Trust News

The Welsh Government issued the following Press release. Below the release is a statement from David Craig, project manager for the appeal:

Sport Minister supports legendary footballer’s statue

An appeal for a permanent memorial to legendary footballer Fred Keenor has taken a step forward thanks to £5,000 funding from the Welsh Government.

The funding is to help secure a further grant from Cardiff Council who committed £15,000 towards the building of the statue subject to the appeal raising the balance of their funding target.

Fred Keenor captained Cardiff City FC during their historic 1927 FA Cup win. Cardiff City Supporters Trust is fundraising to erect a permanent statue of the Welshman outside City’s stadium in Leckwith.

The footballer spent almost 20 years at the club from 1912 to 1931, during which time he served in the First World War. After leaving City in 1931 he played for Crewe Alexandra and later Oswestry Town and Tunbridge Wells.

Fred Keenor was capped 32 times for Wales and was part of the Welsh team that won the British Home Championships in 1920, 1924 and 1928.

Announcing the funding Sport Minister Huw Lewis said: “Cardiff City’s 1927 FA Cup win was a historic moment not only for the city but for the whole of Wales. This statute will be fitting tribute to a true Welsh sporting legend and comes at a time when Welsh football at both club and national level is storming ahead.

“I will be in Wembley this weekend cheering on the Bluebirds in the Carling Cup final. I wish the players and coaching staff the very best of luck in the match.”

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “Fred Keenor is an iconic figure for this city and the image of him lifting the cup is one that is very special for the people of Cardiff.

“I think it is right and proper that we have a statue immortalising Fred and the achievements of the Bluebirds on that very special day back in 1927.

“Fred Keenor was also a prominent Welsh International, winning 32 caps for his country and I am delighted that Cardiff Council is able to contribute towards the building of this statue.”

David Craig, project manager of the Fred Keenor Statue Appeal, said: “We’d like to thank the Welsh Sports Minister Huw Lewis and the Welsh Government for generously supporting the appeal.

“Fred Keenor was not only a Cardiff City hero. who captained the club to FA Cup glory in 1927, but a Welsh legend who skippered his nation to great success at a time when top footballers were not the highly-paid stars they are today. Football fans believe Fred’s remarkable achievements need to be recognised with a statue outside the Cardiff City Stadium.

“We’d particularly like to acknowledge the tremendous support we have had from Julie Morgan, the Cardiff North AM and her colleague, Cardiff West AM Mark Drakeford, who presented our case to the Minister, other Assembly Members that supported us and those fans who contacted the Minister on behalf of the appeal.

“The donation from the Welsh Government, and the £15,000 pledged by Cardiff council, means the fund now stands at £66,000 – just £19,000 from our target. That target will be reduced by several thousand pounds further after this weekend thanks to Cardiff City Supporters’ Club and several independent coach operators who are donating £1 from each fan they take to Wembley for the Carling Cup Final.”

A fundraising quiz organised by the Wrexham Supporters’ Trust, owners of the football club, is being staged in Cardiff next month. Full details are on the poster on the left.

We’re delighted to announce that just a few pounds short of £600 was raised for the statue appeal at the Leeds United anniversary evening at the Cardiff City Stadium last night.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed – either through the raffle or buying some of the Fred Keenor memorabilia. You are so generous.

We’ll be holding a raffle in aid of the Keenor Appeal at next Tuesday’s 10^th anniversary celebration of the FA Cup win over Leeds United.

The prizes are:

A  signed Cardiff City shirt from the 2010-11 season

A  Fred Keenor Statue Appeal T-shirt signed by 2011-12 players

A  framed picture of Scott Young signed by the man himself, along with a terrace ticket from the Leeds game and a ticket from the 2003 Division 2 Play Off Final, also within the frame. We’ll also be asking Graham Kavanagh, Andy Legg and Robert Earnshaw to add their signatures to the back of the picture.

A limited edition Fred Keenor miniature statue, which is numbered.

We ask those attending to show their usual generosity for the statue appeal, which has reached £46,000 with £15,000 due to come from Cardiff council.

Tickets will be £3 for a strip and £5 for two strips.

The Fred Keenor Statue Committee is appealing to all Bluebirds’ travel groups to add a £1 per person surcharge to coach fares to the Carling Cup Final for the appeal fund.

Independent operators Dave Sugarman and Carl Curtis have pledged to follow the Cardiff City Supporters’ Club (CCSC) which announced the initiative after the Bluebirds reached the Wembley Final.

The appeal committee would also like all supporters – whether they are travelling by car, train or minibus – to make a donation of £1 each.

Vince Alm of CCSC said: “It’s an honour to be able to get involved in this very worthy cause. The appeal is something that every true Cardiff City fan will support.”

Independent coach operator Dave Sugarman, who regularly runs buses to away games from the north Cardiff area, said: “This is a terrific initiative from the Supporters’ Club and it should raise a lot of money for the Fred Keenor appeal.

“I’m taking two buses to Wembley and everyone who is travelling with me will be paying an extra pound towards the statue, so, hopefully, the rest of the coach organisers will follow suit.”

Carl Curtis, who helps to run www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk and organises coach travel for its members, said:  “I am organising four coaches to Wembley, having already started collecting for the Fred Keenor Statue Fund on previous trips and will continue to do so for each away trip until the end of the season. Hopefully, we can reach the target for the fund and have the statue erected outside the Cardiff City Stadium in the not too distant future.”

David Craig, the appeal fund’s project manager, said: “We would like to thank CCSC for this fantastic initiative and Dave Sugarman and Carl Curtis for pledging their support.

“This statue is for every Cardiff City fan and I hope other independent coach operators will follow suit. Also, we’d be delighted if those fans that travel by mini-bus, car or train will also make a £1 donation each so we can get to our target of £85,000 quickly.” Cardiff fans will have 31,000 tickets for the Carling Cup Final.

The appeal to raise a statue to Cardiff City legend Fred Keenor has reached a landmark total of £45,000.That means the appeal committee will now be able to apply for £15,000 promised by Cardiff council once invoices for the work carried out by artist Roger Andrews have been received and paid. That leaves £25,000 still to be raised.

Details of how to make donations through the bank can be obtained by e-mailing fundraising@ccfctrust.org

Donations can also be made at the Trust office (near Gate 5) on match days while cheques can also be sent c/o CCST to PO Box 4254, Cardiff, CF14 8FD. Please add the words “Fred Keenor Appeal” on the top of the envelope.