Cardiff City fans celebrate Bellamy's arrival

T.G. unveils his vision for Splott

There were encouraging whispers following Steve Borley's visit to Malaysia last week and they have been followed up with what appear to have been highly successful talks in Cardiff yesterday as T.G. flew in from the Far East to meet with Mike Hall representing P.M.G. (City's laregest secured creditor who are owed almost £10M) and subsequently the Board of the club.

It is believed T.G., apparently backed by the seriously wealthy Vincent Tan, have offered 9p a share for a controlling interest in the club and a £6M investment pagkage initially. That offer is a far cry from the 45p price quoted by Peter Ridsdale when talks between the parties started last year. Clearly, the Malaysians have been shrewd, bided their time and waited for the right opportunity - quite rare to see some business sense taking place around our club!

Talks went so well that the club and T.G. issued a joint positive statement late last night while T.G. also spoke on the phone to Matt Gabb of the London-based 1927 Club for fans telling him, "subject to a few conditions, I'm in".

All encouraging then although the final deal is not expected to be confirmed until next month and there is no Plan B for the club. It is deal or bust and the next 10 days are absolutely critical with a large wage bill on the horizon.

What also remains unclear is whether Peter Ridsdale is to remain on the scene. Fans would be disappointed, upset even, if he continues to play a role at the club. Whiel rumours abound that the Malaysians do not want Ridsdale at Sunday's home game with Watford, his rented property in Cowbridge has a new 'for rent' sign outside and a severance package was to be offered, Peter Ridsdale made sure he met T.G. on arrival in the U.K., he took hiom to meet Cardiff City council leader Rodney Berman (haven't a clue why) and he seems to have been fully involved in the meetings that have taken place.

CARDIFF CITY STATEMENT

Fri 19 Mar 2010

Cardiff City Football Club

The Board of Directors of Cardiff City Football Club and Dato' Chan Tien Ghee (Tg) are pleased to confirm that discussions over the last few days have continued in a positive and productive manner with a view to a further planned investment in the football club.

Both parties are working towards this further investment being concluded by the end of April this year. Investment will be subject to the satisfaction by the Club of a number of conditions which are designed not only to stabilise the finances of the football club but also to ensure that the club is structured appropriately to build on the progress that has already been made.

TG said: "I am extremely hopeful that with goodwill on all sides we will be able to conclude matters quickly and for the benefit of the Club and I look forward to playing my part in the future success of Cardiff City."

19^th March 2010

Malaysian and Cardiff City talks underway but tomorrow is the key day

With Paul Guy back from Australia, T.G. flying in from Malaysia and Steve Borley acting as go-between, all parties met at Cardiff City Stadium this afternoon for preliminary talks with regards to the intended Malaysian investment.

This was a cordial session, the parties believed to be sharing a meal tonight but real business is conducted with the Cardiff City Board tomorrow but no firm news is expected until after the weekend.

Mark Watkins of Cardiff City Supporters Club commented about rising speculation that a deal is close, why they issued the press statement today and their expected developments, it's an interesting read.


To clarify a few points. Despite recent claims on the various messageboards, a deal with the Malaysians is far from done.

The details quoted in our joint statement were gleaned from several sources and we have also been in direct contact with the Malaysians, Steve Borley, etc. We wouldn't have gone to press with this statement if we weren't 100% sure of its accuracy.

The Malaysians have indeed made a formal offer, much of which will involve the purchase of shares to make them the largest shareholders in Cardiff CIty. There are a number of hurdles and conditions attached though, which whilst not insurmountable, are unlikley to be agreed overnight. Claims that things will be done and dusted by the weekend are we believe far fetched, but in our current plight time is indeed of the essence.

Ridsdale is now no more than a fly in the ointment - the Malaysians don't want him and whether he goes quietly or tries to claim his full compensation through the courts is neither here nor there. The real issue is that the Malaysians will not become major shareholders and saddle themselves with £40m of debt. In a couple of weeks the club will be in Admin and they could pick the club up for a lot less.

The whole deal hinges on the Malaysians coming to a deal with the many creditors. For unsecured creditors, it's fairly straightforward - if the club goes into Admin they will get far less (if anything) of what they are owed. We understand that a large proportion of the smaller creditors have already shown a willingness to negotiate - whether that's in the form of reducing what's owed or increasing payment terms is unknown.

The real crux of the matter here is the only secured creditors - Messrs Guy and Hall - PMG. For them, coming to an agreement with the Malaysians may reduce their pay off by more than what they think they can recover via the Admin route. In other words, they can make or break any deal and are the key players in all this.

CCSC and the Trust felt the time was right to exert some pressure on PMG. As local businessmen, they need to do the right thing by Cardiff City, as any other form of action would tarnish their reputation in South Wales. With Cardiff City only a couple of weeks from oblivion and a chance to be saved, we felt it was worth reminding them of this.

A Joint Statement by Cardiff City Supporters Club and Supporters Trust as the club face their latest D-Day

Crucial days regarding the future of Cardiff City seem to be almost a weekly, if not daily, event at present. On the day, T.G. arrives from Malaysia for talks which can make or break the club as there appears to be no other option, the Supporters Club and Supporters Trust have issued a joint statement clearly designed and timed to cause maximum impact and which reveals a lot of details privately discussed for some time.

Cardiff City fans have craved for some transparency and basic realities for a long time and there it is. Hopefully, that will make it very clear to all parties about the gravity of the situation at the club.

The difficulties that have arisen cannot be laid directly and entirely at PMG's door, I think the statement should have acknowledged that as it can come across as an attack on them, but they have undoubtedly influenced events and direction of the club to help get the stadium project going in the club (they were instrumental in pushing Hammam aside) which has materially been to their advantage.

Clearly, by applying shocking interest rates on their loans (way above base rate) plus all the other deals regards land, they continue to take advantage as well without any benefit to the club.

It now lies with them to do influence the club's entire future. It is about time they put something back as they sure have taken a hell of a lot.

Despite being granted a 56-day stay of execution in the High Court last week, it appears that Cardiff City Football Club's future is once again on a knife edge.

We have been reliably informed that administration is virtually inevitable before the end of March if significant new investment in the club has not materialised by then. We understand the Bluebirds' cash reserves are practically exhausted, there is little money available to pay this month's wage bill and debts are now estimated at almost £40 million.

The situation is clearly perilous, although we are led to believe there may be light at the end of the tunnel thanks to a written offer of investment from a Malaysian consortium. The group's front-man, Dato Chan Tien Ghee, is said to be arriving in the UK on Thursday for a series of meetings with Bluebirds' officials, during which the club's fate will effectively be sealed.

The men who appear to hold the key to the football club's future are Cardiff-based property developers Paul Guy and Mike Hall. Their company, PMG, is the club's biggest shareholder and also its largest secured creditor. Consequently, they are certain to be central to any takeover negotiations.

During recent years, PMG has benefited from a series of lucrative land deals connected to the Cardiff City Stadium project. Not only has the company become the sole owner of the successful Capital Retail Park, but it was also chosen to develop and build the Glamorgan Records Office, which stands adjacent to the new stadium.

In addition, PMG recently purchased another large plot of land on the stadium site, upon which a hotel will eventually be developed.

It is clear that PMG has been doing very nicely from its relationship with Cardiff City, but the current state of the football club's finances suggests the benefits of this association have not been entirely mutual.

It should be acknowledged that Paul Guy and Mike Hall were largely instrumental in getting the new stadium project off the ground. They advised on all stadium development issues, while PMG advanced the club £9 million of the funding required to build it. The loan was secured against future income from the Premier Club seating area and attracts interest estimated at £500,000 pa.

In December 2006, while he and his colleagues were in the process of taking control of Cardiff City, Mike Hall claimed the new investors were local people who were interested in the football club's long-term future. He also described former-owner Sam Hammam as being motivated by "total greed and self-interest."

We sincerely hope that Messrs Guy and Hall will not put themselves in a position whereby they will be open to similar accusations from Bluebirds' supporters during the coming weeks. We therefore call upon them to set aside their personal interests and do what is right for Cardiff City Football Club in the critical days ahead.

A Joint Statement by Cardiff City Supporters Club and Supporters Trust

After recent comment and some criticisms that the supporters groups weren't active enough or sending messages out although both groups have been in dialogue with the club and Directors at varying levels, they removed the gloves and issued the folliwng earlier this afternoon.

It may not change anything in itself but is is symbolic and good to see a united front.

The supporters of Cardiff City were relieved to hear the club has been given a further 56 days by the High Court to clear its outstanding tax debts.

However, fans were also alarmed to hear the Bluebirds described as "plainly insolvent" by the barrister representing Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.

It is obvious that our beloved football club is in a wretched financial state and yet there appears to be none of the drastic cost-cutting measures we have seen at other clubs who have encountered similar problems. Instead, it seems the only remedies being offered by the Cardiff City board are the hopes of substantial foreign investment or promotion to the Premiership.

Given the perilous position of the club and our team's poor recent form, both solutions seem wildly optimistic. Consequently, these are very worrying times for all Bluebirds fans.

Despite the club's increasingly desperate plight, its management and players have continued to collect their hefty wages, and there are suggestions that some of the major shareholders have ensured monies owing to them have been paid ahead of those owed to HMRC.

Meanwhile, supporters have been asked to dip into their pockets time and again, and they have done so. Within the space of the last twelve months, the club has benefited from record season ticket sales and its highest attendance levels since the early-Seventies, so the fans have clearly been playing their part.

At present, the feeling amongst the Bluebirds' support is that we are being badly let down by those who are in control of our club. We were led to believe the move to our new stadium was the dawn of a bright new era, but in recent months it has been developing into a nightmare and there are widespread fears that things are set to go from bad to worse in the near future.

The board of directors and major shareholders are the custodians of our proud football club and, as such, they have a very clear duty to safeguard its future. We therefore hope they acknowledge their responsibilities and begin to act accordingly.

On behalf of Cardiff City's thousands of loyal supporters, we hereby call upon the directors, shareholders, management and players to set aside their personal interests and do what is right by our beloved football club during the critical weeks ahead.

CARDIFF CITY DEMO MAKES ITS POINT

The Cardiff City Fans Demo was attended by over 2,000 fans and was peaceful, powerful, respectful and telling. Young and old, an excellent cross-section of support from fans who felt the urge to visibly show their care for City and their unhappiness and digust at the mismanagement of the Board and its Cheif Exec and Chairman Peter Ridsdale.

Setting off from Canton, it was like going to an away game, atmosphere-wise. They were plenty of chants, even more banners and a coffin bearing the legend, "RIP CCFC".

Here's links to many photos, vidoes and stories of the event.

Well done Cardiff City fans.

Jon Candy’s Photos


BBC Article


Wales Online Video


Wales Online Article

Cardiff City fans to demo before next week's home game

Peter Ridsdale may have thought his problems were over after surviving a vote of no confidence at Wednesday's E.G.M. (although I'm sure he didn't really!!!) but the supporters heat will be turned up another notch or two before next weekend's home game with Middlesbrough as supporters are being invited to meet in the car parks behind the Admiral Napier and Wetherspoon's pubs in Canton and match en masse to the new stadium in protest in running of this club and Peter Ridsdale being at its helm.

I will definitely be part of it!

While I have my doubts that the demo will achieve anything, I just feel that if fans do not like the way they have been treated (with contempt in my opinion), the way the club is operating (or barely operating!) and have no idea why the Chairman is still with us, then it is important to make your feelings known.

Nobody can accuse City fans of not showing patience in recent weeks and months and giving the Board plus Ridsdale plenty of slack but that has ultimately achieved nothing either.

2008 Cup Final Meltdown - Pompey hit admin while Cardiff face more winding up orders

On the day that Portsmouth F.C. faced the inevitable and became the first Premiership club to enter administration, their 2008 F.A. Cup Final opponents Cardiff City had another winding up order confirmed in the media.

This week's E.G.M. and agreed land sale (there wasn't really any option for shareholders) may have paved the way to paying off the taxman for the time being and perhaps help the club get to the end of the season but their future remains shrouded in doubt.

Rumours hit the messageboards over a week ago - and were covered in this blog too - that a further winding up order was out there but with their usual expediency(!), South Wales Echo today confirmed the club face another major problem in the form of a £750,000+ winding up order from Newport family firm Shine in respect of the fit out of catering equipment in the new stadium.

Their petition was placed in the county court in Cardiff last December against Cardiff City Stadium Limited, a sister company of the football club for whom it carried out the work on the stadium and was two days before HMRC placed tjheir £2.7M winding up order for unpaid taxes against Cardiff City Holdings Ltd.

The directors of the stadium company are the club’s chairman and chief executive Peter Ridsdale and PMG in the guise of non-execs Paul Guy and Mike Hall, both major shareholders of the football club.

Perhaps the most extraordinary aspect was this was taking place at the exact time that the club were fully promoting its so-called Golden Ticket promising all advance season tickets bought for 2010/11 would be fully invested in new player purchases which collapsed leaving supporters understandably bitter and angry, it does feel like deception but has certainly broken down all trust in the hierarchy of the club.

It was at the time the club was still promoting its Golden Ticket offer, asking fans to buy season tickets in advance to help the club fund its push for the Premiership.

Shine's winding up order is adjourned until April 26 with the club unofficially cliaming half the debt has been cleared but Shine remain tight-lipped and there is no official confirmation.

A club source told the Echo that Shine had been happy to adjourn the case because the debt was being paid off and that half the debt had already been paid. Alan Flitcroft mentioned at Wednesday's E.G.M. that he was "hopeful" of agreeing a deal with Shine before the next April court date.

Rumours persist that a whole host of contractors and business have unpaid bills in respect of the stadium fit-out and that two or more further winding up orders are in the pipeline although this is yet to be verified.

I personally remain worried for the future of the club and dubious about the Board's ability to resolve the massive problems. It does feel like the club are running a log distance hurdle race with the hurdles getting higher and closer ... falling over one and flat on their faces could even be a matter of when rather than if it happens.

Footnote - Another CCFC, Chester City Football Club, were expelled from the Conference today and are set to shut down any day. You do feel football's problems are out of control and is hitting all clubs from the top to the bottom.

CARDIFF CITY E.G.M. REPORT

CARDIFF CITY FOOTBALL CLUB held an E.G.M. today to approve a land sale to raise vital urgent funds to clear a tax demand but they also agreed to answers shareholder questions relating to the current financial situation at the club.





David Sugarman, Cardiff City Supporters Trust Membership Secretary, provided this comprehensive report for CardiffCity.com messageboard users which I've copied here.


Representing Cardiff City Football Club (Holdings) Ltd at today's Extraordinary General Meeting were Chairman Peter Ridsdale, Group Finance Director Alan Flitcroft, Company Secretary Alan Whiteley and board member Steve Borley. Apologies were given for the absence of missing board members Keith Harris and Dato Chan Tien Ghee.

The Chairman opened the meeting at 10am by giving the shareholders some background information regarding the House of Sport land sale proposal, which was the only official item on the agenda. While doing so, he confirmed the board would take questions from shareholders later in the meeting regarding the club's current financial situation, and he then invited any questions specific to the land sale proposal.

A shareholder asked if the price of the land in respect of the proposed deals with Borley Engineering Services Ltd and PMG Developments PLC had been valued independently. Peter Ridsdale confirmed that it had and stated that the council were fully satisfied that the best value on the deals had been achieved.

Shareholder Mike Roderick asked if the deal regarding the House of Sport was in the best interests of the football club as it appeared to him that a valuable future income stream was being sold off in order to service current debts.

Steve Borley explained that the value of the land where the House of Sport is to be situated was deemed to be nominal by two independent valuations due to the club's commitment to the council to build the facility. He said the House of Sport was never intended to be a money-earner for the club, but was instead one of the community benefits that formed an essential part of the original planning agreement with the council. Borley stated that the club desperately needs its own indoor training facility in order to satisfy the Football Association's criteria for Academy status, as the Vale has recently sold the indoor facility the club has been renting for the Academy players to the WRU. He added that the club was therefore in danger of losing Academy status if the House of Sport facility isn't built within the next eighteen months. He said he had been heavily involved in the club's youth structure since first becoming a director back in 1997 and he was desperate to ensure that the Academy continues to flourish.

Borley said that having his company build the House of Sport discharged a £3.5 million obligation the club could not afford at present. He admitted that his company's business plan in relation to the facility had been put together quickly in order to help ease the club's current cash-flow problems. He then assured the shareholders there was no financial benefit to him personally or for his company in building and running the House of Sport. With that in mind, he invited any shareholders present to join him as a partner in the project if they believed it would be a money-making scheme.

Alan Whiteley told the meeting that the club has an agreement with Borley Engineering Services Ltd to purchase the House of Sport at build cost within a period of twelve to eighteen months following practical completion of the facility.

Peter Ridsdale echoed Steve Borley's sentiments about the House of Sport being an obligation as opposed to a profit-making vehicle for the club, and said he felt it was very much in the club's best interests to pass that obligation on to Borley Engineering Services Ltd at this current point in time. He said the rental costs the club will have to pay BESL in order to use the facility once it is built will mirror the fees City are currently paying to use a similar facility at the Vale. Ridsdale added that the club's players and staff will be able to use a considerably better facility once the House of Sport is built, but on very similar financial terms.

Steve Borley said the rental figures he had used in his company's business plan had been obtained by comparing costs at other equivalent facilities. He said he could have cut costs and reduced the rental figures, but that would have meant the club's future players using a substandard facility, which would not be beneficial for their development. He added that some of the figures quoted in the press have been exaggerated with regard to the rental fees as the club won't be using it all year round.

Former-Chairman and shareholder Tony Clemo asked what would happen to the £450,000 Borley Engineering Services Ltd was proposing to pay for the House of Sport plot.

Peter Ridsdale stated the money would be wiped off the debt the club already owes to BESL for work the company has carried out on the new stadium project. He added the deal would significantly ease the club's current cash-flow problems as it would bring in direct funds through the second £1.8 million land deal with PMG Developments PLC.

A vote was then taken on the House of Sport land sale proposal. The Chairman revealed that proxy votes sent in by shareholders not in attendance at the meeting had amounted to approximately 22 million share votes for, and none against. He then asked for a show of hands. All of the shareholders present at the meeting voted in favour of the proposal bar two, so the motion was carried.

Tony Clemo asked when the accounts for the year ending 31 May 2009 are likely to be made available to shareholders and added a request for an Annual General Meeting to pass those accounts and the accounts for the year ending 31 May 2008.

Peter Ridsdale stated that the publication of the 31 May 2009 accounts is likely to be delayed due to an issue over the valuation of the land banks and stadium assets. However, he said he expected that issue to be resolved soon and the accounts to be published accordingly. Alan Flitcroft explained that the club is no longer required to hold an AGM under the provisions of the Companies Act 2006. However, the Chairman gave an undertaking to explore the possibilities of holding an AGM to pass the accounts, and in response to a request from another shareholder he also gave an undertaking to send the 2008 and 2009 accounts to all shareholders through the post.

Peter Ridsdale then gave a lengthy presentation outlining how far he and the board believe the club has come since 2005, when the Chairman first got involved with Cardiff City. He said when he arrived in South Wales, the club had debts of more than £30 million, was losing more than £9 million a year, was battling against relegation, the new stadium project was a pipedream and crowds were averaging 11,400.

Since then, he said the club's achievements have included four mid-table finishes in the Championship, an FA Cup final, the building and completion of a new stadium, the building of a new training facility at the Vale upon which the club has agreed a 15-year lease, and average crowds at present of 20,400.

The Chairman stated the board's business strategy in 2005 was: 1) to build the stadium, 2) to keep the club in the Championship, and 3) to sell players and assets in order to achieve the first two goals.

He said the board's business strategy in 2010 and going forwards is: 1) to seek new investment and funding, 2) to sell the club to new owners, and 3) to continually review overheads and costs until either of the first two goals are achieved.

Ridsdale suggested that five Championship clubs are currently receiving Premiership parachute payments, thirteen are being subsidised by wealthy individual owners and six are attempting to be self-sufficient. He said those six clubs are Cardiff, Doncaster, Plymouth, Preston, S****horpe and Swansea.

The Chairman pointed to the three main reasons as to why he believed the club had encountered serious cash-flow problems since the summer months:

1) The board had anticipated two major player sales during the close-season but only one deal had been struck (he later admitted that Joe Ledley was the second player the club had expected to sell)

2) The majority of the money the club had received from Birmingham City for Roger Johnson was immediately reinvested in the squad

3) The directors had been given assurances that new investment ranging between £2 and £6 million would be coming into the club, but so far only £500,000 has materialised

He added that the above issues had come against a backdrop of the club having to find money to build and fit out the stadium, meet repayments on loans to former directors, make repayments on the debt owed to PMG and make repayments to the Langston Corporation.

In answer to a question from a shareholder, the Chairman stated the only future income stream that had effectively been mortgaged at the new stadium was the catering contract which is being handled by Compass. However, he said that the royalties Compass pay the club is still well in excess of the money the club earned from the catering facilities at Ninian Park.

Ridsdale concluded his presentation by saying that the current cash-flow situation is a short-term issue as opposed to along-term problem. He admitted that mistakes have been made by the board, and he issued an apology for those mistakes, but he assured the shareholders that the directors are fully committed to tackling the current problems and they are confident they will be able to do so. The Chairman then opened up the meeting to questions from the floor.

Tracey Marsh of the Supporters' Trust asked how much money the Platinum Ambassadors season ticket scheme had raised and how that had been spent.

Alan Flitcroft responded that the scheme had raised a total of approximately £2.6 million a sum that was smaller than the season ticket sales from the same period in 2008/09. He said that since the scheme had been launched, the club had paid out £2.3 million in wages and a similar amount in taxes. He admitted the season ticket income had largely been spent on those areas, although he stated the situation was far more complex as the club had also raised money through various other means and had spent money on other running costs during the same period.

After Keith Morgan of the Supporters' Trust had clarified several technical points in relation to the financial figures quoted in Peter Ridsdale's presentation, shareholder Annis Abraham then called for a vote of no confidence in the Chairman. He also asked Steve Borley if Ridsdale has his backing as regards his position at the club. The vote of no confidence was seconded by shareholder Sam Murphy.

The Chairman stated that if any shareholder wishes to stage a vote of no confidence in either him or any other board member, they need to call a General Meeting for that specific purpose and obtain the backing of at least 5% of the company's shareholders in order to table such a resolution, as required by the company's constitution. Steve Borley then asked Annis Abraham what he thought he was trying to prove by asking such a question. Abraham stated that he wanted to know if the Chairman had his backing and the backing of the other major shareholders, such as Paul Guy and Mike Hall. Borley confirmed that the Chairman does indeed have his backing.

Shareholder Mike Roderick asked if the anticipated investment which had apparently failed to arrive before Christmas had been delayed because the Chairman had been unprofessional and had not made the potential investors aware of the club's true financial position.

Peter Ridsdale stated that neither he nor the club's other representatives have had any meaningful meetings with potential investors without revealing the club's full financial liabilities. He maintained that he had informed one potential investor of the HMRC winding-up order on the same day that he had first learned about it.

Responding to an earlier question from Keith Morgan, the Chairman stated the club had made significant operating losses in recent seasons in its attempt to stay in the Championship, as losing its Championship status would have been a disaster. He confirmed that an operating loss will again be made during the current season on the basis that the club has spent substantial funds in order to fit out the new stadium. When pressed by a shareholder, Ridsdale refused to put a figure on this season's losses on the grounds that the relevant accounts have yet to be audited or published.

Geraint Jones, Secretary of the Supporters' Trust, asked Peter Ridsdale to list the club's short-term creditors. He also asked what those creditors are owed and how the club intends to service those debts. The Chairman responded that he was unable to give a list of short-term creditors as the information was confidential and commercially sensitive. However, he said he fully understood the concerns of the shareholders with regard to that situation. He stated that the directors are acutely aware of the requirement to pay all of the club's creditors and they are doing everything within their powers to make sure cash is available to meet those debts. He added that £2.3 million has recently been paid to the Inland Revenue and more money will be paid to them next week.

Shareholder Steve Perry asked if the club faces a further winding-up order in April from a firm owed a figure of approximately £700,000 in relation to services provided at the new stadium.

Alan Flitcroft confirmed that there is currently a petition for a winding-up order against Cardiff City Stadium Ltd (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cardiff City Football Club (Holdings) Ltd), and that order has been adjourned until April. Flitcroft said he hoped the club would be able to reach a satisfactory arrangement with the company concerned before the matter goes back to court.

A shareholder asked if director Keith Harris is paid a six-figure salary by the club.

Peter Ridsdale stated that Harris is not paid a six-figure salary by the club. He said he believes that, to date, Harris has not been paid any fees at all by the club, and if he has they are certainly not in six figures.

Phil Nifield of the Supporters' Trust asked the board to confirm or deny if the club is currently under a Football League transfer embargo, and if it is to state when that embargo was put in place.

The Chairman confirmed that the club is currently under such an embargo and will be until such a time that the current tax situation is satisfactorily resolved. He said the embargo initially came into effect during the autumn.

Phil Nifield asked why the club was promoting the Platinum Ambassadors season ticket scheme by promising fans that the squad would be strengthened in January with the proceeds when the club was in fact under a transfer embargo.

Peter Ridsdale stated that at the time of the season tickets launch, the board was fully expecting money to come into the club in the form of new investment which would have enabled the tax debts to be cleared and the season ticket cash to be spent on new players. He said that investment hadn't materialised, and therefore the club hadn't been able to clear the tax debt as expected.

Alan Flitcroft stated that he wasn't going to attempt to kid anyone and confessed that of course he had known when the season ticket campaign was launched that the club owed HMRC a significant amount of money. He said the messages the club was putting out about backing manager Dave Jones during the January transfer window were based on commitments that had been given to the board by potential investors. As those commitments were not honoured, the board couldn't spend the season ticket money as they had wanted to. He admitted he was embarrassed by the situation and apologised to the shareholders for it.

On the subject of investment, the Chairman stated that before the General Meeting had started he had asked his colleagues if they felt the club would be more likely to attract the new investment they are currently working to secure if he were to go than if he were to stay. Ridsdale said the board's view is that new investment is more likely to happen if he stays than if he goes. He added that if their answer had been the opposite, he wouldn't have been present at the meeting.

A shareholder asked what the annual cost of servicing the club's long-term debts is.

Alan Flitcroft said the club is committed to paying £1 million a year to Langston, £1 million a year to PMG and approximately £720,000 in director's loans. He said that while these are obviously significant sums, he feels they are affordable within the club's current budget.

The same shareholder asked if the club was likely to have sell players this coming summer.

Peter Ridsdale confirmed that the club almost certainly will have sell players during the next close-season, just as it has done in previous years.

Dave Sugarman of the Supporters' Trust asked if Dato Chan Tien Ghee is a director of the club and, if he is, why hasn't his directorship been registered at Companies House.

Alan Whiteley confirmed that Dato Chan is a director, but he said the form which was sent to Companies House in order to register him as such was rejected because it was filled out incorrectly. Whiteley added that an amended form is in the process of being registered.

Dave Sugarman then asked if any of the club's directors have been awarded bonuses in relation to the completion of the new stadium and, if so, how much were those bonuses.

Alan Whiteley stated that three directors were paid bonuses in recognition of the work they had put into the scheme. He said Peter Ridsdale had been awarded a bonus of £100,000, while he and Steve Borley had been awarded bonuses of £50,000 each.

A shareholder asked how long the Chairman felt the club could survive without further investment.

Peter Ridsdale said the club has money coming in from various income streams every day of the week. He stated that if the directors didn't think the club could survive long-term, they wouldn't be sitting in a meeting like this one but would instead be busy taking other action. He added that it was only because the board believed in the financial viability of the club that they had set up the General Meeting in order to help take things further forward.

The Chairman then refused to answer a question from shareholder Mike Roderick in connection with WH Sports Group Ltd, the liquidated consultancy company through which he was initially paid fees by the club. He merely stated that he was happy that his affairs in connection with WH Sports were being appropriately managed.

Tony Clemo asked what sort of form the board believes a potential takeover might take in view of the fact that almost all of the shares from the 2007 issue have now been subscribed to.

Alan Whiteley said a takeover may take the form of existing shareholders selling their stakes to a new investor, or a new share issue may need to be set up, in which case the shareholders would have to pass the resolution at a specially-convened General Meeting. Peter Ridsdale added that the club is currently talking to four groups of potential investors, and those groups include people who have said they are interested in both types of takeover.

A shareholder made a statement that he believed a vocal minority at the meeting were pursuing their own agendas and did not represent the feelings of the majority of shareholders. Another shareholder then asked how far the talks with potential investors regarding a takeover had progressed.

The Chairman said he couldn't answer that question with any degree of certainty as the board had received written commitments from potential investors in recent months which hadn't been honoured. Therefore, he said he didn't feel in a position to make any definitive statements about the progress on new investment. However, he added that there are two interested parties who he believes are very strong possibilities for future investment, both of which he has spoken to again this week.

Ridsdale said he is totally committed to finding new owners for the club as a matter of urgency so that he can hand over control to them, which he said would no doubt please some of the people in the room. He stated he believes the club can only continue to compete at the top end of the Championship or get promoted to the Premiership if new investment comes in, and the board is determined to deliver such investment in order to avoid a situation whereby the club goes backwards. He added that he and his colleagues are spending many hours each day trying to ensure that new investment does come into the football club as soon as possible.

Keith Morgan asked if proper due diligence has been carried out on the potential investors. He pointed to the recent situation that had arisen with supposed investor Ben Steele, who had subsequently proved to be something of a timewaster as far as the club was concerned.

The Chairman confirmed that the people the club is currently talking to are known to be genuine. He admitted the situation with Steele had been unfortunate, but pointed out that it was Steele himself who had been building himself up in the press. Ridsdale said he felt the board had a duty to the shareholders to investigate anybody who expressed an interest in investing in the club, and he was confident that the groups who are currently in talks with the club are serious in their intentions.

A shareholder then suggested that a number of people in the meeting had come along merely to stir up trouble and he implored the supporters who would later be speaking to the press to talk in positive terms about the club. He said the fans should get behind the current board for the next few months and hope they can turn things around for the club. His comments received an ovation from a fair percentage of those present.

Peter Ridsdale wrapped up the meeting, which had lasted almost exactly two hours, by thanking the shareholders for their attendance. On behalf of the board, he apologised for the current cash-flow problems and the Platinum Ambassadors season ticket situation. He admitted mistakes have been made and stated that he and his colleagues are fully committed to solving the issues which have resulted from those mistakes. He closed by saying the board is also fully committed to finding new investment which will help to take the club on to the next level.

The meeting ended at 12:03pm.

Dave Sugarman
Membership Secretary
Cardiff City Supporters' Trust

Questions raised in teh Welsh Assembly about Cardiff City

Cardiff City's failure to invest funds from the sale of season tickets to fans on new players was raised at the National Assembly today by Plaid AM Leanne Wood in questions to Alun Ffred Jones, the Sports Minister.

"Do you share my concern that fans of Cardiff City Football Club were promised that if they bought their season-tickets early for next season the funds would be invested in new players - the so-called Golden Ticket - but that the management reneged on the offer? Many fans believe that they were misled by Peter Ridsdale", she asked and added, "Do you also share fans' concerns about the future of Cardiff City, one of Wales' top football clubs, because of very significant financial challenges faced by the club that have been highlighted in the media? I'm aware that a number of football clubs across the UK appear to face similar financial issues."

The Minister responded: "I am not in a position to comment on the situation with Cardiff City Football Club. The fans who have been loyal and raucous to the team deserved to be told the true story. Though the stories this morning about the general state of football clubs in the UK and the huge debts they have racked up give great cause for concern."

Cardiff City drop to 6th as they head into E.G.M. Day

It's E.G.M. Day at the Cardiff City Stadium today where Bluebirds shareholders and The Supporters Trust can finally - and hopefully! - ask the questions about the short, medium and log-term future of the troubled club and get factual answers rather than the flowery flannel peddled by Peter Ridsdale.

I say hopefully as the E.G.M. is called by the club to approve the land sale around the stadium, a move that will raise funds to clear City's current tax debt with a winding up court hearing due March 11th with HMRC. That is the sole agenda item but there should/will be an Any Other Business section to the meeting, it remains to be seen how much time and lip service the club will devote to this as they should be set to face a wave of awkward questions and possible votes of no confidence in Chairman Peter Ridsdale and, maybe, the entire Board after the club have rung up record debts and problems, the full extent of them still aren't entirely in the public gaze.

24 hours after follow 2008 F.A. Cup finallists Portsmouth admiitted defeated in their bid to stave off financial ruin and will go into administration, supporters just want to know what's happened to their Golden Ticket season ticket money and, more importantly, if the club manage to get through this season, how they hope to perform given future season ticket monies are spent, all income streams have been sold or exhausted and the outgoings of the club (£1.2M per month on wages alone, let alone the Chairman's bonuses) are apparently out of control.


The club will, this morning, also be looking nervously over their shoulders in the play-off campaign as, after having cemented 4th spot with a sfaety margin, they suddenly find themselves occupying 6th place and the final play-off spot following Leicester's 1-0 victory at Doncaster last night.

City have traditonally fallen away in the 2nd half of the season and another year where they didn't bring in players in January leaves them painfully limited. City still enjoy at least a 4 point advantage, game(s) in hand and a vastly superior goal difference over sides below them but there will be fears they could run out of steam ... and players!

1	Newcastle	32	34	66
2	Nottm Forest	33	24	61
3	West Brom	32	29	60
4	Swansea	32	7	53
5	Leicester	32	8	51
6	Cardiff	31	18	49
7	Blackpool	33	10	47
8	Sheff Utd	32	1	45
9	Middlesbrough	33	6	44

Wurzel jailed for 4 months for throwing a programme at Michael Chopra

This from last night's Bristol Evening Post.


Looks like Cardiff City fan can laugh at him again, what a charmer he seems to be!

A Bristol City fan has been jailed for 16 weeks for throwing a football programme at an opposition player as he prepared to take a corner.

As well as losing his temper during the match, lifelong Robins fan Kevin Crehan lost his cool at Bristol Magistrates' Court this week when he realised his rash action during the 6-0 home defeat to Cardiff City had reactivated a suspended sentence.

Magistrates were half way through reading their sentence when it dawned on Crehan that he faced jail.

Waving his hand dismissively at the bench, he said: "Push off,

I've had enough of you".

He then took his coat off, stood at the end of the dock behind glass doors, and squared up to court security guards, saying: "Come on then."

As two guards moved towards him he violently kicked one of the fixed chairs out of the ground and began wrestling with the two men.

It took seven security guards to subdue him and carry him kicking from the court to the cells below.

The incident occurred after Crehan, 28, of Springleaze, Knowle, pleaded guilty to throwing a programme on to the pitch from the Wedlock Stand at Ashton Gate on January 26, during a Championship match in which Bristol City were thrashed by their rivals from South Wales.

The court heard that during the second half, Crehan ran down towards the corner of the pitch to throw his programme at Cardiff striker Michael Chopra as he prepared to take a corner.

The programme narrowly missed Chopra's head, and Crehan was immediately arrested by police.

In interview, Crehan told officers that as the player came over to Bristol City fans, he was making gestures and waving his fingers to signal the 5-0 scoreline at the time.

Defending, Selena Hunt invited magistrates not to impose a custodial sentence, saying normally they wouldn't consider custody for throwing a programme onto the pitch.

She said: "Prior to this there was an event that caused lots of people to throw their programmes onto the pitch.

"What my client did is respond to that by singularly throwing his programme on to the pitch. It didn't hit him."

She added Crehan had suffered huge embarrassment after the incident, that the Cardiff fans were laughing at him and making fun of him when he was arrested.

In a verdict interrupted by Crehan's violence, presiding magistrate Patricia Lee said: "This has been suggested to us as being minor, but we view it seriously.

"It was preceded by a positive action to run down the stands to the playing area, and you threw a rolled-up programme at a player."

Magistrates said the incident would activate a suspended sentence handed to Crehan on December 9 for assault, meaning he would serve 16 weeks behind bars. No separate penalty was given for the charge of throwing the programme at the pitch.

Crehan had arrived at Bristol Magistrates' Court just after 10am. His case was heard at about 4.45pm, and he had been angry that people who had arrived after him had their cases heard before him.

Ms Hunt said he was a vulnerable adult who suffered brain damage after an accident.

Adam Baker, spokesman for Bristol City Football Club, said: "It is an offence to throw anything onto the pitch and we don't condone it in any way, whether it is bottles, coins or, in this instance, a programme."

Cardiff City's Circus of Horrors ... all the freaks are out!

A touring freak show, The Circus of Horrors, has been travelling around South Wales this week but they must be embarrassed by being outclassed by the high farce at Cardiff City.

After the club issued yesterday's nauseous club statement that 11,000 fans who bought season tickets 8 months early at Christmas under Dave Jones' pledge and Peter Ridsdale's guarantee that it would bring new players to the club could no longer be honoured, the last flickering embers of trust, respect and credibility had gone.

Overnight, this morning and through to lunchtime, strong rumours emerged that Peter Ridsdale, fully aware of the negative impact of that statement, had offered his resignation. Shortly after, a 2pm press conference was announced.

Incredibly, Ridsdale appeared to say he was continuing as Chairman with the Board and shareholders supporting him and he was committed to sorting out the current problems. He apologised if supporters felt they were misled by him. The man must have the skin of a rhino!

The full press conference, with Ridders doing his usual politician act of saying what he wanted in abundance but with little substance and avoiding straight answers to direct questions, can be heard here:

http://www.realradiowales.co.uk/player/listen-again/kdfklf39/listen-4983/

Why he called it, I don't know because it has only served to further infuriate the Cardiff support. The fact the Board have supported him means the anger will spread to others. Paul Corkery of the Supporters Trust summed up the mood and feeling perfectly in this responses interview.

http://www.realradiowales.co.uk/player/listen-again/kdfklf39 /listen-4984/

So evening settled, anger still seething and we didn't think the day could get any sillier but up popped Dave Sugarman on the Cardiff City messageboard with a message from Sam Hammam asking us to stay calm. This from a man who caused mutli-millions of debt at this club and still takes £80k a month out of it to get another £16M back. One poster caught my mood when he responded, "If Hammam is asking for calm, I'd better get my gun"!


But to round it off, a messageboard appeal by the man expected to have become acting Chairman and the one man on the Board that fans have some trust in, Steve Borley who also asked for calm. Borley's ill advised message follows but it predictably went down like a lead balloon.

And still nobody can confirm if the tax bill can be paid by Feb 10th. A typical day with the City then!

I have just read the post from the lone Gunman passing on a message from Sam and believe he is right. I urge supporters to be calm because the eyes are on us and the last thing we need is to give the impression we are too hot to handle. I understand the frustrations and anger amongst the fans but we need to show our passion is a positive thing and not negative. There are guenuine interest in the club and we need your help to foster it. we need to get behind the team the manager and the club in the same way we did on the Leicester game where I believe you were responsible for the 3rd and 4th goals. I called for calm before that game and thank you for the response. I never dreamt in my lifetime I would ever see a fixture list where the 2 games after saturday would be Newcastle and Chelsea. I urge you to keep the faith

Steve

WIND UP? IT'S NO JOKE AS CITY ON THE ROPES AGAIN

When news emerged, albeit sensationalised in a Sunday paper last weekend, that City had defeaulted on an agreed payment to the taxman, speculation was rife that a new winding order must be a natural consequence.

Today that was confirmed as BBC reported a winding up order for the club was due to be heard in court on February 10th.

Blog and City followers will be aware an initial winding up order in November was removed in Decmeber as the club had agreed a repayment schedukle but the new order is a result of not meeting that agreement.

City owe the taxman £2.7M - representing 5 months PAYE - but Peter Risdale and the club moved quickly to play it down saying it will be paid this month and the hearing was a "back stop" just in case Cardiff did not do this.

Supporters nerves are frayed and there was another outburst of anger on messageboards but, for what it's worth, I'm quite sure it will be paid too but I hope it's not at the expense of players ales which is possible.

More to follow.

With my little pick and shovel I'll be there

CARDIFF CITY fans are being asked to help at the new stadium from 9am today (Friday) to make sure Saturday's home game with Blackpool goes ahead.

With Cardiff needing the money, the fixture presenting a fgood opportunity to cement City's position high in the table and potential investors at the match, the game needs to go ahead.

The weekend sports programme has already been savaged with all sports affected.

In football, the lower divisions are virtually wiped out while in the Championship, geeting on for half the fixtures have already been postponed.


However Cardiff City vs Blackpool is very much on and will be played providing the surrounding areas can be cleared. The pitch, thanks to the undersoil heating now fully fitted and working, has no problem at all and the squad have been using it for training all week.

However outside the ground, the turnstiles, walkways and surrounding areas all need attention. The council will grit and prepare the car park and roads so fans need to help club staff. Many will be working on Friday but let's hope enough can help out.

A decision will be made Friday afternoon as to whether this work has been successful or not.

Cardiff City Supporters Trust Call for E.G.M., Answers & Honesty

CARDIFF CITY SUPPORTERS TRUST have released a press statement this evening in response to another weekend of bad news stories, mayhem and disputes between the football club and newspapers at the expense of the supporters knowing what is going on.

It is time to ask serious questions, stand up and be counted and credit to the Trust for asking individuals to pool shares and shareholders to call for an E.G.M. to make the club and key representatives accountable for providing factual detail and clarity.


The following statement has today been issued to the press by the board of the Cardiff City Supporters' Trust:

Members of the Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust are bitterly disappointed to read reports today of further financial problems at our football club. If Sunday's newspaper reports are accurate, it appears the fans have not been dealt with honestly by the club’s board of directors.

More than ten thousand supporters have recently parted with their cash to buy season tickets for next season on the clear understanding that the money will be going towards strengthening the squad during the January transfer window. If the newspaper reports are true, then it seems we have been duped into bailing the club out, as the money we have been paying for our season tickets will be used to clear outstanding tax bills.

There appears to be very little transparency in the club's dealings with its fans. We need to know if we have been sold false promises. Were the statements made by the club inaccurate? From what we have read, it appears the club’s finances are not being managed properly. It seems that, once again, Cardiff City is in a terrible financial mess, with significant bills not being paid on time.

We believe the fans are entitled to know who is being made accountable for this situation. Attendances are good, season ticket sales are excellent, players have been sold for many millions of pounds in recent times and yet the club is still allegedly in danger of going out of business. So why on earth have the major shareholders and board of directors allowed the club to get into such a mess?

We will be consulting members of the Supporters Trust and other individuals who hold shares in our club this week to discuss the possibility of calling an Emergency General Meeting of shareholders. We feel the club’s major shareholders have a duty to the other shareholders and the supporters to explain the current situation.

We believe the fans and the shareholders deserve some straight answers to the following questions:

Is Cardiff City Football Club genuinely facing the prospect of being put into administration, with all the sanctions such a course of action would bring from the football authorities?

Future income streams are apparently being earmarked to pay current debts, so what are the directors’ plans for the time when all of these sources of income have been used up?

Are there any serious investors in negotiations to take the club over, or is that merely a smokescreen while we are once again being asked to dig into our pockets?

We believe the fans and the shareholders have a right to know what the true situation is so that we can attempt to prepare for a worst-case scenario. The vast majority of Bluebirds supporters are fed up of hearing about the club’s financial problems, and we have had enough of the positive spin that invariably accompanies any bad news stories. We implore the club’s board to be honest with us. We want to know the truth, however alarming it may be.

Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust Board
Sunday, 3rd January, 2009

Another Day, Another Cardiff City Shambles

CRISIS?? WHAT CRISIS????

The saga of the latest worry news at Cardiff City has turned from a thriller to a horror and now a whodunnit in the space of a few hours.

Today's News of the World made several claims including the following;
1. The club failed to deliver on its promise to pay HMRC a sum of £1.2M by Decmeber 22.
2. As a result, the club must now pay an outstanding tax debt for a staggering £2.7M in full by the end of this week or face a winding up order.
3. The debt is equivalent to 5 months PAYE arrears and, on top of this, City also had a £400,000 penalty from 2008/2009.
4. City's problems have been attributed to an unexpected £7M of extra costs to finalise the new stadium.
5. The club have a verbal agreement with Manchester United to sell them rookie prospect Adam Matthews for £4,.
The story also included Peter Ridsdale quotes saying the tax monies will be paid this week and that Cardiff City are still going to invest in new players this month.


The news is horrifying, confusing and deeply worrying.




However, not for the first time, Peter Ridsdale has found himself unable to prevent these bad news stories being published but he comes out fighting with press statements not really delaing with the central point but blaming others. This time, it's more sinister as he's apparently called in the police claiming someone within the club stiole confidential documents. Get Columbo onto the case but WTF is going on????


The club statement released this afternoon reads; "Cardiff City football club are concerned at an article in one of Sunday's national newspapers.

"Some of the information contained within this article can only have come from documents which have been stolen from officials at the club and are currently the subject of a police investigation.

"We are also taking legal advice with regard to the damaging contents of this article.

"This information has been used out of context, is not the latest position, nor does it contain all the current facts and is therefore inaccurate.

"We are happy that Cardiff's relationships with its creditors, including HMRC, are such that we will not have any financial issues that will affect the ability of the club to continue to trade as normal in all aspects of its business."

Although Ridsdale is again saying all will be fine, his credibility is on the line. To be perfectly honest, some will defend and admirte him but the tide is turning fast against him. Many, myself included, are tending to think it is time he left our club alone as soon as these matters are resolved.

It's not good is confidential documents have been "stolen" but if own employees are doing this, what does it say about the state of the club. Surely, it can only be senior employees or directors who would have acess to this detail.

Publicity Pete has chosen not to confirm or deny any of News of the World's claims other than claim some are out of date or incorrect but which one or ones??

Did they default on a promise to HMRC? Have HMRC threatened to wind up if not paid this week? Have we verbally traded Matthews to Manchester United?

The biggest question is that the club have gone into overdrive in the past few weeks for a season ticket launch for 2010/11 under the pretence it is to reward our loyalty and to give Dave Jones the funds to get new players in January for a concerted promotion push?

How can that be going on against this background? Have we been misled and will find our investment of £3M will go to clear debts rather than push Dave Jones' men onto promotion?


Peter Ridsdale has continually promised transparency and continually delievered nothing of the sort. At a crisis time like this, he owes a proper full and frank explanation to us, not spin and a hint that an intenral crime of sorts may have taken place.

These are worrying and damaging times for Cardiff City no matter how Peter Ridsdale tries to suggest otherwise. Serious questions have to be asked, categoric answers must be given.

New Cardiff City Financial Crisis according to News of the World

Alarming headlines will give Cardiff City fans a Sunday morning shock as tomorrow's edition will carry a story that Cardiff must pay the taxman £2.7M this week or face going bust.

It has been known that Cardiff City had a winding up order over an undisclosed tax amount but Peter Ridsdale has maintained it wasn't a problem, the club were in control of it and it was being amicably sorted.

However the newspaper claims that the club failed to meet its promised first instalment before Christmas of £1.2M and will face a new winding up order and certain transfer embargo unless it is paid this week.

The news will dismay more than 10,000 Bluebirds fans who have committed to next term's season tickets now under the impression it will help provide £3M for Dave Jones to launch a prmotion assault. If this story is true, we can guess where this money will be going although the paper also claims that the club have agreed verbally to sell rookie defender Adam Matthews to Manchester United for £4M - the club will surely be desperate to see that deal concluded quickly.

Ridsdale has given crednce to this story by being quoted in the newspaper, "We will have the money to pay the Revenue and we will pay them this week. I personally spoke to the Revenue before Christmas. I told them we can pay at the beginning of January and they were happy with that. We have a good relationship with them. They know what's happening. There will be funds coming in this month and I'm confident there will be no issue with the Revenue after January. We will have money to pay our tax bill and we'll have money to do things to the team."

"Fitting out the stadium cost £7m more than we envisaged so there has been a hangover from that but funds will be coming in shortly and the club is in healthy shape."


I'm sure we can expect more spin and a statement from Publicity Pete in the next day or so but these bad news stories are coming too thick and fast. Whatever happens, Ridsdale is suddenly appearing deeply flawed in the eyes of many Cardiff City fans and certainly someone in whom all trust is being lost.

Jones tells City fans to take a reality check

Cardiff City boss has responded to messageboard users and Peter Ridsdale e-mailers calling for his head after a week in which City lost at home to then bottom side Plymouth Argyle and then drawing at current bottom team Peterbough United after leading 4-0 at half-time by time them to get a reality check.

However, understandably, Jones hit back telling the media pack that, We’re fourth from top, not fourth from bottom, the only thing I can say is I’m glad I’m not fourth from bottom in this part of the world! I’ve not been there, but I’d hate it, people have to take a reality check sometimes. "

DJ added, "The only way to amend what happened at Peterborough is to stay in the top six. I’m a good manager – fourth in the league – and work hard at what I do. Some people want change because of embarrassment (losing a four-goal lead), but if they want to know about embarrassment they should have their picture blasted all over the papers for 18 months. I’ve been through that and if these people did so too then they could tell me what embarrassment is all about. I could not do anything about that, but I can do something about what happened at Peterborough. I trust my players, I believe in them and now it’s time to move on.".

If it's time to move on Dave, can you make a start by stopping harping on about your past?

The problem is that the real issues has been missed amonsgt the sensationalism.

- Why has Jones continually presided over City sides that have collapsed and/or conceded late goals costing results?

- Why does DJ never deal with sides changing formations and tactics chasing games which far too frequently sees our midfield overrun and unable to cope which loses us a fair number of points every season?

- Why does he only ever blame his players when things go wrong but never look at himself?


Ah well, we'll have to wiat until the next time it happens. Given Cardiff City and Jones' record, it's likely to be a matter of time before it does.

Big Season Ticket & Bristol City Response by City supporters

We may not yet be out of the woods with a recession, far from it, but Cardiff City fans continue to back the club in magnificent numbers.


Despite the game being a "bubble" coach only, police escorted trip, with a lunchtime kick-off and the contest being screened live on S4C Wales and www.theFA.com, 1,500 Bluebirds are heading to Bristol City for the F.A. Cup Third Round so called Severnside derby tomorrow.

Rumour has it that the home side have only sold 8,000 tickets so, as usual, expect Cardiff fans to be making all the noise. Let's hope the team delivers for them.


If not enough, a manic late rush saw the season ticket drive for 2010/11 reach almost 10,500 by close of play yesterday. City fans were offered incentives including 4 months interest free payments, a 5 year price freeze and a full refund if Premiership football is acheived this season but it's still a superb commitment by supporters. The offer has been extended for a few more days with the club hoping to surpass 11,000.


Monies rasied via this initiative have been promised to Dave Jones for team strengthening and it is believed more than £3M has been raised so we shall watch with interest if the club do invest in the side.