Little known fact, the Beatles once sang a song about Cardiff City and their consistently inconsistent form and how it feels to be a Bluebird at times, The Long And Winding Road.... Tears, bemusement about what's going on at times, yet here we are, still back at the door (or gates) and coming back for more. Tuesday's long winding road sees our beleaguered Bluebirds heading to the Black Country in black mood following Saturday's meek surrender to an average, but well drilled Preston side. Our hosts for this one are flying pretty high, being sat comfortably in 5th spot and having a game in hand over most of the teams around them. The Automatic spots look a little out of reach for them but they will definitely be disappointed if they fail to keep hold of one of those 4 spots to keep their season alive beyond the 1st week of May. Last time out saw us slip to a 1-0 home defeat against the Baggies in a tight game that saw the visitors take the points via a wicked, dipping shot that left on loan (and thankfully gone) goalkeeper Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson floundering. Bulut's Bulletin After Saturday's feeble capitulation, the heat is starting to ramp up on Gaffer Erol Bulut. Despite what was arguably a bright start against Preston, the team still looked relatively impotent in front of goal and really lost any momentum after being hit by a swift counter attack and the game ultimately being played out far too comfortably by our visitors, so can we expect some changes again? It seems Nat Phillips (who did ok but had some nervy moments on his home debut) will need to continue deputising for Mark McGuinness following the news that Macca is likely to be sidelined for several weeks. Kion Etete, despite working hard failed to really trouble the Preston backline, so will we see the more physical Diedhiou start? I'm not so sure, as his cameo off the bench Saturday showed little to get excited about, so I reckon we could see Etete retained or even Meite thrown back up front. Midfield will be the really interesting area. Will Rambo now start after the starting trio on Saturday failed to really unlock the Preston backline? Turnbull showed some nice touches and at least was attempting to try play some balls through the lines but Ryan Wintle looked a little too far off his game again in truth. Mano Siopis actually was my man of the match for the City after looking something like back to his best, and then of course we have the Rubin Colwill dilemma. For my money I reckon we start with Siopis, Colwill and Turnbull and bring Rambo on again later into the game to get some more game time into his legs. It was noted by the ever observant Mrs Brizzle on Saturday that Jak Alnwick also appeared to have a bit of an issue with his leg, so don't be surprised if Horvath gets his chance to make his Bluebirds bow at the Hawthorns. Erol Bulut, put in the naughty chair and told to think long and hard about what he's done wrong by VT....... Apparently he now knows in no uncertain terms that he is not the Messiah! What Are The Odds On That? Special guest alert!! Fresh from banging in his first goals for his new team, scoring sensation Ike Ugbo has popped by to drop some odds in for us. I did ask him to drop these around a little earlier but apparently he missed his train, then missed the bus and ultimately got handed the chance to stop by on a plate after someone else carried him to the CCS! Well I Never Did you know that West Bromwich must be a pretty dull place to visit? Having looked at trip advisor the Hawthorns ranks as the 2nd best attraction in the area after Sandwell Valley Country Park..... West Bromwich was first mentioned as Bromwic ('broom village') in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is believed that it may have originally been part of the Handsworth parish. A Benedictine priory existed in West Bromwich from the 12th century around which the settlement of Broomwich Heath grew. In 1727, the town became a stop on the coaching road between London and Shrewsbury and its growth began. The prefix 'West' serves to distinguish it from the village of Castle Bromwich, also in the West Midlands but the other side of Birmingham. Let's just hope they don't sweep us aside with ease on Tuesday! Sharing The Love There have been many fine players to have donned the shirt for both sides, Riccardo Scimeca, Darren Purse, Rob Earnshaw and errrrrm Rickie Lambert........ Having covered many of them in the past, this time we turn to a loan man who really did set the place alight from the moment he stepped onto the pitch for the Bluebirds and a couple of keepers, one who did well enough to get his own song, complete with hand actions and another who came through the ranks with us and should have gone onto a long career but was sadly cut down in his prime through illness. Jason Koumas Whilst Koumas was only ever a loan player for the Bluebirds, he arguably made one of the biggest impressions we’d ever seen from a player who joined under those circumstances, though we’d also have to ‘ignore’ his second loan spell in 2010/2011. With 13 goals in 47 games during the 2005/2006 season many hoped that the move would be made permanent, but sadly that never came to pass and it could be argued that his career never really hit those kind of heights again. A naturally gifted player, he joined on loan from West Brom in his first spell, making an instant impact by coming off the bench to score on his debut against Leeds United. Throughout the remainder of the season, Koumas consistently turned in man-of-the-match winning performances, including a hattrick away at Luton in a pulsating victory. Koumas earned himself hero status amongst the Bluebirds faithful as well as the club's Player of the Year award and a place in the Championship's PFA team of the season. Cardiff City attempted to negotiate a transfer fee for Koumas before the start of the 2006–07 season, however they failed to come to an agreement with West Brom. He’d go on to join Wigan in a £3.5 million deal, but with just 2 goals in 61 games over 3 seasons he then embarked on his 2nd, less successful spell with the Bluebirds in 2010, scoring 2 goals in 27 games. He eventually moved back to his first club Tranmere Rovers but sadly could do nothing to stop their decline. A private person, since quitting the game he’s pretty much shunned the limelight, however, his son Lewis is very highly rated in Liverpool’s academy, so who know’s, maybe one day we’ll see another Koumas donning the blue shirt at the CCS? Gavin Ward After making his debut at his third side West Brom in a solitary league cup appearance Ward moved to Cardiff City where he finally found regular football becoming a regular in the 1991–92 season helping the "Bluebirds" win the Division Three title in 1992–93. He made over 60 league and cup appearances for Cardiff in four seasons before moving to Leicester City for a transfer fee of £175,000 in 1993 where he help them to win promotion to the Premier League in 1994. After leaving Leicester he had a short spell at Bradford City before Bolton Wanderers paid £300,000 for his services in 1996, allowing Ward to again taste top-flight action. He spent three seasons at the Reebok Stadium acting as back-up to Keith Branagan. He spent the first half of the 1998–99 season on loan at Burnley before joining Stoke City on a permanent basis in March 1998. He instantly established himself as first choice at the Britannia Stadium and he played in all 60 of the club's fixtures during a hectic 1999–2000 season which saw Stoke win the Football League Trophy and reach the play-offs as Stoke lost out to Gillingham He'd go on to serve several more clubs, including decent stints at Tranmere and Wrexham before ultimately moving into coaching. So, who remembers doing the Gavin, Gavin, Gavin, Ward chant and 'diving hand motions then?? C'mon, own up, I know I wasn't the only one! Mel Rees Rees had begun his football career with home town club Cardiff City in 1984 and made his debut that year in September in a 4-2 defeat to Brighton. During his career at Ninian Park he was hampered with a wrist injury and by the time he had recovered, Graham Moseley had been drafted in as number one shot stopper, in 1987 he transferred to Watford for £60,000. He found opportunities limited at Vicarage Road and spent the majority of his three year spell as understudy to Tony Coton, who later had an established career with Manchester City. Rees had spells on loan at Crewe Alexandra, Southampton and Leyton Orient before signing up with West Bromwich Albion in 1990playing 18 times in a two year stint where he also played at Norwich City on loan. After leaving the Hawthorns in March 1992 he was snapped up by Dave Bassett at Sheffield United for a measly sum of just £25,000. He soon made his debut, with injury to Simon Tracey he was handed the number one jersey against Liverpool later that month. That summer he was given the terrible news that he had cancer of the bowl and after several surgical procedures looked to make a full recovery but by March 1993 it had returned, on 3 April he – at the request of his team mates, proudly led his Sheffield United colleagues into a Wembley pitch to face rivals Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup Semi-Final; he wasn’t fit enough to play but both sets of supporters applauded his battle. "Wembley was fantastic for him. Both sets of supporters, 80,000, stood and applauded him. Football paled in significance while he walked round. It was very brave.” Said former United defender Kevin Gage. Sadly, it was a battle which he was to lose and on 30 May 1993 the tragic news was filtered through the airways of local and national radio that Rees, aged 26 had sadly passed away. A newspaper report in The Independent printed on 1st June read; ‘Mel Rees, the Sheffield United goalkeeper who has been fighting cancer for a year, has died. In his last public appearance Rees led his team out at Wembley for their FA Cup semi-final against Sheffield Wednesday last month. Rees, 26, who survived two major operations, appeared to have beaten the disease earlier this year, but was re-admitted to hospital in March. Derek Dooley, the United chairman, said: 'He kept his sense of humour and was cheerful right to the end.' On a lighter note, I honestly think growing a moustache was one of his better ideas, it made him much better looking! RIP Mel, once a Bluebird always a Bluebird. So, can we out-bounce the Baggies and get back to winning ways again? Will Erol err on the side of caution with his selection or will we go bold in the Black Country?? Or will finally see Josh Bowler go outside his man on the wing??? All I know is supporting the City right now is like doing the hokey cokey, one step forward, one step back, player are in, out, in out and need a bloody good shaking all about, but let's turn around again and stick with Bulut and the boys.... this time last season we were really contemplating the possibility of relegation, at least this year we can look upwards as well as down eh?? Blooooooooooooooooooooobirds.
Blimey Brizz this is nice and early. Early or late it's another piece of excellence. Also good to see it being so upbeat. Let's hope this game is another step to Bulut gaining confidence in his upgraded squad and that things on the training ground enables him do so. As you say, it's all about being behind the lads now. Blooooooobirds
Must confess, Mrs Brizzle nagged me into getting it up early...... Busy couple of days ahead with work and am playing 5 a side tomorrow evening so better early than not at all eh? I did forget to mention that Karlan Grant will also be ineligible for the game as it's against his parent club, so another puzzle for our Erol to work on. We can do it though..... C'mon the City!!
Definitely better than not at all. Can't imagine not having your masterpieces now. I played 5 a side in Bristol on a few occasions in the last century. Kingswood Leisure Centre rings a bell if there is such a place. Hope it goes well for you and certainly better than my last game when I broke two toes and had to play drums the same night in Bath. Good reminder about Grant. I'd forgotten.
Superb again BB especially the info on Mel Rees. Dodgy tache and kit but a good keeper and died unbelievably young ps Sorry again for correcting a pair of stats on Koumas. He bagged a brace at Luton not the hat trick. I vividly recall listening on the radio when we were robbed by the young Andy Woolmer who turned down a stonewall pen, so not a win but a 3-3 draw. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/4703610.stm
Lovely write up and many thanks to Mrs Brizzle for the nag. She really is a gem! Am I the only one who thinks a moustachio'd Ward looks like Freddy Mercury?
Wow, are you really going to try drag the match day thread down already??? Exactly how is that relevant or even close to relevant? The season still has months to run and we could yet go up or down.... Maybe come back with this one in May if we do get relegated eh???
He also wrote one about jck, Killer Queen, guaranteed to blow your mind. Yes, I know I missed 2 lines.
Yet another BB masterpiece. Tolstoy's War and Peace has nothing on our BB. I'm not sure the reference to Mrs BB getting it up early is appropriate though.
Ahh well, back to Brizzo's excellent matchday thread. I watched most of Brom's game at Ipswich on Saturday before leaving for ours. They were very good and pretty solid, but Ipswich were by far the more exciting side. Maybe it was because Brom were away from home, but they looked to contain rather than push it. I'd expect a different approach from them tomorrow at the Hawthorns - that could actually be their weakness if we can defend like we know we can and Bulut can find the key to unlock them at the other end. That seems like an obvious thing to say but apart from stuffing Blackburn 4-1 recently, they haven't been scoring many Championship goals at home for the last couple of months. Keep them out and we could take this with a scrappy goal off Diedhiou's backside - allow them an early goal and we'll struggle.
Yes Clingo, with my little pick and shovel, I'll be there. Glad it's an 8.00 kick off as I don't think I will get away until 5.00.
Going to be cutting it fine. 5mph Newport between 5 and 6 then the merest little prang ahead of you on M50 and M5/6 and you might make half time. Enjoy!!!
