Cardiff City F.C.

Cardiff City Association Football Club is a football team based in Cardiff. They currently play in the Football League Championship. Their current ground is Ninian Park, but the club are in the process of planning and constructing a new stadium to be located opposite the old one. If completed, it is expected to be called St David's Stadium. The manager is Dave Jones.

Cardiff are the only non-English side to have won any of the three major English competitions. They won the F.A Cup in 1927, during a decade when they were one of the strongest sides in the English league. They have also been regular winners of the Welsh Cup.

Their history in recent years has been less successful, but they have made some improvement in the last few seasons. In 1986, they were relegated to the Fourth Division, and over the next 14 years slipped into the league's basement division three times. In 1996 they were the league's third lowest placed team. But a Division Two playoff triumph in 2003 lifted them into Division One and they are now just one promotion away from reaching the Premiership.

Significant former managers of Cardiff City include Lennie Lawrence, Bobby Gould, Eddie May, Billy Ayre and Alan Cork. Significant former players include Dean Saunders, Kevin Ratcliffe, Robin Friday, Andy Dibble and Robert Earnshaw.

Stadium plans

It is considered that the stadium though is unlikely to ever see the light of day, as the club currently has debts of over £25m (after the chairman recently waived another £6m and the sale of top scorer Cameron Jerome for £4m). It is also held that the business plan for the stadium is full of optimistic figures for sponsorship money. Currently, the club runs at an operating loss of over £2m per annum.

Early glories

They are one of a handful of Welsh sides to play in the English football league system, rather than the Welsh system. Their most successful period so far was the 1920's when they became the only team to have taken the FA Cup out of England with victory over Arsenal back in 1927. The final was also notable as it was the first to be broadcasted to the nation by BBC Radio. In 1928 they finished runners-up in the league - this is still the highest finish achieved by any Welsh club in the English league. Cardiff City and arch-rivals Swansea City are the only Welsh football clubs to have played at the highest level of English football.

Barren spell

Between 1985 and 2003, Cardiff were continuously in the lower two divisions of the league after being relegated to the Third Division. Five years later they dropped into the Fourth Division. Cardiff won the new Division Three championship in 1993 but were relegated two years later, and in 1996 finished in their lowest-ever league position - 22nd of 24 in Division Three, with only Scarborough F.C. and Torquay United below them. They did better the following season, finishing seventh (although they lost in the playoff semi finals), but suffered a setback and slipped into the bottom half of the table in 1998. They finished third in Division Three in 1999 and won automatic promotion to Division Two.

Cardiff struggled in Division Two throughout the 1999-2000 season and were relegated in 21st place. They finished Division Three runners-up the following season and have made impressive progress since then, helped by the investment of Lebanese businessman Sam Hammam.

On the way to the big time?

Lennie Lawrence guided Cardiff to Division Two playoff glory in 2003 and they have remained at this level ever since, although Lawrence was relieved of his duties to make way for David Jones in 2005.

The record transfer paid for a player was £1.7 million to Stoke City for Peter Thorne in 2001. The previous record was £1 millon for Graham Kavanagh, also from Stoke, set only a few weeks earlier.

The record transfer fee received is £4 million for Cameron Jerome in 2006 when he transferred to Birmingham City.

Current first team squad

As of 1 June 2006:

Former City Players

Records

Record Attendance: 62,634. Wales vs. England. October 17 1959
Club Record Attendance: 57,893. vs. Arsenal
Year Formed: 1899 (as Riverside F. C.)
Previous Names: 1899 Riverside F. C.; 1902 Riverside Albion; 1908 Cardiff City
Previous Grounds: Riverside, Sophia Gardens, Old Park and Fir Gardens until 1910
Record League victory: 9-2 vs. Thames. Third Division South. February 6, 1932
Record Cup victory: 8-0 vs. Enfield F. C.. FA Cup First Round. November 28, 1931
Record defeat: 2-11 vs. Sheffield United. Division One. January 1, 1926
Most goals in one season: Robert Earnshaw - 35. (31 league, 4 cup) 2002/03
Most league goals in total Aggregate: Len Davies - 128. 1920 to 1931
Most capped player: Alf Sherwood (Wales) - 39
Most league appearances: Phil Dwyer - 471. 1972 to 1985

Rivalry

Cardiff's main rivals are considered to be Swansea City and Bristol City. Traditionally, there is also ill-feeling between Bluebirds supporters and the near-by Newport County.

Cardiff City Books

Born Under a Grange End Star: David Collins ISBN 1 85058 787 6
The Definitive Cardiff City FC 1910/2001: Richard Shepherd ISBN 1 899 46817 X

External links

Cardiff City F.C. | Sport in Cardiff | Welsh football clubs

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