No Cause To Celebrate?
Thursday, 3rd Mar 2005 00:00

Cardiff's Crisis - Cause To Celebrate?

The financial crisis at Ninian Park has caused much mirth and merriment amongst the Swans supporters this week, pleased that finally some Cardiff fans are seeing what it is like having their club taken to the brink of some very serious problems. But in reality is the impending crisis at Ninian Park good news for Welsh football as a whole?

It's a question and a very good one at that. For the four years I have run this site, there have been numerous Cardiff posters on the site enjoying our spell in the lower divisions, the CVA, the Tony Petty days and the brush with the Conference two years ago. They enjoyed the worry, the stress and everything that went with it. These people in general didn't really worry about the history or what it would mean to lose another Welsh club purely because a large majority of those spouting the rubbish had only jumped on the bandwagon a few years back when the 'dream' was built of Wales football club being based at Ninian Park.

The people that had been there and seen it all, sat back and enjoyed the ride that Sam was creating for them whilst quietly hoping that we would avoid the drop to the conference and come through our own troubles. I remember guesting on a Radio Wales phone in with Mike Morris and NigelBlues from cardiffcity.com during that near relegation season and both of them said on air that they hoped we would survive because Welsh football needed it's three league clubs.

I firmly believe that statement to be true. Wales does need three league clubs and it most certainly does not need two of them having their existence threatened. As much as being Wales sole league club sounds great, is the reality that good for us? To be one sole entrant in a competition amongst 91 other English clubs?

Don't get me wrong on this one, I'm not bothered if Cardiff fall a division or two over the course of the next few years but we need them to survive. If they do head towards administration then I don't envisage myself chipping in with the odd £ here and there to help them along but I most certainly would not want to see them slip from the footballing map.

They are worrying statements coming from Ninian Park as far as Cardiff City fans are concerned. The fact that the wages don't seem to be being paid until after the weekend suggests not an admin error but a cashflow problem that will be temporarily relieved by whatever gate receipts they generate on the weekend. A test of faith as well that will be for the bandwagon jumpers - will they still want to know now the financial bite has hit? Talk of players leaving to reduce the wage bill and free transfers their only source of new players suggests struggle on the pitch to go with the problems off it. For those that have been around for a while they will know that the reality could happen - some believe that it will be avoided still because their club is not too big. Sorry guys, but that is delusion, it can happen and unless you do something about it then it will happen. No club is above those form of problems - ask Leeds United?

But I'm straying from the point. I really don't see how the possible demise of Cardiff City is good news for us. A fall from grace is worth a smile, a relegation or two is worth a chuckle or two from our direction but they have to stay in business. We want them to to keep Welsh clubs in the league and surely also because it would be nice to have a rival this side of the bridge? And if we can sit above them as we have done for large periods in the last 30 years then all the better.

Good luck to Cardiff in their battle I say, let's hope the fall is just a peg or two and not into a black hole though?

Photo: Action Images

Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.