Welsh invasion on the way...?

It seems that Cardiff City and Swansea City are on the brink of reaching the English Premier League. It's bad enough that we have already had Cardiff City featuring in the English FA Cup Final but now it's looking very likely that the 'boyos' will be helping themselves at English football's top table sooner rather than later.

Now please don't misunderstand me, I have nothing against the people of Wales but what I object to is having to tolerate hooliganism and anti-English vitriol from their fans whenever they visit an English ground. I recall Cardiff's last visit to Newcastle... smashing up pubs and starting all kinds of bother.

If we cannot have a united 'British League' that includes the likes of Rangers and Celtic, why should we have to financially support the biggest Welsh clubs?
They have their own national league set-up so I think it's only right that they play in that league... Wrexham too.

I know they have been playing in the English league structure for years but I don't think that fact is a good enough reason to keep them in.

Before anyone starts with jibes about me being a bigot or xenophobe I would state again that I have nothing against the Welsh people of the world, have enjoyed holidays there, love the music of Stereophonics and The Manic Street Preachers and generally like the country - what I object to is the double standards that we are exposed to here.

Not allowing Scottish clubs to compete in 'our' league structure and the way many Welsh football fans berate and abuse every English club/stadium/city they visit while reaping massive financial rewards that should be enjoyed by English football clubs.

Your thoughts please...

 

I totally agree. Cardiff travelling to the bigger clubs like Man Utd is just going to cause double the trouble that was caused at Newcastle that night.

Norwich seem likely to get second if they can hold on, but two welsh teams in the Play Offs, who knows.

It will add a different spice but they shouldn't be in our league. They are however, far too big for Wales, so its a no win.

 

Agreed why cant they play in the Welsh league of it we accept them why not say come on over Celtic/Rangers

 

I can't really see what the problem is tbh. I don't see the England/Wales divide as anything more or less than the North/South divide. We just need to live with it, I'd be more concerned if Millwall got promoted to th EPL.

 

the only reason why the play in the english league is something like when the clubs were founded they didnt hasve a welsh fa so they joined englands fa...

i remember the trouble that night i was at the game, but its not only that numerous times over the past few seasons we have seen violent scenes at stadiums involving cardsiff/swansea fans.

 

We can send them to the scottish league! A Welsh-Scottish league full of all the teams we dont want ruining the EPL. Lets send Liverpool there too

 

probably the distance between the clubs, also what would happen to the other scotish teams?

 

I think many English football clubs are struggling to survive financially... we've seen countless clubs going into administration in recent times, Plymouth Argyle being the latest I think, the prospect of two Welsh clubs getting the massive windfall that the Premier League provides will be sick-making to any supporter/chairman of one of the many English clubs struggling to make ends meet.

 

I see your point like but the fact of the matter is they are just too big a fish in a small rugby ball shaped pond. Where else would they go? England isn't a country anymore, it's just a big state or county in Great Britain.

So long as the sectarian bullshit of Celtic and Rangers stays the **** away I'm not too bothered about the Welsh

 

We may have to put up with Cardiff coming, but its a nice city at least which will mean a good trip. Swansea on the other hand, horrible, horrible, horrible place!

 

I think you could easily make the same argument about Rangers and Celtic in their league - far bigger than any other club in the country... fair enough though.

 

Scotland is massive compared to the Welsh league. I happened to make a trip to Portmadog, a small Welsh town who are in the Welsh Premier League. They had one stand with about 50 seats, and a built in tower for cameras. Its staggering how small it is and yet they are a team in the top league.

Cardiff and Swansea are just centuries ahead of them. I don't want them in our league but it would be a shame to see them fade out, which they would do if they played in the WPL.

 

I think other Clubs such as Hibs, Hearts, Dundee Utd etc etc are all relatively small but they still look like superclubs when compared to Airbus UK and Port Talbot! The Welsh league is like the Scottish 3rd division!

 

I think the difference is they joined the league the proper way, whereas Celtic and Rangers want to start at the top, which is wrong.

 

What strikes me as odd is the way the Welsh clubs playing in England are governed by the Welsh FA who run the Welsh league - surely the English FA should have dominion over them?

 

It's what's known in the business as a "clusterfuck"

 

That is weird, didn't know that :S

Does that mean if Cardiff appealed a red card they'd be asking the Welsh FA to rescind it?

 

Don't think so, but it does mean that the English FA are funding the Welsh FA in a way. I also read somewhere that the Welsh FA have the authority to change their fixtures. Not too sure about that one. Has anyone got any good detail on how the Welsh FA impact the English FA?

 

I know that Cardiff couldn't play in Europe had they won the FA Cup a few years a go because they are registered under the Welsh FA, and it wasn't a registered Welsh tournament.

 

I have to disagee with many of the comments. I am a toon fan though and though but live in Wales.

I have lived in Wales for the last 25 years. The two clubs have a no higher an 'idiot' element than any other club. Infact Cardiff just got awared family club of the year in London by the football league awards.

I've been to both Swansea and Cardiff this year to watch matches and have seen no trouble whatsoever.

There was no Welsh football league when both clubs were in existance so joined the closest one...English.

Over the years I have been to many footballing cities and I can tell you that very few would rival Cardiff (not so much swansea!!) Cardiff is one of the nicest cities in the UK.

Whoever said the Welsh Premier is the same as the Scottish 3rd division is completely wrong. Its not anyway near that good!!

The comment that really got up my nose was the comment that why should the Welsh clubs get the windfall of the Premership? Both clubs have great support and have good attendances every game unlike many of the English teams in the same division. Such a stupid comment to make. Some clubs are struggling as they have no support or are badly managed financially. Not because there are 2 clubs thats are not English in the same league.

In brief both clubs have played good football and if they get promoted then its just as deserved as if an English club got promoted. There was plenty of pubs smashed up in Cardiff during the Finals in the Millenium Staduim by many sets of fans.