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

Not a Barry girl ... but could be

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Burger King is Back

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Greg Scholl is back with another DEVO missive

Video of the Week - GENE, Where are they now?

Blimey, can't believe this is 13 years old already. GENE were a fantastic group who were great on receord but, undoutbdstedly for me, even better live.

Their career seemed to be caught up with them being labelled as copycats of The Smiths but I could never see that.

Anyway, what's not to like about a group whose lead singer is a Cardiff City fan?


As this song asks, Where are they now?

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."

Great moments from BBC Wales

This from last Friday night ... I bet Derek the weatherman got excited by it!

More Dark Days at Cardiff City - local press banned & a new winding up order?

I don't think we'll be allowed to concentrate on the football only at Cardiff City anytime over the remainder of this season and, quite likely, beyond that too.


Wales Online this morning carried an interview with Bluebirds boss Dave Jones after he met reporter Mark Bloom earlier in the week and opened up, for the first time, on his feelings over the so-called 'Golden Ticket' farce in which supporters £3M for advance season ticket sales were apparently used to clear debt and he did not get promised funds for new players.

It seemed a good interview, a fair and balanced piece and was mainly dominated by Dave Jones' quotes such as these;

“I was let down and angry, I am disappointed with what happened because I didn’t get what I wanted.”

“I have a working rapport with the chairman. I can have an argument with the chairman on anything, but I will not let things fester because that is when things break down. Of course I’m disappointed, of course I’m angry. I’m sure the chairman is too, because he couldn’t give me what I wanted."

“I have not fallen out with the chairman. Have I had arguments with him? Yes, over a host of different matters, but I have arguments with my coaching staff, too. That’s the way it is."

“My rapport with the chairman has not changed one bit. I was not happy with what went on. I think everybody was let down. Even the chairman senses he let people down because he couldn’t do what he wanted to do. Look, it was a massive letdown, I don’t think people realise how big it was. I had discussions with the chairman – but what can you do? He is down because of everything that has gone on while he is in the hot-seat."

“I have never thought of walking away from this job. There are a lot of things I have locked horns over and the hierarchy have said no to, not just the chairman but also the board. So, while you are disappointed, you get on with the job.”

However it would appear the Gaffer took exception to the interview being published. Despite admitting that he was not misquoted, he was reportedly abusive and banned Wales Online - Echo and Western Mail newspapers - from a press conference while confusion currently reigns over whether they are also banned from matchday press facilities.

As if that isn't sideshow enough, more (so far unconfirmed) reports this evening tell of a new winding up order by a Gwent based catering company apparently owed £700,000 for catering equipment supplies at the new stadium. It is well known privately the list of contractors and creditors for the new stadium are long and wide but this one may just head the list.

More as it arrives.


Tomorrow, City with their depeleted squad and walking wounded, take on Barnsley lookingfor 3 points to stiffen their play-off challenge under almost impossible circumstances and aiming to avenge a last kick of match defeat at Oakwell earlier in the season.

Winter Olympics: Four years preparation for this

Video Highlights - Cardiff City 1 West Brom 1

** Cardiff 1-1 West Brom **

Gianni Zuiverloon's equaliser against Cardiff takes West Brom back to the top of the table (UK only).

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8520799.stm

The Best Hospital Sign in the U.K.

Thank You Northampton!

DEVO to play 1 hour live show on NBC for Winter Olympic Awards Nights

This and more DEVO news for the uber-ironic Greg Scholl.

I wanna piece of the pizza pie!

Di Matteo happy with draw

** Di Matteo bemoans Cardiff penalty **

West Bromwich Albion manager Roberto di Matteo explains to BBC Wales reporter Rob Phillips why he felt Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd went down too easily for the Bluebirds' penalty in Tuesday's 1-1 draw at the Cardiff City Stadium.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/west_bromwich_albion/8519323.stm

Dave Jones full of praise for City

** Cardiff 'hanging in' promotion chase **

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones tells BBC Radio Wales reporter Rob Phillips why his team are "hanging in the promotion chase" after his team's 1-1 draw with West Brom.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/cardiff_city/8519321.stm

Championship: CARDIFF CITY 1 West Bromwich Albion 1 match report

CARDIFF CITY continued their play-off challenge – and it is a challenge rather than a push – with another hard fought, committed and spirited to draw 1-1 with West Brom, now Championship leaders, in an open and entertaining game but which produced few moments where either goalkeeper was tested.

Given Cardiff City’s continuing troubles and extreme lack of bodies in the squad, most fans would have settled for this result before kick-off and both sets of fans were pleased with a point apiece at final whistle.

Cardiff’s on field problems have not worsened but the threadbare squad meant the likes of Jay Bothroyd and Gavin Rae have to play on while unfit, sub options are minimal and to call midfield makeshift would be an understatement yet City weren’t too far off their strongest side.

CCFC: Marshall; Kennedy-Gerrard-Gyepes-McNaughton; Burke-Rae-Wildig-Whittingham; Chopra-Bothroyd.

West Brom moaned about players absent injured or suspended but oh to have a squad of the quantity and quality, they wouldn’t know how it is to compete at the top with our resources. They were not just out to seal their place at the top but avoid City landing a double over them for the first time in more than 80 years and had a strong line-up to boot.

WBA: Carson; Mattock-Olsson-Zuiverloon-Tamas; Koren-Brunt-Dorrans-Slory; Moore-Nouble

The attendance was an excellent 20,785 including 1,200 from the West Midlands and it made for a vocal occasion and it was City fans who roared first as the Bluebirds strong start and liveliness produced its reward with an 8^th minute PETER WHITTINGHAM penalty opener slamming home his spot kick, his 19^th goal of the season.

This came after Jay Bothroyd latched onto a Burke ball over the top, cut into the box in front of a defender and was crafty enough to wait for the challenge behind him. There was not a single doubt in my mind that it was a penalty even if Jay played for it but the ref was hesitant and only gave it after the lino signalled it. The defender involved was neither booked nor sent off which was brought into more focus later when he was carded.

West Brom looked rattled for a long period and Cardiff were playing some excellent football but the visitors gradually turned the tide and showed what quality they had, running the show for a 10 minute period with Slory so unlucky to see his effort beat Marshall but came away off the inside of a post. Shots were peppered on goal but not on target while Cardiff defended strongly and fought to preserve their lead even if it wasn’t always pretty.

A blow came midway through the half as Whitts had to depart injured bring Ross McCormack on a sub. We need him back for the weekend.

Just as it looked as though City were taking an interval lead, The Baggies boinged boinged levelling it with the last kick of the half, a soft goal taken by Zuiverloon flicking home after Marshall saved his initial free header.

H/T: CITY 1 WBA 1

The second half was open and end to end and, as Dave Jones rightly remarked, it looked like two boxers slugging it out in the final rounds as they gave everything they had.

The amazing thing was that there were so few clear chances of the back of it and when they did arrive, the lines were fluffed. Final passes, blocks, luck, whatever it was but neither keeper was required to save.

City survived two goalmouth scares including Burke clearing a scramble off the line in the final minute while

Wood put a free header wide from 4 yards but with Chopra chasing every lost cause and Bothroyd showing quality, City always carried a threat too, Bothroyd and McCormack both went close, and should have won it when Chops’ cut back took a kind deflection and left Chris Burke with a free shot on goal in the last 5 minutes but he placed his effort wide.

Gerrard and Gyepes both limped through large chunks of the second period while there were gasps and groans as Jay Bothroyd pulled up sharply with a hamstring pull looking the problem but, thankfully, it turned out to be cramp.

Honours even then and neither side could complain. Cardiff’s efforts are quite heroic and given the depleted squad and players clearly playing when they would not in ideal circumstances, it is churlish to criticise those who had poor displays such as Mark Kennedy, Gavin Rae and Steve Gerrard. Instead, they need support and they certainly got it from the fans. City are playing with spirit and fight that you can only admire and applaud.

Stevie Wonder as a Cat?!?!

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R.I.P Doug

The Knack always struck me as DEVO wannabees and their sole hit and known song in the UK, My Sahrona, was almost more DEVO than DEVO themselves.

Sad then to hear that lead singer and songwriter Doug Fiegerhas died age 57 after battling cancer and brain tumours for 6 years. The Knack's drummer Bruce Gary died in 2006 at the age of 55 of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer.

"My Sharona" immortalised Fieger's then-girlfriend Sharona Alperin.

R.I.P. Doug - another one from my punk/new wave youth has passed on but the song will always remain.