We clearly do not know exactly what is happening yet. The club statement suggests that a lot of what is rumoured is correct. One of the big arguments is that we are destroying our history if this happens. Not really. History is history. It will never be changed. The future is what gets changed. If we were changed to the Cardiff City Dragons playing in a red kit, that would not change the fact that we are Cardiff City Football Club, and all the history that belonged to us still does. We have changed our name before, our kit before, our logos before, our stadium before.......If we do make wholesale changed that guarantee the future of Cardiff City for the foreseeable future, I will accept them. It will feel strange for a season, but then it will become a part of put history
Steve Borley: My name has been mentioned on the branding post and I have received many calls on the subject seeking my thoughts. This is an emotional issue and we all have our thoughts but wether we like it or not British football is an international commodity and is sold worldwide and the club is right to consider international marketing opportunities if we are to compete even at our level given the new rules on football finance. Football has already sold its tv rights , the name of its leagues and cup competitions, it's stadium naming rights, advertising on its shirts and it's right to play on a Saturday afternoon at 3.00pm which was never more evident than the timing of this years FA cup final this year. Clubs and leagues already are looking for international funding and sponsorship because domestically the values cannot be achieved. 10 years ago overseas rights was circa 10 percent of domestic tv rights , this has now reversed and new markets are opening up year on year. Teams no longer have a first and second strip they have home and away colours and a 3rd strip for commercial reasons. It's no coincidence that due to parachute payments last years relegated clubs were able to mount strong campaigns this year so we have to maximise our commercial opportunites if we are to compete for promotion so all options have to be considered. Our Malaysian investors have shown bravery to invest and support our club and we have a duty to listen to their ideas as well as presenting our own. These are my own thoughts and the club will present the proposals in due course
I think you're probably right on this. It's a shame but it'll still be the city's football club. If we can play in white, if we can play in black and yellow we can play in red. And it'll really piss Bristol off.
Been giving this a lot of thought over night and this morning. Listened to Tim Hartley on BBC Radio Wales this morning. Read a few posts on other message boards. It's a question of balance isn't it? On one hand keeping with tradition and not alienating the lifeblood of the club (the fans) and on the other hand progress of the club commercially. To some it will not matter that the club loses its bluebord crest and blue identity. To a lot of others it willl but for how long? Fans will still have their bluebird badges, scarves, shirts and chants. The Malaysians though will make the decisions as it is their business but they have to be careful not to alienate the fans. I for one will go along with it albeit reluctantly as the fact remains I am a City fan and want to se my team play football. Personally though I do feel there will be a concession along the way and whilst red may stay (as the shirts are on order apparently) I anticipate the bluebitd will be on the shirt somewhere. One final thought. There is talk of £100m. Well after paying off the debts, and construction work (why not wait to develop the ground until after any promotion??) how much will be left for the most important aspect ie players and wages. Money does not buy guaranteed success. Look at Leicester City last season for example.
Hi Ninian, the suggestion is that the changes are required to ensure a large investment from other companies in South East Asia. The idea is that a Red Dragon will make Cardiff more identifiable to youngsters in Asia. Malaysian owned Astro would televise all Cardiff games live in Malaysia as well. There is a rumour that the owners will put 100 million into the debt and modernising the facilities and the other outside investment will be used to buy players. That figure has been put at about 15-20 million. These are all numbers that i never thought I would ever be talking about. The 100 million has been actually stated as fact. The outside investment was apparently spoken about after the meeting by some of the board to a couple of supporters. Apparently they also said that MM would need to get promoted in two seasons.
Something this got me thinking about: How much would have to be changed before you stopped identifying it as the same club?
If some of our supporters start being discourteous towards the Malaysians then they will pull out. Never be afraid of change. If it gets us to where we all want to be, then i for one will Embrace the change.
the name: If we are Cardiff City Football Club playing in Cardiff, then i am happy. If we are called something else, or moved....**** knows ...Go Wiggggan.
Well if only 15-20% of the investment is for players then will that go far enough. City need 6-7 quality additions to the squad at least. Let's be frank and look at the presnt squad. Presuming he can persuade Heaton to stay + Parish the keeper posiiton is sorted. City need a better defensive full back. Too many goals were conceded this season from mistakes by McNaughton & Taylor. They didn't compensate with sufficient goals being created or scored. Another centre back is needed. One with some pace. An overhaul of midfield is essential. No bite, no pace and little creativity. Too sterile. A proven old type of 'guvnor' in the middle is needed plus some flair. Of paramount importance is the need for (1) a quality winger with pace. Pace being the operative word. Harris may be a gem; we don't know but City need another Burke and (2) a pair of strikers at least. Miller can be used from the bench. City need to find a Holt or Lambert plus a proven 'fox in the box' like Kevin Phillips. Last august Malky Mackay said he wanted to bring a high tempo brand of football to the club. I witnessed some of the most dull and boring football of my City watching life this past season at CCS. I'd rather finish 10th if it meant we saw some exciting, attacking and pacy football than another season of drab matches. I would hope the Malaysian would not put the cart before the horse with their investment. What is the point of a 35000 stadium housing 2nd tier football? Get the team up then re-build. A massive. massive few months for the club. I'll embrace change but not at any cost - there has to be a quid pro quo.
Agree with what you say. Especially the stadium part. Surely worry about expansion after promotion. I don't think we will get the full story until Saturday anyway
Hilts: So Borley says: "British football is an international commodity and is sold worldwide" but you have a go at us for saying Swansea City is a global brand? Hmmm..... Can't believe most of you are taking this so light heartedly. Some are even wondering what shade of red it will be. I've read elsewhere that Cardiff have sold their soul to the devil and now they have to pay. For me (and I'd hope most of you) that's really really sad.
KJ - You suggest light-heartedly...I don't see that anywhere. What you mean is not jumping up and down yelling and ranting. We have lived under the threat of financial meltdown for 4 or 5 seasons. A lot of us thought we were gone a couple of years ago. We kept fighting against admin and never went down that path. The new owners bought stability and have not done anything wrong by the club. It is incredible that we have made the playoffs three years in a row under that black cloud Our owners are self-made in the Asian market. They are saying to us now that we can move away from the financial mess that we have dealt with for so long, in exchange for making ties with the Asian market. This means we have two options. Disregard them and go back to a very uncertain future, or accept aesthetic changes that do not change the history of the club one bit. It only changes the future of the club. We will still be Cardiff City Football Club and we will still play in Cardiff Do I want to change? No. I really don't. But I understand, like Steve Borley, we can't expect somebody to wipe our debts, make huge investments, and not try to expand the club globally. What would anybody do that? So again two choice. Accept the aesthetic changes and grow debt free, or risk not having a club in the future.
Aussie - I'm not sure we've sold our soul to the devil, but you've sure sold yours twice to the Official Receiver. I've not read all this thread from the start, but I don't know why anyone neeed to have mentioned Swansea anyway unless we had a previous incursion from a jack on it. Why can't they just keep their noses out of something that has nothing to do with them.
I understand the position of 'spend the money on the side first' but from an investor point of view the stadium expansion is a tangible asset which retains its value. Investment in the infrastructure of the club has to be a sign of the Malaysians commitment. If we have anywhere near 15-20mil to spend on the squad that would be a huge boost to our promotion chances. If the debt is sorted that should imo free up more working capital allowing the club to afford to pay higher wages without hand outs from the owners. The extra revenue streams in Malaysia etc should only strengthen that position further. Looking at next year from a football point of view with 2 ex Prem clubs coming up from L1, Wolves claiming they can keep the squad together, Bolton or QPR will be strong, 2 of Brum, WH, Blackpool left from the Play offs, Leicester, Boro, Brighton we're gonna need all the help we can get next season. The shirts will be weird the nickname seems OTT BUT this is the sort of change that might get Cardiff City FC who play in Cardiff into the Premier League and provide the means to stay there and attempt to progress. If some fans/posters on other forums want to throw ST's back at the club, start supporting other sides, give up on football etc thats up to them. I support City, I love watching live football and it'll take more than a kit change to take that away from me.
it would break my heart completely to change the name and the colour..****ING RED DRAGONS MY ARSE...sooner get rid of the malaysians than change my beloved BLoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooBIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Summary of the Meeting: http://www.ccsc.co.uk/ Cardiff City's home kit next season will be red shirts with a black flash, black shorts and red socks The new badge incorporates a red dragon in a shield, with the words Cardiff City FC, est 1899 The away kit will be blue The bluebird will not feature on any replica kit or official badge The seats in the stadium will remain blue A total investment of £100m by Vincent Tan, as equity not debt. This investment is on the proviso of agreement being reach with Langstone (agreement is very close). The investment will wipe out all debt as well as fund a state of the art training complex, stadium expansion to 35k and an increased playing budget The club have no plans to offer refunds to the 16,000 season ticket holders who purchased tickets prior to this announcement The meeting was told that the change to red kit and Welsh dragon badge was non-negotiable and there was no viable alternative for the Board but to accept the proposals as the club could not survive financially without the investment.
The thing is, a red kit and a new badge won't make you any more accessible to the Asian market (believe me, I've spent the last 8 months living with Malaysians), what will do that is success, which you can achieve without becoming just another franchise.
C'mon get a grip. So if the Malaysians go then we'll have no investors and the club will slide into oblivion. At the end of the day it's a shirt colour and a badge. You cannot change a nickname - we'll always be the bluebirds.
