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City 1 Wycombe 0
Entry No. 20 - Saturday, August 11, 2001
Cardiff City opened their Division Two campaign with a 1-0 win over Wycombe Wanderers today before 17,403 at Ninian Park. According to the Real Radio postgame show the big throng was the largest opening day gathering for a Bluebird opener in 30 years.
By all accounts City did not play especially well over all, but did dominate the first 25 minutes. During that spell, Danny Gabbidon managed to net the game's only goal at the 17-minute mark. After that torrid start, City cooled off a good bit and Wycombe came back into the game. Reports have it that City came out in the second half to play defense and did so with considerable success.
At the end of his report, available at Cardiff City Online, master report writer Nigelblues put it this way:
All you could say at 90 minutes was a win's a win. The balance of the team didn't look right, some players are still getting to know each other and further strengthening may well be needed if City are to make a real impact (a striker with real presence seemingly the main priority).
We'll play far better than this over the season and not get a result but the win was all that mattered today and we got it. Welcome back to Div 2 City, we now know what it's all about.
The win is only City's second at home to open a season since beating Luton Town 2-1 at Ninian Park on the first day of the 1972-73 season. It extends City's unbeaten run in league matches at Ninian Park to 25 games, just two short of the club mark.
While City was winning the opener, I was in the chat room following the action as described by "dud." Don't know who "dud is but he did a good job filling in for Gill Sam, the room's regular "action describer." Gill was at the game! The netcast over the official site was messed up and only the last 20-25 minutes were actually broadcast.
A good chat room crowd, topping out at about 40, featured mostly international roomsters. Adelaide Rob, Aussie Bluebird, melb blue, ozz bluebird, PerthBlue, SouthOzBlue, and Sydney Blue represented a sizeable Aussie contigent. Room members sporting Europe-based monikers included Dubrovnik Blues (in Croatia), Guernsey Blue, majorica blue, and tony b in portugal. Among the UK-based members (outside of Wales) were Chesterblooo, Nottingham Blue, Shutty (Notts), and Watford Blue. US representatives included Bluebirds over Florida, Leicester Blue (in Arizona), middletown (yours truly), newyorkwelsh, Philly Taff, richie in america (from Cardiff but "on holiday" in Detroit of all places), and yank (location unknown). One I couldn't place was bergenbluebirds. Bergen, New Jersey? Bergen, Norway? Don't know.
Asia and the Middle East had representatives too -- HongKongBlues, Japan Blue, and UAE Blue. Nobody from South America, though! Or Antarctica.
City Grab More Headlines
Entry No. 19 - Friday, August 10, 2001
On the eve of the first day of the Nationwide campaign, Cardiff City have grabbed more headlines by putting in a bid for two of Huddersfield Town's best players, striker Andy Booth and defender Chris Lucketti. The Leaguematters.com site has the full story. Lou Macari, the Huddersfield manager is accusing City of making an illegal approach, but it's looking as though this is an official bid and well advanced at that. Lucketti is reported as already in Cardiff for talks, with Booth expected on Monday. Huddersfield is denying that Lucketti's been to Cardiff. They're also saying that Booth is in their plans for the new season and isn't going anywhere. Reports have it, though, that Huddersfield is strapped for cash. We'll have to fill in the blanks as best we can over the next few days, I guess.
If City get these two, Sam's revolution will be nearly complete. Add Booth and Lucketti to the other new signings, all of whom started against Coventry August 1 -- Alexander, Hamilton, Kavanagh, Prior, and Simpkins -- and only four places remain for Bluebirds carried over from last season's promotion winners. Let's say Booth and Lucketti do come into the side. Who would these four be? If City goes with a 4-4-2, which holdovers would start? I'd guess only Gabbidon and Weston in the back, Legg in midfield, and Earnshaw up front.
It's a bit scary contemplating how many City regulars might have a tough time getting a game. Imagine Boland, Bonner, Bowen, Brayson, Evans, Fortune-West, Gordon, Hughes, Low, and Young all reduced to scrapping for a place on the bench. My thought here is that Alan Cork will have to do one whale of a job of man management to keep so many of last year's starters happy with their new, straitened circumstances. Can he do it? You have to wonder.
City's Bright Prospects Making Headlines
Entry No. 18 - Thursday, August 9, 2001
City are getting a fair amount of play in news stories over in the UK today. With the season about to start, write-ups on the new campaign are all over the airwaves and newstands. On the air today, Talksport hosts Adrian Durham and Alvin Martin are taking calls on the Second Division. The Talksport site includes pundit predictions and previews for Division 2, both of which include City big time. City are not just an afterthought; they're a factor in these features. Talksport offers six sets of predictions from their on-air talent. Only two of the six list City as a top-six finisher, but one of the two, Alvin Martin, picks City to win the division! Planet Football's Division Two Preview begins with discussion of . . . wait for it . . . Cardiff City. Here's a quote: "Cardiff City are, understandably, everybody's favourites to walk away with the Second Division title after extensive dealings in the summer transfer market." Who does Planet Football pick to win the Second Division crown? Why, Cardiff City of course.
The Times gives City even bigger play. They've got a lead story entitled "Fans Reaching for the Stars with Hammam's City Revolution"; this piece serves as the lead for the paper's countdown to the Second Division kickoff and makes fun reading. Dig this quote:
While Liverpool and Manchester United fans will be painting Cardiff its traditional red this weekend, the local faithful will be shouting for the team
in the blue corner. Promoted last year and inspired by Sam Hammam's renowned charisma and cash, Cardiff City start their Nationwide League second division campaign on Saturday with impatient expectation. If "Sam's Dream" comes true, it will not be long before Cardiff are also filling the Millennium Stadium for showpiece matches and the likes of Ryan Giggs and David Beckham grace the field
in a blue shirt."
Awesome stuff, eh?! I'm sure more's out there too, but I'll stop there. For now.
City Mention on Cincinnati Radio
Entry No. 17 - Wednesday, August 8, 2001
Scraping old paint off the bedroom windows today in advance of repainting 'em. This gives me the excuse to do something I don't do too often anymore: listen to what passes for sports talk radio here in middle America. Anyway, I've got 1360 AM tuned in (a Cincinnati station) and just about fall off my stool when I hear the words
"Spencer Prior," "newly promoted," and "sheep testicles" coming over the airwaves.
Turns out that during a commercial break from the nationally syndicated Jim Rome Show, the local talk host Lance McAllister's 15- to 20-second show promo of the day airs, touting the details of Prior's City contract as "the strangest contract in sports history," or words to that effect. Not sure if McAllister uttered the magic words
"Cardiff City" (which would have been an area first), as I was just coming back into the room when I caught the clip. All such promos always showcase the host's bulletproof wit (and simultaneous pandering to the audience), of course, so McAllister's take on the contract had to be oh so clever. Here it is: "What would you rather do -- eat sheep testicles or play soccer?" Lame or what? Come on Lance, you can do better than that. Way better. My guess is that
the promo I heard is an outtake of a commentary McAllister offered up earlier in the week. I'll try to call the show later today and find out -- and set him straight about the greatest football club the world has ever known, among other things.
This story's actually getting into the mix on "All Sports 1360 Homer" says two things. The first thing is that "soccer" is an object of absolute, unrelenting derision on American sports radio. Of course, they're scared to death of it. The major sports here all sport ailing TV ratings and the last thing wanted is any further erosion in market share. So, footy is portrayed as (a) an excuse for hooligans to lob
bags or urine at each other over phalanxes of hungry police dogs (Jim Rome's take), (b) a sport played only by boys afraid of playing real football (and so under the control of their bluenosed soccer moms), or (c) a really, really bad spectator sport nobody watches because the games all end up 0-0 and then don't even go into overtime!
The second thing is that Sam must be one of the top publicity geniuses in UK football, if not world sports history. To get a Second Division English football club a mention on "soccer"-hating American sports radio is no mean achievement. (I'm sure Mr. Lance got the story from some U. S. sports page or sports talk show as there's no way he checks any UK media, so the Spencer Prior news item has to be making the rounds over here.) I mean, I seriously doubt
that the words "Manchester United" have ever even been uttered on Cincinnati Radio unless connected somehow to Posh Spice. Sam -- you're the best!
That Dismal Dungeon
Entry No. 16 - Wednesday, August 8, 2001
On the mailing list today, Scott Thomas noted that reading the Telegraph's Division 3 club-by-club guide "RE-INFORCED QUITE HOW DEPRESSING DIVISION 3 IS." Couldn't agree more. How great is it that City doesn't have to go 'round the cowsheds again this year?
Mention of how dismal the dungeon's become reminds me of another way in which the league's basement has become unusually gloomy. It isn't just the play on the pitch. It's the sorriness of the front offices as well. I refer to the club chairmen's voting against the Conference's proposal that two clubs be promoted to the dungeon and the bottom two dungeon clubs be relegated to the Conference.
This should have passed. It didn't. Wasn't even close.
Tells you something about the confidence league chairmen have in their sides. Like, no confidence. They're terrified that, with how bad they really are, they'd never get back to the league following relegation. They're no doubt right too, at least now with the one-up, one-down system in place. Just look at recent history. Doncaster Rovers, relegated in 1997-98 and not a serious run at the Conference crown since. Ditto Scarborough the next year. Ditto Chester in 1999-2000 and most likely ditto Barnet this year.
Missed in all of this is that, with a two-up two-down scheme, the Conference would probably be a much better division than it is now. I'd guess that sides like Dagenham, Stevenage, Telford and Yeovil could all make runs for at least midtable respectability in Division 3 and could play the likes of Carlisle, Exeter, and Halifax off the park.
The rot has set in at the bottom. Time for a clear out. Too bad it won't happen. Gotta say this, though: Who really cares. Ha. City won't be seen in the dungeon again for a very, very long time. He said.
Milton Keynes FC ?
Entry No. 15 - Monday, August 6, 2001
From the Terrace is running a story today by Scott Peasley, examining Wimbledon's announcement that they'll be moving along to Milton Keynes for the 2003-2004, once their spankin' new 30,000-seat stadium is ready for occupancy. Entitled "Wimbledon Relocation: the Fans' Reaction", Peasley's piece wonders about the likelihood of the move's ever actually happening, whether moving would mean a name change, what's to happen to Wimbledon's fans, and whether the relocation could succeed if the club doesn't get back to the Premiership.
The club's fans seem to be the key element. They're not too happy with the club's behind-the-scenes maneuvering and, if they're even willing to contemplate a move, are understandably suspicious about Wimbledon's assuring them the name won't be changed. Peasley opines that the new supporters in Milton Keynes would be unlikely to back a club named after the old locale. The concept does seem implausible. Would fans in L. A. have let the Dodgers keep the name Brooklyn upon arriving in Los Angeles? No way. Not even for a week. Peasley notes, as well, that Wimbledon may be vulnerable to the charge that they haven't exhausted other possible relocations schemes closer to home. The look of it is that Wimbledon just wants out of Selhurst Park and really doesn't want to explore too many options. They think they've got the winning option and are ready to run with it.
It's a bit comic imagining battle-hardened Wimbledon supporters, still bruised over the move from Plough Lane, now having to commute all the way to Milton Keynes for home games. Julie Welch has a story in today's Independent that offers this neat description of how very different the new surroundings would be:
MK, as its citizens call it, is 70 miles from Selhurst Park, for 10 years the reluctantly accepted home of displaced Dons. It's reached pretty quickly by train from Clapham Junction, but once beyond the maelstrom of London, the traveller is treated to a rural landscape of grazing horses, beet fields, farm machinery and duck ponds.
According to this article, the kicker is, however, that to make the move worthwhile Wimbledon may well need to get to the Premiership. I wonder about this. You'd think Milton Keynes would be so happy to have a league club that success at the gate wouldn't hinge on getting back to the top. It's hard to say, though. The English game hasn't seen the sort of franchise movement you get with the major sports in the U. S., so it's hard to know how a move like this would pan out. So many variables. So little in the way of a track record.
Intriguing here, too, is the role of the F. A. in approving such a move. In the U. S., clubs can get their own way pretty easily, manipulating their leagues' front offices to get what they want. Will the F. A. roll over and rubberstamp such a move? If they do, will it set off anything like the sort of Oklahoma land rush of franchise relocations we saw in the U.S. in the '50s? London's mighty crowded and there might be greener pastures hither and yon. If Brentford's wanting to move too, why maybe Orient or even Fulham might want to head for the hinterlands as well.
My guess is that this move won't happen. I have a feeling the supporters won't let it happen. Fans in the U.S. never succeeded in stopping a single move, but it's a different story in the U.K. Or, at least I think it is.
City's Postwar Openers
Entry No. 14 - Sunday, August 5, 2001
How have City fared in postwar season openers? Here's the data:
* Since World War II, City have won but 12 league openers. That's in 55 tries. The overall mark: 12 wins, 24 draws, 19 losses. At home the overall mark is 7-14-9, the away record 5-10-10.
* City have won league openers in successive seasons only once since World War II. In 1969-70, City won 3-2 at Carlisle, then in 1970-71 1-0 at Leicester. A win last year at Exeter gives City a chance of matching this less than spectacular feat on Saturday.
* While the overall 12-24-19 mark is not too terribly special, City have at least managed to run off a string of six straight without defeat in the last half dozen openers. Two wins and four draws in the last six league openers represent the longest unbeaten string since City's run of six without a loss from 69-70 to 74-75 (three wins, three losses).
* City have won but one opening-of-the-season match played at Ninian since a 2-1 pasting of Luton Town to start the 1972-73 campaign. That win came in 1993-94, a 2-0 triumph over Orient. Since 1972-73, City's mark at home in opening-of-the-season league matches is a none-too-robust one win, 8 draws, 6 losses.
* Then again City have not lost a first league game played at home since the 2-1 loss to Lincoln at Ninian to start the 1991-92 season. Since then, City have won once and drawn three times in league openers played at Ninian Park.
* City's biggest post-WWII win in a league opener? That would be the 4-0 thrashing of Leicester City in 1951-52. City would win promotion to Division One that year and a return to top-division football for the first time in 23 years.
* City's worst post-WWII setback in a league opener? That'd have to be the 4-0 whipping (at Ninian Park!) administered by Crystal Palace to kick off the 1968-69 campaign.
* The highest scoring post-WWII league opener? The 4-4 goalfest with Newcastle United at Ninian to start the 1962-63 season.
* There have been ten 0-0 league openers since WWII. One was the 1957-58 opener at Ninian against Swansea, the only City-JBs league opener lovefest since WWII. Another 0-0 opener, the 1956-57 opener at Arsenal.
* City went 25 years without playing to a 0-0 draw in a league opener, a string that was snapped by the scoreless draw with Scarborough to begin the 1990-91 campaign.
* City have spent seven seasons in the top flight of the league since WWII, but only once in those seven years did City get to open at home. That league opener came in 1955-56, when the Bluebirds blasted Sunderland 3-1. Oddly enough, when City went back down to Division 2 in 1962-63 (where they stayed for 13 straight years) they got to play seven straight league openers at home. Strange.
* And finally. How have City fared in post-WWII league openers following promotion-winning campaigns? Well, not too terribly well. Overall, the mark is one win, three draws, and four losses. That win, though, was the 2-0 Orient win in August, 1993, the one-and-only league opener won at home since 1972-73.
A Question on City's Opener with Wycombe
Entry No. 13 - Sunday, August 5
I got a question today on the mailing list regarding City's August 11 opener against last year's FA Cup semifinalists, Wycombe Wanderers. Huw Thomas asked, "When
did we last start our campaign against the previous seasons fa cup semi finalists? (as we do this year)?"
This question sent me off for a bout with the soccerbase.com FA Cup results database. I had a list of City's opening day opponents and results already written out, so the job was a lot easier than it might have been otherwise. Here's the outcome of my search:
The last time City opened against one of the previous season's FA Cup semifinalists was on August 20, 1955 when they bested Sunderland 3-1 at Ninian Park. Sunderland had reached the semifinals of the FA Cup
competition the year before, but lost in the semis to Manchester City 1-0 at Maine Road. This opener against Sunderland is noteworthy in another way: it marks the last time City opened a top division campaign at home.
Back in the 1920s, City opened a number of campaigns against the previous season's FA Cup semifinalists or finalists. Here's the list:
* City opened the 1921-22 season against Tottenham Hotspur at Ninian Park. Won by Spurs 1-0, this opener pitted the defending FA Cup champs (Spurs) against one of the previous season's cup semifinalists, the mighty Bluebirds. In 1920-21, Tottenham bested Preston 2-1 at White Hart Lane to get to the final, while City dropped a 3-1 replay to Wolves at Ninian Park in the other semifinal. City had battled Wolves to a 0-0 draw at Molineux to set up the replay.
* In 1922-23, City opened against Spurs again, this time at White Hart Lane. The opener ended in a 1-1 draw. In 1921-22, Spurs reached the semifinals of the FA Cup by beating the Bluebirds 2-1 in a quarterfinal replay at the Lane following a 1-1 draw at Ninian Park. Spurs lost the semifinal to Preston 2-1.
* In 1923-24, City kicked off the campaign with a rousing 3-2 win over defending FA Cup champions Bolton Wanderers at Ninian Park. Bolton won the world famous
"White Horse" Final against West Ham the previous season.
* City drew the 1924-45 opener at Burnley 0-0. The year before, Burnley had reached the semifinals of the 1924 FA Cup competition. Aston Villa defeated Burnley 3-0 in that semifinal at Villa Park.
There were, as well, a couple of other Cardiff City openers in the 1920s featuring the previous season's FA Cup finalists.
* In 1925-26, City opened at Manchester City, losing 3-2. The previous season, City made it to the FA Cup final, losing there 1-0 to Sheffield United.
* On August 27, 1927, Cardiff City ran out onto the hallowed turf of Ninian Park to open the new campaign as defending FA Cup champions against Bolton Wanderers, having defeated Arsenal 1-0 in the '27 final. City won the opener against Bolton 2-1.
It's been 46 years, then, since City opened a season against one of the previous year's FA Cup semifinalists. This opener with Wycombe marks the first time ever that a City side not playing top-tier football has met a semifinalist from the previous season on the first day of the new football campaign.
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