Football season 2013-2014

As a Cardiff STH it seems unfortunately to be true. However, in the 42 years of following Cardiff one thing it has never been is dull.

We finally get our own billionaire to allow us to get to the Prem for the first time in my lifetime and it appears he's had a frontal lobotomy - with entry from the rear of his head.

Anyhow - let's see what the circus brings next while I look forward to being thrashed at Liverpool on Saturday. Never a dull moment - and at least I have my Uniti2 and 926's to fall back on now when I need to take time off from the world

No - you're bound to win now. We colour is Cardiff's away shirt now?

It'll be Yellow unless we really have to play in Blue because we can't use Red or Yellow.

However, playing in Blue along with the sacking of Malky's going to make the atmosphere amongst the Cardiff fans somewhat interesting on Saturday.

I also think the atmosphere at the two home games over Xmas will be interesting unless he has someone very good lined up as a replacement. Given he wanted to appoint Alan Shearer until talked out of it then I'm not going to hold my breath. There is no-one who knows anything about football left at the club to advise him any more.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him manage the team on Saturday. Seriously, the bloke is short of an awful lot of the sandwiches he'd need to make the proverbial picnic it appears.

I wish I had the sort of money that allows you to just throw away the best part of £100M because you can't be seen to be challenged - because, barring a miracle, we're going straight back down again.

The game is attracting some proper duffers,

just 'cos you got the dosh it don't mean you got the class.

Oh for the days of smoke filled board rooms , clubs owned by the local lad done good, deals signed over a pint of mild and 'sweetened' with a side of bacon or a box of turkey twizzlers.

The antics of the Vincent Tans of the game makes me glad we got TwoDaves  at yer 'ammers.

You can stick your 'low grade' foreign billionaires .

"A Cardiff City fans group backed Mackay after Tan's public criticism."

"It's a very sad state of affairs," said Tim Hartley, chair of the Cardiff City Supporters Trust. "The fans will back Mackay because he is popular."

I wonder, why don't the fans get behind Mackay now, after what he's done for them and the club and tell Tan to go f*ck himself. He's a sorry assed sod and a bit of fan revolt seems to be exactly what he needs. Name and shame him, embarrass him publicly at future games, maybe he'll come to his senses then.

I'm not a Cardiff fan but that's what the PL needs, a bit more backbone and guts.

Ain't gonna happen though or is it?

“My only conclusion when I look from the outside is you've got a business guy operating the club who obviously knows nothing about football”

Brendan Rodgers on Vincent Tan.  

Generally, Cardiff fans were delighted when he came along as we genuinely thought we were going to be wound-up with the bills we had to pay. Visits to the High Court were regular occurrences.There was also a feeling that he was a proper businessman who might actually start to run us as a business - which is what he is doing but at a cost which is too high in terms of tradition.

It's a difficult one because the options were probably cease to exist or accept what he brings warts and all. I don't think there is a fan of a club in the country who wouldn't take the money in those circumstances. Even the diehards were generally acquiescent as it was sold as a business decision and wasn't seen to be harmful to the football team - quite the opposite given the money Tan intended to spend on both the team and the Club. The new facilities and stadium expansion are all long-term investments.

So the question is what is the PL for? First time I've been here in my lifetime and it's a pretty crap competition really. If you don't have money you can't play, so it's not a competition anymore - it's just a dick-wagging exercise amongst very rich men. The frequency of games is awful - I'd almost forgotten the season had started at one point the interval between games was so large.

However, I think fan revolts are unlikely as it's just like going to the cinema for most people. I now go to meet mates and take my son for the social aspect.

Ironically the last real game I identified as being 'my' Cardiff was the League Cup final against Liverpool. You have to have been crap for many decades to understand the joy to be had in just competing against that level of opposition in a major final. It looks as if Saturday may the final straw for a number of older long-term fans.

The final indignity for us to suffer is perhaps to have a Pornographer running the place. Not that unlikely as David Sullivan might decide to come back to Cardiff, as he's a Penarth lad originally, once 'arry has bankrupted them properly and Tan is bored of his toy.

The Dildo Daves have their faults, and do have a rather grubby background, but at least they are proper West Ham fans. Gold in particular makes real efforts to reach out to the fans on a regular basis. And they have put a lot of their own (as opposed to borrowed) money into the club.

Sorry about that - it was a cheap shot. I'd rather have them than our current owner - it's just I was stretching for what else could go wrong. I think MDS has just reminded me what is possible.

I sympathise with where you find yourself - though I didn't expect to hear myself saying that after the 2008 FA cup final. The collapse after that pinnacle was pretty spectacular and rapid.

I've got some friends who are Pompey supporters and I hope you can 'do a Swansea' in terms of fan involvement and success (another team I didn't expect to find myself praising). Im my lifetime Cardiff has always been a division 2/3 club in the original league structure before the greedy league and chumpionship were invented, so I expect we will meet back there not too long into the future if you can just hold it together long enough to stay in the league.

If you go down then it has taken Newport an awfully long time to make the climb back. So try and avoid it at all costs if you can - though the lower leagues do have their consolations in terms of gallows humour!

Thanks for those thoughts PB. New manager threatening current players with a clear out in the January transfer window unless they improve fast so I'm hopeful we can avoid the drop to the Skrill league or whatever it's called these days.  With an average home gate of about 15,000 it's faintly ridiculous that we're even in this position but when was footie ever logical?

Hope you hang onto Mackay. If any manager can keep you in the PL he can.

MDS 

I work about half way between Southampton and Portsmouth - and even the Saints supporters are feeling sorry for Pompey. Not sure that it will last though 

I hope you can hold it together long enough to stop the downward momentum while still in League 2. As you say with gates of that size you should be able to find a way to progress upwards. On the other hand if you are still going to watch them then you're one of the fans who are likely to just enjoy the football no matter which league you are in. It's like listening to a Qute or 555 system - both bring pleasure but for different reasons. With one it's quite serious, with the other it's just fun.

I can recall enjoying watching Cardiff in all the divisions as there is always some hope of improvement at some stage. I also recall the joy to be had from a free kick that actually went on target - actually that still applies come to think of it

On the Mackay front, I think that all parties would be better off with a parting of the ways unless our owner has a road to Damascus conversion. No one works well with the constant threat of being sacked hanging over them.

It's an odd one because I am pretty certain Tan just wants to be loved - he just can't help himself in being an idiot at the moment as he assumes he can just buy success and the love of the fans. You can tell no-one's ever stood up to him before and he just doesn't seem to be able to connect to real people in a way that allows us to connect back. When he was with us at Wembley his stock was never higher - then he decided to take away those things that make a football club to try and make us successful. I don't think it was done with anything but the best intentions but his refusal to consult or listen was the start of the downward slope unfortunately.

Anyhow - I hope we can beat Soton on Boxing Day and make your Xmas slightly brighter

Gosh, Chris.  That's a turn-up. Rivalry is fierce if not downright bitter.  Mind you, when my lot were riding mid-table in the PL under 'Arry and that lot down the coast dropped into tier 3 with their own financial difficulties I think a few of us Pompey didn't actually want to see them go out of business.  I think we footie fans need the passion of a hated local rival.

It would and I hope you do, too.

Funny with these foreign owners. They want to be loved and they want the publicity that comes with the PL but they just don't understand that in essence the club's supporters are the club.  For all the ribbing that the two WHFC owners get because of how they made their money I think they understand this truth because, as does Dave Whelan at Wigan, they are footie fans themselves.

..... but would you invite either of them to Christmas lunch - I know that I wouldn't. 

Kevin

Its started to get interseting down at the bottom !!

Will you be coming to our gaff on New Years Day ?

Mista H

To be fair, there aren't many footballers i'd invite round for lunch!

I don't do the away trips because I don't trust the Police - especially in London. Unfortunately, for many Police the arrival of the Welsh is an opportunity for a ruck where they can blame us with the force of the law behind them. Sad really.

Well PB, I was disappointed your lot didn't turn over Soton but our first win in ten compensated somewhat.  

Re the PL, looks like the relegation fight is going to be as interesting as the competition for the title. From Stoke in 10th place and below, everyone looks vulnerable. Glad my local club Palace is having a bit of a resurgence under Pulis. They looked dead 'n' buried a few weeks back. 

A win for Pompey today. It's a small miracle.

For which I and my son are very, very grateful

I know, let's hope this is the turning point.

.... and Southampton and Bournemouth  

Also United won away without me - again. Although to be fair going to Hull for a12.45 kick off on Boxing Day from where I live was always unlikely