorrow and, in some ways, it's a shame Ledley, Ramsey and Blake can't be involved but Chris Gunter's lookign forward to it and also being at Wembley to support City on Saturday. Top lad!

TRUE BLUEBIRD GUNTER HAS NO REGRETS
Sportinglife.com

ACTION PACKED WELSH CUP FINAL BANGOR 4 LLANELLI 2 a.e.t.

Just watched the highlights of a dramatic Welsh Cup Final which was thoroughly enjoyable with Llanelli against Bangor City and a match that had it all.

Llanelli had Andy Legg left back, Lee Phillips still with his permy hair at right back and Leeds old boy Matt Jones in midfield. They were favourites to win and on for a treble but had a one man advantage within 5 minutes after one of Bangor players delivered a lovely kung fu kick to the belly.

Even so, Bangor dominated the half but only had one goal to show for it, fluffing tow or three other clear chances.

Second half, back came Llanelli who turned it around to go 2-1 ahead but in-between lose a man to a straight red. Not sure what for, the tv pictures didn't show it but the ref was adamant.

The game goes into added time and a Bangor player scores with a beautiful 30 yarder returning a goalkeeper's punch with interest. Bangor fans go mad, invade the pitch, one appears to wrap his arms around the keeper but down he goes as if Calzaghe has walloped him so the game is stopped for the ref and the police talking to each other.

So it's extra-time and Lee Phillips flop hair must have got in his eyes and he takes down a Bangor player going nowhere, penalty 3-2 and then almost straight away, it's 4-2.

Just for good measure, a Llanelli forward decides to throw an elbow straight into the face of a Bangor man for the game's third straight red card.

And the ref - Phil Southall is a big City fan - I'll wind him up next time I see him.

MORE FAW EMBARRASSMENT - A CARDIFF CITY FAN CHAIRED DARREN PURSE APPEAL

In a development that is sure to cause reaction, today's Wales on Sunday has disclosed that the Chairman of the disciplinary panel which ruled on Darren Purse's red card and, effectively, whether he was banned or could play in the F.A. Cup Final is a Cardiff City season ticket holder.

You can't blame Cardiff for this happening but it just shows the mind-blowing incompetence of the FAW.

While I am pleased for Purse as an individual, I had no doubt in my mind that once that red card was awarded, City were entitled to appeal and despite their arguments, I saw no valid reason to overturn it and the decision to do that was incredible, The panel may feel it was justified to do this but when a City fan chairs it, it does leave them open to suspicion and accusations that just should have been avoided.

I find this news development embarrassing.

How can your disciplinary panel have credibility if a Cardiff City fan is Chairing it?

Problem is, in Wales, you also suspect some of our unjustified red cards which FAW have failed to overturn in the past have been chaired by committee members who are Swansea fans or bitter about Welsh clubs playing in England.FAW have let themselves down and shown they are not fit and incompetent to preside over the professional clubs.

Even if we benefitted this time, it as very bit as bad - if not worse - than the justified appeals which failed and I do believe we must now aling with the F.A..

I see no reason, other than history than tradition which is not enough, for Cardiff to persevere as a professional club accountable to an amateurish organisation.

PURSE CHUFFED RED CARD OVERTURNED, THE REST OF FOOTBALL IS MIFFED

It's incredible!

Every radio station and every English club believe Cardiff City get favouritism from the FAW when reality is the exact opposite.

If they're gobsmacked that Purse's red card was rescinded, we're doubly so ... at least!


DARREN PURSE himself is so delighted that he chose to issue a statement via Cardiff City's official website, also expressing his score for Andy Cole's antics and outburst which were out of order. See this > http://www.cardiffcityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~1301621,00.html


Meanwhile, and understandably so to a large extent, the reaction elsewhere is football is suspicious about a cosy relationship between City and the FAW (if only!) and quite outraged by what has happened. Websites, newspapers and radio stations all passing comments. The reaction in Burnley is predictably scathing and QPR's website is another example of the general mood.

QPR
http://www.clubfanzine.com/QPR/showNews.php?id=10623

BURNLEY
http://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/news/loadnews.asp?cid=TMNW&id=390146


It has opened a can of worms including whether Cardiff City should report to the English F.A. or F.A.W. (Football Association of Wales). There's an increasing view around here that Cardiff should join the F.A., especially given their recent decision to allow us into Europe if we pull off a shock in the Cup Final, and I've certainly warmed up to this also.

Contrary to the belief now going around England after Purse's red card being rescinded, City really do get a raw deal off the Football Association of Wales (FAW) who treat those clubs not playing in the Welsh system - that's Cardiff, Swansea, Wrexham, Newport, Merthyr and Colwyn Bay - with scant regard.

They're a geriatric, shambolic organisation in many ways (geriatric literally as I think almost half the members are over 70!) seemingly incapable of dealing with the professional game. We've been banished from the opportunity to represent Wales in Europe, despite promises virtually every year for more than a decade, that they will sort it out.

It's only history and legislation that means we have to deal with the FAW even though we'll never play in their system. The relationship has become increasingly fractured and there have been a few spats between City and the FAW, so many over poor red card decisions they refused to overturn when it is widely believed they would be rescinded by the FA. Cardiff even had a player sent off earlier in the season where an appeal couldn't be heard until almost a week later and they couldn't get a committee together to consider it! This is only the second time in more than a decade they've overturned a Cardiff red card so whatever went on this time, there's no way we get a better deal overall.

What is interesting is that Peter Ridsdale and the FAW had their latest public fall out just last Friday with Peter Ridsdale issuing a statement on the club's official website and a veiled threat to leave the FAW - see link. http://www.cardiffcityfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10335~1298127,00.html

There's been a barrage of anti-FAW sentiment from the club over the past year or two, much of it over their poor treatment of the club, especially with just appeals. There is a feeling with many of us that this was some sort of political decision to try and heal a rift.

I don't feel there is any benefit any longer with FAW and we usually get a raw deal and, of course, the English League is where we've always been and where we always want to be.

The funniest thing is, all being well, there is no way Darren Purse will be anymore than a non-playing sub in the Cup Final and many Cardiff fans will be praying it's no more than that.

He has been an increasingly liability and had a terrible season. A nice bloke but in decline. He's Captain but not good enough to get a game - he only played at Burnley last weekend because we rested other players - and when he does play, it's often a story of error-prone games with cock ups costing goals, missed penalties, own goals, red cards and very few highs. There's a few of us now fretting this will bite us on the bum - Purse is 33/1 locally to score an own goal in the Cup Final ... some think those odds are generous! :>)

FAW LEAVE ALUN EVANS ISOLATED (again!!)

FAW LEAVE ALUN EVANS ISOLATED (again!!)

It’s hard to imagine a more disagreeable, disliked character in football than Alun Evans (and we have enough competition) but his latest outburst has left him a limb. Peter Ridsdale expressed his anger at Evans’ comments on the City official website, with talk of Cardiff joining the F.A. and now the FAW have officially distanced themselves from the buffon.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_of_wales/7371884.stm