So, our first big derby game of the season and all set for the unusual time of 7:45pm on a Saturday. Under the lights in front of a big, hostile CCS crowd, what could possibly go wrong? Well, knowing us and our recent history in this fixture, sadly the answer to that is just about anything and everything!! It doesn't need to be said (but I'll say it anyway), our little cousins/noisy neighbours/nemesis, whatever you want to call them, have definitely had the upper hand in massive fashion in this fixture for far too long now. After over a century of it being nip and tuck in general the Jacks have become something of a hoodoo team for us suddenly, though just for a change, this time feels perhaps ever so slightly different. Our West Walian visitors come to us following a very inauspicious start, picking up just 2 points in their opening 5 games and whilst our own Capital City team haven't done too much better it is fair to say there is still a little more optimism in CF11 at present than down in SA1. With a new manager, a marginally higher turnover in players than normal and the loss of talismanic striker Joel Piroe to some small time outfit from Yorkshire it seems it's taking their new gaffer Michael Duff some time to get things moving. The Jacks have however picked up a couple of useful players recently in the shape of striker Jerry Yates, a circa £2.5 million purchase from Blackpool, Charlie Patino, on loan from Arsenal (and who has looked very useful for them already) and the return of former striker Jamal Lowe from Bournemouth, someone us Bluebirds will remember all too well. With Swansea's manager trying to play this fixture down a little (in true Dave Jones style) is he already a little worried about their ability to keep their run against us going following their poor start to the season, or is this more mind games from the smaller club to try get under our skin? Past Meetings I shudder when it comes to this part for this fixture as there just haven't been many enjoyable days in recent years, indeed, we need to go back a whole decade for our last win on home soil, coming courtesy of a Steven Caulker header in the first ever top flight meeting between out 2 sides. https://www.premierleague.com/video/single/2327476?TAG=On this Day Then of course there was the late, late Chopra show back in 2010, with our diminutive Geordie netting late on to win it 2-1 for the Bluebirds. What I would say about last seasons meetings is that personally I believe we were unfortunate rather than overawed (unlike the year before). In our loss down west, the very silly, early red card for Callum Robinson after some sh!thousery from Ben Cabango put a massive dent in our game plan after we'd enjoyed the better opening, and then our game last year here at the CCS, after a terrible start we showed some real spirit to fight back the way we did and were ultimately undone by a cruel rebound falling nicely for our visitors at the absolute death. Anyone else hoping for a Ben Cabango own goal to win it for the Bluebirds this time around? What Are The Odds On That? I don't know what to make of this but we are actually slight favourites for this one.... Bulut's Bulletin Cardiff City could well welcome Callum Robinson back into the fray after a recent back injury. Likewise, Wales captain Aaron Ramsey is likely to be fit, despite coming off midway through the recent clash with Latvia. Sadly Callum O'Dowda and Josh Bowler are set to miss out. As for Swansea, Liam Walsh is back on the grass but is unlikely to be considered this time time around. Kyle Naughton is currently rated 50/50 for derby day after picking up a knock in training, while Azeem Abdulai is set for a prolonged spell on the sidelines following a recent hamstring injury. Nathanael Ogbeta also remains a long-term absentee. What have the managers said? Erol Bulut: "We have to manage it - I have to manage it. I have tried already during the week to speak with them. We know what is going on but we have to be clever. We need to be aggressive. Fans will be aggressive, shouting and supporting us - but we have to be calm and be clever. "We trained in the last few days and trained for this. I think my team and my players know what is going on Saturday." Michael Duff: "This is one of these games that everyone knows about. I'm an outsider coming in here, but you know there are games in the UK that everyone knows about. This is one of them. "It's a big game, when you're in it it's an even bigger game. "If I wasn't involved in this game I'd be watching it on Saturday night because it's such a bitter rivalry." Well I Never Did you know that Swansea's manager (who's been taking spelling lessons from their fans, is the only football league manager to also have a starring role in a long running hit comedy show? Swansea Town were the first club to pioneer "luxury" travel and accommodation in one to away games. The Swans team pitch up near to Ninian Park back in 1930 The National Waterfront Museum in Swansea has a display dedicated purely to swimmers from the Cardiff area, which represents Swansea's greatest triumph to date still and is something that they still talk about today with pride. (Disclaimer, some or all of the above facts may or may not be true but have been fact checked by the Kremlin so surely must be believable right??). Sharing The Love Being such close neighbours there have been many players to have donned the shirt of both teams, some very successfully such as Andy Legg, others not so much like Dimi Konstantdropalot. I've selected a small bunch this time just because I'm conscious that time is getting on and at the rate the thread will be up just in time for that 96th minute Cabango own goal to win it for the Bluebirds!! Jason Bowen Bows joined the Bluebirds in January 1999 following a disagreement at Reading that also involved Welsh international teammate Andy Legg, with them and others forced to train away from the rest of the first team with the youth side. He spent five years with Cardiff City, reuniting with his former Swansea manager Frank Burrows, suffering one relegation but offsetting that with three promotions as Cardiff took off following the arrival of Sam Hammam. He was put on the transfer list by Cardiff in March 2004 and left the club by mutual consent the following month, ultimately moving to Newport in July 2004. Jason has now been diagnosed with MND and several fund raising events have taken place to try and support him and his family through the undoubtedly difficult times they face ahead. I’m sure fans from both sides will do nothing but wish him well. Alan Curtis Curt joined Cardiff City in 1986 and helped to inspire the team to a promotion and Welsh Cup double. Despite being a proud ex-Jack he gave his all whilst in a Bluebirds shirt, earning him the right to be held aloft by the Bluebirds fans during our promotion pitch invasion in 1988. The Welsh Cup final in 1988, held at the Vetch field saw the Bluebirds run out 2-0 winners with a fine individual goal from Curtis. Curtis left the Bluebirds to re-join Swansea for the 3rd time in 1989. Going on to play a key role at the club as first team coach, caretaker manager and loan-player manager. In 2021 Curtis was made an MBE for his services to Welsh football. Mel Charles Charles joined the Bluebirds in February 1962 signing from Arsenal for a fee of £28,500. The club were in a relegation dogfight at the time and there was a lot of pressure on Charles to perform, however he missed an easy chance for a goal in his debut, in what ended as a 0–0 draw at home to Manchester City. He helped City to earn 1–1 draws against Burnley and former club Arsenal, however a bad run soon followed and the club lost their First Division status at the end of the season. City signed renowned goal-getters Ivor Allchurch and Peter Hooper for the upcoming 1962–63 Second Division campaign, and so Charles was moved to a more central role in the pitch. Though signed by Bill Jones, ironically George Swindin, the manager who had sold him at Arsenal, replaced Jones as manager in October 1962. Despite the disruption, Charles scored in both derby games against Swansea, in what was otherwise a forgettable season for Cardiff. Cardiff then signed John Charles for the start of the 1963–64 campaign, allowing the brothers to play alongside each other for the first time at club level. After a falling out with Jimmy Scoular, who had replaced Swindin after the latter has failed to deliver promotion, Charles was moved on to Porthmadoc in 1965, reportedly being paid a higher wage there than he’d earnt at Cardiff due to the club being bankrolled by a wealthy backer at the time. Jimmy Gilligan Gilligan joined City for a fee of £17,500 from Lincoln City, a move which saw him enjoy the most productive spell of his career. He scored on his debut in a 1–1 draw with Leyton Orient and went on to finish as the club's top scorer in his first year. Virtually ever present during his two years at the club he scored vital goals in several competitions including the second goal during a 2–0 Welsh Cup final victory over Wrexham and a hat-trick against Derry City in the European Cup Winners Cup. After two defeats in the opening two games of the 1989–90 season, Cardiff's manager Frank Burrows accepted an offer to become assistant manager to John Gregory at Portsmouth. The pair soon tabled an offer of £215,000 for Gilligan which the Cardiff board readily accepted. After a year on the South Coast, Gilligan returned to South Wales to play for Swansea City before injury finished his league career. Following his retirement, Gilligan returned to Watford, heading up their Football in the Community scheme. After spells as youth development manager and youth team manager, he was appointed Watford's assistant academy director. He left Watford in 1999 with David Platt appointing him reserve team manager at Nottingham Forest. In July 2001, following Platt's departure and the appointment of Paul Hart to the manager's position, Gilligan left his role at Nottingham Forest and a month later, he was appointed manager of Boreham Wood. However, less than three months later he resigned from the role, joining the PFA as a regional coach educator, whilst also helping out David Platt with the England U21s, before being appointed technical director at Wimbledon in February 2003. With Wimbledon suffering financial difficulties Gilligan moved to Milton Keynes, moving up the ranks and ultimately becoming assistant manager, leaving in December 2004 when Danny Wilson was appointed manager. So, can we finally mute our visitors and send them packing back up the Swanny? Will our faithful fans be whoopering and hollering at the final whistle as we triumph over our noisy cousins?? Can we send them back up the M4 with a right cob on??? All I know is I owe you all a huge apology for the late running of this service and like our very own Bluebirds, I must do better, starting with today!!! Bloooooooooooooooooooobirds
I'm just glad Wales have an earlier kick off. Get our chores done early, 4.45 kick off for Wales, then 3 hours later for this game. Bulut needs a win of some sort to kick start the season. Flattered to deceive so far.
Nice one again Brizzo. So far this season we've scored more goals than anyone else in the bottom half of the table - huge change from last year. Don't want to echo someone else on here but our problems seem to have switched to keeping them out at our end. A clean sheet today could start the "confidence" ball rolling, but a defeat of any sort particularly if it's comprehensive, will start the "bullet for Bulut" calls.
Outstanding work Brizzle. Bulut must get it right today and keep it right. Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds
Well done Brizzle - great write up as usual! Getting excited for this one. Just hope BfB turns up on time, or he wont have a lift
Cheeky tw@t. Let him who is without sin cast the first stone. You are a long way down the pecking order BT. Case in point. QPR game. See you under the stand at 2.00 for a coffee. Your arrival time 2.30. And late not for the first time. I'm sure you will have been in the Bonvilston cafe since about 10.30am. Making the all day breakfast actually last all day with copious top ups. I would aliken you to Monsieur Creosote if you knew what I meant. Clingo knows.
Well, if Hilts has got his prediction correct, we'll be up to 13th tonight. In fact we don't have to win 8-0 as even 5 will do it
Cardiff City: Alnwick, Ng, McGuinness, Goutas, Collins, Siopis, Wintle, Ramsey (C), Grant, Méïté, Ugbo. Substitutes: Rúnarsson, Panzo, Rinomhota, Adams, Ralls, R. Colwill, Tanner, Robinson, Etete.
Watching Ireland v Tonga while following BBC text on the city game. Feeling particularly lithe after hearing that the 3 in the Tongan front row weigh over 400kg between them. 25 mins gone in the footy and we haven't had a shot.
Not much for the front men to latch onto from either side. That said, Ugbo could be doing a lot more. Perry Ng put in a few good deliveries but to no avail. Both teams seem to be concentrating on their respective defences
