Monthly Archive: March 2012

City fan Dave Tidball, who lives in Oakland, California, has written about his experience on Carling Cup Final. Dave is formerly from Fairwater.

So I was looking for a way to watch the Carling Cup final. The bar where I’d watched City lose to Pompey in the ’08 FA Cup final wasn’t going to show it, so I ended up going over to San Francisco to an Irish bar called “Danny Coyle’s” on Haight Street.

It’s the kind of establishment which opens early in the morning every day, but at the weekend they start at 5am to accommodate football maniacs who need to get their British Soccer fix live. I got there at about 7:45 and found a place at the bar next to some disgruntled Spurs fans who were trying to recover from the shock of their collapse against Arsenal. The Gunners’ supporters were at the other end of the bar in a wonderful mood.

By the time the Final started, there were about 15 Liverpool supporters in evidence, including the bartender. They all seemed to be Americans, which is cool, proving that the drama of the EPL has caught on all over, especially support for the more glamorous teams. The only British accent I heard was one of the aforementioned Spurs fans, a man of about my age who grimaced ruefully when I remarked that his team could have done with the likes of Mike England that day.

It didn’t appear that there were any City supporters besides myself and it was confirmed when Mason slotted home the first goal and I leapt up and roared against a background of silence. It was a great game and I was having a blast. When Turner equalised at the end of AET I was off my barstool again and ordering with a hoarse voice a third pint of Guinness (11 am) from a stunned barman.

Somehow, the penalty drama and the disappointment didn’t seem to affect me too much – I was really proud of the boys. The barman offered me another pint on the house for being such a good sport, but I told him I had to drive back across the Bay Bridge and it wouldn’t be such a good idea. He said I could take a raincheck on the beer and I remarked that I might be back to claim it if they show the Championship playoffs. Leaving the bar, I imagined someone leaning over and asking of his neighbour “Who was that crazy guy?”

The answer: “Him? He’s the Lone Welshman….”

The Trust organised for more than 20 members of Cardiff ’s two synagogues to visit the Cardiff City Stadium before the recent game against Burnley.

The families were shown around the dressing rooms where the players kit was laid out, the wash room where the kits are cleaned and the press centre before taking that all important picture on the pitch. They then had lunch on Level 4 before taking their seats in the Family Stand.

Trust Chair, Tim Hartley, who organised the day said, “The visit by the Jewish community is part of the Trust’s community work to try to give as many people as possible the chance to enjoy watching the Bluebirds. It was great to see the youngsters get a peep behind the scenes on a match day and it was all I could do to get them out the changing room before kick off. They were really excited. Many thanks to Phil Halligey and the staff at the stadium for giving us such a warm welcome.”

Members of the two Cardiff synagogues visit the Cardiff City Stadium

Neil Schwarz from Cardiff ’s Synagogue said, “It was great to have a look behind the scenes. Some of us remember the good old Ninian Park facilities and for the youngsters it was great to see what makes things happen at the games. I would like to thank Tim and the Trust for organising this and particularly for working with the Jewish community.”

Following the success of the visit to the stadium the Trust is organising a family football match against the synagogues on Sunday, April 22.

Mark Watkins

Keen amateur photographer Mark Watkins has captured the Cardiff City’s final season at Ninian Park through his camera lens – and the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal will snap up the profits.

Our Ninian Park, which features more than 250 colour photographs along with a history of the ground, memories from fans and a foreword by former star striker Carl Dale, is being launched at the Millwall game on March 31.

Mark and Cardiff City Supporters Club (CCSC) have kindly agreed that all profits from the book will be donated to the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal.

Mark, 46, who is vice chair of CCSC, said: “I’ve been a keen photographer for a few years and decided to take as many pictures as possible during Ninian’s last year to preserve it just as it was in its final days. I suppose the book itself was a labour of love – our new stadium is fantastic and is just what we needed to progress as a football club, but it’ll never quite replace the affection I felt for Ninian Park.

“The weekend’s spent on the sparse terraces as fans deserted us in droves and the club lurched ever closer to oblivion were I suppose character building to say the least, but I loved the place and it’ll forever feel a part of me.”

Mark’s father first took him to Ninian Park in December 1973 when he was eight-years-old when City beat Sunderland 4-1 with Alan Farrington getting a hat-trick.

“He started taking me regularly during the 1975-76 promotion season and I’ve been watching Cardiff ever since. I was a regular at home and away games during the dark days of the 1980’s and 1990’s, so to be able to see Cardiff play at Wembley in two major cup finals in recent years has been a dream come true and shows the fantastic progress made by the club.”

Cardiff born and bred Mark lives in Caerau and works as an IT systems analyst in the legal sector. He has been a committee member of CCSC since 1991 and also presents the Cardiff City Phone-In on GTFM every Wednesday.

David Craig, project manager of the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal, said: “This is a fantastic gesture from Mark and CCSC and I urge fans to buy what is an excellent photographic history of the last season at Ninian Park – and help the appeal reach its target of £85,000.” The appeal has so far raised just over £70,000.

• The book will be launched at the Millwall game on March 31^st at a special launch-day price of £9.99 from the Cardiff City Superstore and the supporters’ club and supporters trust’s offices at the stadium, along with bookshops and online from Amazon.

The Trust has been challenged to a charity match against a team from the two Cardiff synagogues.

Funds raised will go to the Fred Keenor statue appeal.

Sunday,  April 22 – kick off 2-30 p.m.

St Joseph’s field, Crystal Wood Road off Maesycoed Road, Heath, Cardiff

This is a friendly match with players aged 13 and older.

If you want to play then please email help@ccfctrust.org

Mark Watkins of Cardiff City Supporters Club is publishing a book of photographs cataloguing the final season at Ninian Park.

It contains more than 250 colour photographs along with a history of the ground, memories from fans and a foreword by striker Carl Dale.

Thanks to Mark, also a Trust member, and CCSC all profits from this book will be donated to the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal. What a fantastic gesture.

The book will be launched at the Millwall game on March 31^st at a special launch-day price of £9.99 from the Cardiff City Superstore  and the supporters’ club and supporters’ trust’s offices at the stadium, along with bookshops and online from Amazon.

Don’t forget to get your copy early to avoid disappointment as numbers are limited.