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Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust was made aware by a number of its members of a problem in respect of the non-activation of their season tickets leading to entrance problems at turnstiles. The Trust understands that the problem was quite widespread at the Aston Villa game and to a lesser extent at the Sheffield United game.

Trust chairman Keith Morgan has been in discussion with the club’s senior management over the issue and we can report back to supporters as follows:

“The club was aware of the problem, which was caused by a software issue. Alternative procedures were put in place as soon as the problem was identified and the club is currently in discussions with the system provider to try and eradicate the problem as soon as practicable and, if possible, ahead of the next home game.”

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Football fans are campaigning for safe standing to be offered at stadiums in England and Wales following its introduction at Celtic’s Parkhead Stadium in Glasgow.

Shrewsbury Town supporters have launched a crowdfunding campaign for the so-called rail seating to be installed. Bristol Rovers’  president has also said he is keen to install it when their ground is redeveloped while Liverpool fans voed overwhelmingly in favour of bringing rail seats to football stadiums in the EFL’s top two divisions.

Commenting on the developments, Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust chairman Keith Morgan said: “There is a growing demand from football fans for safe standing to be available in grounds across Wales and England.

“Cardiff City Supporters Trust has long been involved in the issue of safe standing at football. Several years ago we hosted a presentation in the old Ninian Park pub to local politicians , the media and senior management of the club to display and explain the rail seating system and this was very favourably received.

“The overriding problem with safe standing at grounds in the top two divisions is that it still requires a change of legislation in England and Wales before a start could be made on considering the practicalities of installing rail seating or similar.

“Shrewsbury’s stadium, although all-seater,  is not required to be so by law. So they can make use of  a process recently put in place by the Sports Ground Safety Authority to enable EFL clubs not subject to all-seater legislation to apply for consent to install rail seating.”

“As a Trust, we will be active and supportive of the principal of safe standing. When developments make this possible we will work with the club and supporters to help implement such a scheme. We believe that fans who want to stand should be allowed to do so in a designated area and that will improve the atmosphere in grounds on match-days.”

A Message from Trust chair Keith Morgan

With the new season 2017-18 now imminent, there appears to be a new air of positivity and excitement amongst us supporters. The uplift in fortunes following Neil Warnock`s appointment as manager part-way through last season after what can only be described as a dire, uninspiring, start to the season, lifted the spirits of the fan base. The football was better, the relationship between fans and the management team grew as the season progressed, and people started to look forward rather than dwell too much on past problems.

Some fans may have had the opportunity to see many of our new summer signings playing in the pre-season friendlies but, for most of us, it will be either Burton away on Saturday, Portsmouth in the cup next week or Villa at home in the league on August 12 which will be the first chance to see most of them in action. Neil Warnock has certainly made several additions to the squad to refresh it and I think it now far more accurately represents the squad, he believes, is good enough for a promotion challenge this coming season.

Several players have also left the club, some because of the ongoing efforts to reduce the club`s wage bill and make it more financially stable and compliant with the Financial Fair Play (Profitability and Sustainability) regulations, but also because few of them were likely to be regular squad members in the future. Some further departures are likely before the transfer deadline at the end of this month.

I think that all fans will join me in wishing Neil Warnock and his team, with the support of the club`s board of directors and owner, the very best for the season and to give our support to his plans by turning up for games in as great a number as possible. Working together, we can only get better and stronger.

Off the field, the Trust continues its dialogue with the club`s board on key issues such as Financial Fair Play and the owner`s ongoing plans to convert all of his debt into equity to make the club debt free. These discussions at a senior level will continue on a regular basis throughout the coming season and beyond. In addition, the Trust continues to develop its relationship with the club`s Foundation, working on joint projects to help further the club`s relationship with the communities it serves. As always, any members of the Trust who would like to get more involved in its activities, at board level or otherwise, are most welcome.

Again, let us hope for a successful and enjoyable season. In what will be my 56^th consecutive season as a fan (please feel free to comment that I don`t look old enough), I am more optimistic than I have been for very many of those seasons. Onwards and upwards.

 Keith

Statement from the Board of Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust

The Trust board was made aware in December last year that under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Society Act of 2014, the registration of the Cardiff City Supporters Society Ltd (the registered name for the Trust) had been cancelled because of a failure to submit annual returns to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and its predecessor between December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2015.

This was a result of significant administrative and communication shortcomings. These errors arose because there were not checks in place to ensure that all accounts, AGM minutes etc, which had been completed and approved by members at those AGMs, had been submitted to the FCA. Also the board was unaware that the FCA had not been notified of a change of address of the registered office for the old society, so that any notifications of non-filing were not brought to the attention of the board.

The board wishes to apologise to members for these unacceptable errors.

We would like to reassure members that during the period in question our accounts were certified annually by qualified, independent chartered accountants and there has been no financial impropriety, which has been recognised by the FCA.  There was, however, a failure under the act to submit them to the FCA as required.

As a result of the removal of registration, the board has been restructured. In addition, a new Company Secretary has been appointed.

Once we were made aware of the cancellation of the registration, we immediately contacted Supporters’ Direct (SD), the umbrella organisation for all Trusts, for advice on the way forward.

As a consequence, it was agreed with FCA and SD that the only available option was to apply for a new registration. This has been done in the new corporate name of Bluebirds Supporters’ Society Limited, although the Trust will still be known by its “trading” name of Cardiff City Supporters’ Trust.

We have met all the requested requirements of the FCA and are now awaiting confirmation that the re-registration of the society can take place.

Once registered, all assets of the old company will transfer across to the new company. There will be no need to change membership standing orders etc. as bank details will remain the same. We will then arrange a meeting of members to formalise the new arrangements. We hope that this can take place as soon as possible.

Once again, we would like to apologise for the failures identified and assure members that important lessons have been learnt. We are confident that measures are in place to ensure that this cannot happen again and we can now look forward to a positive future.

Roger Andrews (right), sculptor of the Fred Keenor statue, has visited the exhibition at the Cardiff Story Museum in the basement of the Old Library, The Hayes, where his 3ft maquette has gone on display.

Roger was joined by Fred’s nephew, Graham Keenor (middle) and David Craig, vice chair of the Trust, who was the project manager on the statue appeal which raised £85,000 for the full size statue, which stands proudly outside the Cardiff City Stadium. The statue will have been in place for five years this November and it has become a focal point at the stadium.

The exhibition dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the FA Cup win runs until September. There are displays in five cases and more cases to be added, so worth a quick visit for any City fan wanting to see some great memorabilia. The 3ft maquette is normally on display inside the stadium.

• A family fun day will be staged on Sunday (April 23) between 10am and 3pm at the museum. The sport inspired event focusing on a family craft day costs just £1 per child. It is held exactly 90 years after the cup win, when Cardiff City became the only team ever to take the trophy out of England.