Match Day Thread Season 2023 - 2024 - Match # 46 - Rotherham Utd Away (bring your armbands and life jackets)

So here we are, the end of the adventure, game #46 in a season where we've bobbed up and down like a buoy on the Ocean.
Of course, we wouldn't have expected it all to be plain sailing and knew there'd be a few waves we'd have to ride out when we'd have to pool our energy to swim against the tide of adversity as the storm clouds gathered.....
As it is, we can now bask in the glory of being in much calmer waters whilst waving cheerio to our opponents who this year have pretty much sunk without even causing a ripple on the surface of the division and will start next season back in League 1.

Those of you who are paying attention will note that our visit to the Rotherham municipal pool this season is set to kick off early at 12:30 - I believe this is something to do with the tide times.

We go into this one with our erratic form continuing abound. Indeed, our recent form when spelled out looks like someone trying to recite a Welsh village name whilst having a stutter. In saying that, if the sequence continues to play out as it has then we should all be happy Bluebirds come full time.
Thankfully our opponents form is even worse, with the last 6 seeing them pick up just 4 points, scoring just the 2 goals along the way, both of which came in their solitary win at home to Millwall 6 games ago, so no sight of a goal in over 450 minutes of football for the Millers fans - Bluebirds beware!!!!!
With the ever delightful Steve Evans back in the dugout though, you can guarantee they'll be scrapping for everything despite their demise.



Last time out saw our boys in blue run out pretty comfortable 2-0 winners as the CCS with the visitors failing to get a single shot on target during the match.
The goals came courtesy of Kion Etete and Perry Ng (who else??)...

Buluts Bulletin
Could this be the last bulletin we'll receive from the gaffer??? I for one certainly hope not.

As things stand he is still trying to cobble together a team from our threadbare squad that continues to be depleted by injuries. There is some good news in that Callum O'Dowda is deemed fit enough to return to the squad but certainly won't be anywhere near the starting 11.
That aside though we can expect the squad to be largely the same again just through a sheer lack of numbers, so expect plenty of game time for the young 'uns once more.

What Are The Odds On That?
Last game of the season so we had to turn it over to the gaffer to have the final word. C'mon Erol, tell us where we're headed.....



Well I Never
Did you know that Rotherham is the birthplace of the famous Chuckle Brothers? Of course you did, we all saw them on the pitch last season with their sweeping brushes somehow getting confused and pushing water back onto a waterlogged pitch!!

Sharing The Love
Last time this year and potentially last time for good...... here we go, a handful of 'legends' who gave their all for the club, at least when they were on the pitch anyhow....



Chris Beech
Beech began his career at Manchester City but failed to make a first team appearance at the then Maine Road club. He joined Cardiff City on a free transfer in August 1997 and was first team regular during the 1997–98 season, playing in every league game of the season. However, Beech was one of eleven players released by the club, whereby he moved to Rotherham United the following summer and remained with the club until 2002 when he joined Doncaster Rovers of the Conference National. Signed as a replacement for Kevin Sandwith, was part of the club's squad as they won promotion back to the English Football League and remained on their books the following season. He was released at the end of the 2003–04 season to join Carlisle United.



Adam LeFondre
Le Fondre signed a three-year contract with Cardiff City on 28 May 2014 for an undisclosed fee making his Bluebirds debut against Blackburn Rovers in a 1–1 draw in the opening match of the 2014–15 Championship season on 8 August 2014.
He scored his first goal for Cardiff on 21 October 2014, in a 3–1 home win over Ipswich Town.
On 26 January 2015, Le Fondre joined Bolton Wanderers on loan for the remainder of the 2014–15 Championship season.
Following further loan spells ALF went on to re-sign for Bolton on a permanent basis on 2017 and is now in Scotland with Hibernian.

Another 'quality' striker who just didn't hit it off at the City.



Jordi Osei-Tutu
‘Desmond’ joined the Bluebirds on loan from Arsenal in August 2020 on a season-long loan deal.

He made his debut in a 3–0 loss against Northampton Town in the first round of the Carabao Cup on 5 September 2020 but soon settled in and started to look like a really useful acquisition, however, after just nine appearances he suffered a serious hamstring injury which kept him out of the team for the remainder of the season, resulting in an early return to Arsenal.

Sadly for Osei-Tutu injuries played a part in having shortened loan spells at Forest and Rotherham.

He re-signed for VFL Bochum in 2022 having previously played there on loan but has recently been loaned out by Bochum to Greek 2nd tier side PAS Giannina.




So, that's it, it's done, gorffen, fertig, finalizada, finito, kumaliza....................................

What a wacky ride it has been this year. If we win on Saturday then Erol will have the best win % of any of our recent managers and will have potentially (other results allowing) guided us to a top 10 finish. If we lose then hey, the youngsters get a run out and we still have a top half finish (not to mention finishing above our noisy (until recently) little cousins from down the road.....

So here we go, for one last time - Will Erol help us grind the Millers down as they go down? May we see one of our subs coming on late in the game to sink the waterboys?? Or might we even see rain stop play again as Rotherham 'cloud seed' in order to invoke a torrential downpour in a desperate attempt to stave off their inevitable drop into the 3rd tier once more???

All I know is You are my Cardiff, my only Cardiff, you make me happy, when skies are grey

Here's to a cracking summer and another stab at improving again next season!!!!

Blooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Brizzle, you are a scribe extraordinaire. Undoubtedly the best on Not606 or any other forum for that matter.
Thank you for your hard work and I’m already looking forward to the new season. Could your first match thread be Bluebirds v Dirty Leeds?

 

Ah yes Rotterdam. We would have played there in a European Cup Winners Cup final had it not been for the team for which Bobby G now plays (and scores). So it's good to finally make it. But I digress when there are far more important things to be said here.

Brizzle you are an absolute hero having treated us to an entire season of the highest quality match day threads. I wholeheartedly agree with Irish. Forty six of the best Championship or any other league) threads to be read anywhere on any platform. I've genuinely enjoyed the facts, history both footballing and social, the humour and outstanding wordsmithery you've shared with us. Thank you sir.

As for the game, no doubt The Millers will want to bow out on a high and will play without fear and give their best performance of the season. Let's hope whatever team Erol can manage to put out, makes the most of it and cap off a difficult but comparatively successful season. Whatever happens, thanks Erol.

For those travelling up to Yorkshire, make sure you take a good supply of the mint with a hole (no Maskey) in case things turn into water polo.

One more thing:
Bloooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooobirds

 

We are truly blessed with your word mastery Brizz......where you go next season heaven only knows.....but you are wasted on whatever your job is unless it is some form of wordsmithing. Have a great summer break.

 

Fantastic matchday thread again Brizzo - been a real credit to this board all season.

If you find the time, please keep them going for the benefit of all who use this forum - they've been really great.

We can all add our throwaway comments on the spur of the moment, but what you put together takes real time and committment.

 

Well said skipper

 

Cheer chaps, I do enjoy writing these threads to be fair - even though just occasionally they do get in the way of 'real life' (in all honesty though it's more often the other way around when 'real life' gets in the way of me writing!).

I'm sure I can find it in me to carry on next season (is it just me or does that sound like a dodgy comedy film title about our club?? ), though I will probably revisit the format a little just to see if I can reduce a little bit of time from their preparation...

Anyhoo, this thread isn't about me, it's about the team and all of us, so, hopefully we go out with a flourish, notching up our biggest win of the season, with one of the other youngsters popping their goal scoring cherry for us.

I'd also love to see Robbo given a proper chance to redeem himself and show us what we've been missing. When he first came in he was by far and away one of our most effective attack minded players. I'd love to see that back again - though with the added Erol inspired grit and hard work off the ball too...

It'd be nice to see the Colwill boys get some time on the pitch together too.

C'mon the City!!!

 

Echo all the deserved plaudits

ps The ground facts next to the stadium caption

 

I'm still cracking up at the picture

 

Another brilliant read BB.

Thank you for entertaining us with lavish helpings of humour and information. Sometimes indistinguishable.

I'm sat here at the cafe at Upton House Country Park, near Poole. As I look down the hill to Poole Harbour I can see the HQ of another national institution, fifth only to BB, Clingo, Masky and Sparks, the RNLI. I wonder if they are sponsors of our hosts tomorrow as their inshore lifeboats must regularly be on standby there.

 

I hear Rubin Colwill is rated 50/50

 

Could have played his last game for City if the rumours about Arsenal are true.

 

Hmm, RNLI - does that stand for Rotherham Numpties that're Laughably Inept????

Have a great break BfB...

 

Question is, if we WERE to flog him, just how much do with think he could command??

Historically we've been dreadful at selling players on, even the good ones. We've seen bang average to half decent players go from our rivals for pretty large sums.

Problem with Rubin is most of the 'chatter' about him is still based on 'potential' rather than him having shown genuine ability on a regular basis. We've seen flashes... we've had one or two games where he has stood out, but he's not being doing it week in and week out for varying reasons, some of which beyond his own control admittedly...

Could we be looking at £5 mill? Seems a little cheap to me.... but then would £10 mill be a bit steep??

My guess is, if we do lose him it'll end up being some relatively low base fee with add ons based on appearances....

In saying this, hopefully we don't lose him and he stays at least another year to really prove himself.

 

Arsenal! Smith-Rowe can’t even get in the team

 

When Cardiff joined the championship back in 2003, the opening game was a 0-0 draw away to Rotherham.....interesting thing is that if city had scored a 1-0 win we would have claimed three points. I always felt we’d missed a big chance....strange! More Masky bolloocks!

 

That wouldn't stop Arsenal from buying him nor would it stop City from taking the cash.

 

There are likely to be several if not many players in the Arsenal set up who would be ahead of him. If they did buy him it realistically could only be as an investment; they’d send him on loan to a championship club and take a view on him season after season like eg Ojo at Liverpool.

It would be a kick in the guts for City fans unless he of course was loaned back to us!

 

Wouldn't argue with that. The point is it would be peanuts for them but a financial windfall for City. It is what it is.

Clubs at our level being fleeced through necessity for their better players - from Rambo more recenlty back to Toshack in 1970.