I love Cardiff more than you guys on here, I will tell you why. .......... years ago when I was a Rugby Referee, I was invited to the Welsh Rugby Unions Centenary dinner in Cardiff. After speaking to John Toshack, who was also a guest, I took my seat between two strangers, . I tried to converse with both of them, the one on my left was quite polite, but the one on my right was a right Asshole. Every time I spoke to him or asked him a question, he could not answer civilly, and asked what I wanted to know for. He was an ignorant pompous sod. ........ In the end, I turned on him, and told him not to be so rude, and to get on and eat his bloody food. ..... later on that night I discovered he was the Chairmam of CARDIFF Rugby club. He must have found out who I was, and surprise surprise, in all my time as a W.R.U. Ref, I refereed every first class club in Wales, aScotish select team in a centenary game in Scotland, The British Army in Newport, Marista the Argentina champions against Bridgend, and Touch Judge in a Welsh Inrernatioal, But, but, but , never once was I invited to take charge of a CARDIFF game,.... So you can see why I LOVE the sods Still they were great and busy times. EVERY mid week game the Swans played, I had to take my Son and two of his mates down to the Vetch, used to park off Walters road and walk down. So you can see why I have more reason than you to Lo.........HATE them. Could tell you more, but enough for now.
Nice one Victor ,I must admit to a dislike to them but now for me due to the inequality of investment in Wales rather than just football.I had some great mates when I was in the Army and not once did Swans v Cardiff rivalry come up although I do remember the wandering star song from paint your wagon sung with gusto walking down to the Vetch in the very early 70s so that predated my joining up .They are a strange lot with a self entitlement which really would exceed all expectations by the rest of us. My first game my father ever took me to was to Ninian Park when Toshack was playing for them , I have no idea who they were playing or what the score was so it obviously wasn’t a life defining moment , he never took me again for which I’ve been eternally grateful ever since.
I just hate the ****ing scum bastards in every aspect of life. Football, pies, shops, parks, roads, pubs the lot. Biggest bunch of ****ers in the known universe, **** Cardiff
Bertie Mee said to Bill Shankly have you ever heard of Cardiff AFC? Shanks said No! I don't think so but, I've heard of the Swansea agro
For Taff and Victor maybe for different reasons https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport...ok&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wales_rugby
Dai Morris and Wilson Lauder, played once when I started Reffing,, .... Great back row for Neath. Later on I reffed when Brian Thomas was Captain, they were playing an English team, and when the ball was kicked into touch for the first line out, Brian pushed past me saying " come on Neath, our ball they haven't got their hand bags with them today". when it was obviously the opposition ball. As he pushed past me , I said ....... F... off Brian. He just glanced at me and grinned. ........ Perhaps I should mention that he was also my manager at Felindre works at the time when Iwas there. What a bloody sight to see Brian Thomas, and Gareth Thomas (an old Neath scrum half) both riding round the works on a bloody Lambreta scooter. ....................... R.I.P.
You get to know how to talk to various players as you got more experience, you could not talk the same way to Paul Thornburn the same way as you talked to Big Bri Thomas. ..... If you gave Neath a penalty, it was always " Sir " with Thorburn, Wher Sir, there Sir, or here Sir. Felt like telling him. Three bags full Sir. Other players were good, others just bloody cheeky. ....... " got eyes in the back of your bloody head" or ...... " Had a new bloody whistle for Xmas have you. ....... But all in all they were a bloody great lot.
I remember Thorburn being a guest speaker at Skewen RFC for a company function , what a quiet unassuming man ,
I was there that day! Phil Pugh is a tidy guy, as were most of the Neath lads. I knew most - if not all - of the guys from that period!
Brian was a great guy - and very clever! Another story he told me from his Velindre Works days - he took a team to visit a prospective customer in the Midlands. This customer was very proud of the diverse ethnicity of his workforce. He turned to Thomas and asked whether Velindre had the same ethnic diversity ... quick as a flash Brian said “Yes - we’ve got quite a few Turks ... “
Paul’s a gentleman. Gordon Brown (Broon frae Troon) spoke at Paul’s (Neath RFC) testimonial dinner in the GlynClydach Hotel - great night. Gordon was togged out in his full (kilt et al) regalia. He joked that Paul had a water bed that he nicknamed the ‘Raging Rapids’ but that when he had bumped into Paul’s missus she’d called it the ‘Dead Sea’.....
