Cardiff City

Cardiff City FC is a professional football club formed in 1889 like many clubs of the era to give cricketers fitness in the winter, in this case the men of Riverside, which was their original name. they played early games at Sofia Gardens but better facilities were required. 

The club joined Division Two the Southern League in 1910 at Ninian Park. City defeated Pontypridd after a replay to lift the Welsh Cup for the first time in 1911-12, also winning promotion in the league as divisional champions.

A second Welsh Cup was won in 1919-20 with a win against Wrexham before the club was granted acceptance into Division Three South of the Football League in 1920.

'The Bluebirds' meant business under manager Fred Stewart as they were promoted to Division One in their first season and then finishing as League runners up in 1923-24. Further Welsh Cups were won in 1921-22 and 1922-23 against Ton Pentre and then Aberdare Athletic.

City reached the 1924-25 FA Cup Final, going down 1-0 to Sheffield United before returning in 1926-27 to beat Arsenal 1-0 through a goal from Hugh Ferguson, which became the only time the trophy has left England. To see how it happened click here:

Rhyl Athletic and Bangor Athletic were beaten in the Welsh Cup finals of 1926-27 and 1927-28 before the side were relegated back to Division Two in 1928-29. A seventh national Cup win arrived in 1929-30 with a replay win against Rhyl Athletic.

City went down to Division Three South in 1931-32 where they remained until the team managed by Billy McCandless won the title in 1946-47. Cyril Spiers was in charge of the City side that won promotion as Division Two runners-up in 1951-52.

The Bluebirds added another Welsh Cup in 1955-56 with victory against Swansea Town while their spell in the top flight lasted until the end of the 1956-57 campaign. Welsh Cup number nine was collected in 1958-59 with a win against Lovell's Athletic before the cup was retained in 1959-60 after a replay against Wrexham.

Bill Jones also led the side to promotion that same season before City went back down in 1961-62. A tenth Welsh Cup was won in 1963-64 against Bangor City as Jimmy Scoular was appointed as manager to oversee a fine period in the clubs history.

City reached the quarter final of the European Cup Winners Cup in 1964-65 before going out to Real Zaragoza as well as retaining the Welsh Cup as Wrexham were again defeated. John Toshack started his fine career at Cardiff shortly after as the team went out to West Ham United in the semi-finals of the League Cup in 1965-66.

In 1966-67 another win against Wrexham secured another Welsh Cup with the trophy being retained twelve months later against Hereford United. However, the highlight of the 1967-68 season was a run all the way to the semi-finals of the Cup Winners Cup before going out to Hamburger SV.

Further Welsh Cups were won in 1968-69 and 1969-70 against Swansea City and then Chester. It was three in a row in 1970-71 with victory versus Wrexham but again European football gave the Ninian Park faithful excitement that same season.

Brian Clark headed home a Nigel Rees cross in front of 50,000 fans as City defeated Real Madrid in the quarter final first leg of the Cup Winners Cup before City lost the return 2-0 at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Watch the home win here.

A seventeenth Welsh Cup was lifted in 1972-73 against Bangor City before the trophy was retained twelve months later against Stourbridge after Scoular had departed. In 1974-75 City were relegated to Division Three, but the board kept faith with Jimmy Andrews who led the side to promotion in 1975-76 as well as defeating Hereford United to win the Welsh Cup.

After a couple of narrow escapes, Cardiff were relegated in 1981-82 as Len Ashurst couldn't save the side after his appointment. However, he reassembled the team to win promotion in 1982-83 as Division Three runners-up.

Alan Durban had taken over as manager when the side were relegated in 1984-85. Worse was to come in 1985-86 as City found themselves in Division Four with Ninian Park in a decaying state and unpopular owners in charge of the club.

Frank Burrows led City to promotion in 1987-88 as well as a win against Wrexham celebrating another Welsh Cup triumph. Ashurst returned for a second spell at the helm as Cardiff were relegated to the the League's lowest tier in 1989-90.

Eddie May took over as manager as City won the Welsh Cup in 1991-92 against Hednesford Town and then again in 1992-93 against Rhyl. This was their twenty-second triumph in the competition, and their last, at least under rules that forbade sides in the English pyramid from entry that were implemented a few years later.

The bottom tier had been retitled Division Three when Cardiff were crowned champions in 1992-93 before the team dropped back down in 1994-95 before City finished third from bottom of the whole league twelve months later after short unsuccessful managerial spells under Terry Yorath, a returning May, Kenny Hibbitt and Phil Neal.

Russell Osman took City to the play-offs in 1996-97 where they lost to Northampton Town in the semi-finals before Hibbitt returned for another short spell, prior to Burrows being reappointed as manager in February 1998.

The Bluebirds were promoted once more in 1998-99, but their spell in the higher division lasted just one season as Billy Ayre couldn't save his team. In August 2000 controversial Sam Hamman used his money from the sale of Wimbledon to purchase the club. 

Hamman pledged to get the whole of the Welsh nation supporting the club by renaming them The Cardiff Celts and changing the club colours to red, white and green with home games being played at The Millennium Stadium. 

Bobby Gould lasted just a few months as manager under his old boss as he was replaced by Alan Cork who led the team to promotion at the end of the 2000-01 campaign before Lennie Lawrence arrived as team boss in February 2002, with the side losing in the semi-finals of the play-offs to Stoke City a few months later.

In 2002-03 City again reached the play-offs, defeating Bristol City and then Queens Park Rangers with an Andy Campbell extra time goal at the Millennium Stadium to clinch promotion.

In 2005 Lawrence was replaced by Dave Jones, while the following year Hamman sold the club to a consortium led by former Leeds Chairman Peter Risdale for £27M after the local council turned down his new stadium plans. 

Hamman made himself extremely unpopular when he threatened to pull out of the deal and sending the club into administration unless he was given an extra £500,000 with his brother recieving £90,000. The consortium had no choice but to give in to his demands.

The council were then convinced about the funding for the new stadium opposite Ninian Park on the old Leckwith Athletic Stadium site, as the Athletics Club were provided with a new facility elsewhere.

The 2007-08 season was a welcome distraction from the continual financial saga as Chasetown, Hereford United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Middlesbrough and Barnsley were defeated to see City reach the FA Cup Final at Wembley. However, Premier League Portsmouth won the final 1-0. 

Cardiff City brought the curtain down on activities at Ninian Park after ninety nine years of history with a 3-0 defeat to Ipswich Town on 25 April 2009. he stadium had been named after Lt-Col Lord Ninian who is commemorated with a statue in the city's Cathay Park. 

It was the scene of most Welsh internationals until games were staged at the National, and later, the Millennium Stadium. It's record gate was 62,634 for the Home International v England in 1959. It also staged a Bob Marley concert in 1976 and in 1982 a rally for Pope John-Paul II. The stadium had been patched up for its last ten years of service with a roof over the Grange End and seating added to terracing.

City moved into the new Cardiff City Stadium which was to be shared with Cardiff Blues RFC in August 2009. The Bluebirds were then close to winning promotion into the Premier League in 2009-10, but they fell at the final hurdle losing 3-2 to Blackpool in the play-off final after seeing off Leicester City.

A Malaysian consortium bought the club in May 2010, which would see Vincent Tan become major shareholder and chairman. City, including Craig Bellamy, lost again in the semi-finals of the play-offs at the end of the 2010-11 season to Reading as manager Dave Jones was released of his duties to be replaced by Malky Mackay. 

The new owners continued to invest in the playing side of the club and McKay's side had a memorable season as they reached the final of the 2011-12 League Cup where Cardiff were beaten by Liverpool on penalties after a 2-2 draw, with Joe Mason and Ben Turner netting for City.

The Bluebirds also once again reaching the play offs, where West Ham United defeated them over two legs. At the end of the campaign Cardiff Blues relocated to the Arms Park.

A hugely controversial change of club colours to red and black was made before the 2012-13 season by the Malaysian owners in exchange for a new training facility, a large transfer budget which allowed for the return of Bellamy and a stadium expansion. 

While the moves proved highly unpopular and split the fan base, the extra finance paid dividends as City went on to win The Championship and promotion to the top flight for the first time in fifty one years.

However, the Bluebirds faithful were given a further test of character as the popular Mackay was sacked by Tan who was upset with what were deemed to be poor signings in the pre season of 2013. He was replaced in the hot seat by former Manchester United favourite Ole Gunnar Solskjær.

City were relegated after just one season in the top flight. Tan altered the first team kit to all red as an extra tier of seating was opened down one side at the stadium. After a poor start to the 2014-15 campaign led to Solskjær departing with Danny Gabbidon and Scott Young taking over on caretaker roles. 

Russell Slade arrived as the new full time manager in October 2014. City fans were given something to rejoice about after Tan made a uturn as gates plummeted when the team kit was changed with immediate effect to all blue in January 2015. 

Slade led the side to an eleventh place finish as the mood at the Cardiff City Stadium lightened. However, he was replaced in October 2016 with the team struggling. Warnock soon went about instilling a team spirit, gradually rebuilding the side.

The goals of Callum Paterson and Junior Hoilett propelled the City side skippered by Sean Morrison to second place in the Championship and automatic promotion to the Premier League. However, their spell in the top flight lasted just one season, despite some heroic efforts.

Neil Harris became the new manager in November 2019, lasting until January 2021 when Mick McCarthy took over the post. The managerial merry-go-round was turned up to full speed as the experienced boss was replaced by Steve Morison within a year.

His spell in charge lasted until September 2022 when Mark Hudson was appointed. His spell didn’t go to plan, lasting until January 2023. City continued to retain their second-tier status, assisted by the goals of Kiefer Moore. Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi was manager for a short time prior to the arrival of Erol Bulut in June 2023.

Cardiff City FC will compete in the EFL Championship in the 2023-24 season.

My visits

Cardiff City 2 Scarborough 0 (Saturday 23rd April 1988) Division Four (att: 5,751)

My only visit to Ninian Park was on a pleasant day in April 1988 to see Scarborough in action. I was in a car with some other intrepid Seadogs who made the journey with some trepidation. We had been warned by some friendly Swansea fans to watch our backs and not to drink near the ground on our visit to The Vetch a few weeks earlier.

We parked up easily enough and got in only to find a dearth of fellow away fans. There were about fifteen in the whole Grange End and three of them were Cardiff fans looking for a fight! Fortunately the stewards removed them so we could concentrate on the game. Boro still had an outside chance of reaching the play-offs, while City were on their way to promotion which led to a large crowd of over 8,000 attending.

Ninian Park was showing signs of age and was a shadow of the stadium that once held 60,000. The Grandstand was a two tiered structure which had terracing at the front. To the left stood the Canton Stand with had a low roof with seats. 

Opposite was the Bob Bank (thus called because that's how much it cost to stand in there) which was half covered. It was all standing and home to the most vocal "Bluebirds". We stood in the open Grange End. This was covered until the late 70's when it was deemed unsafe.

Twenty minutes from the end our numbers increased by about forty as the Supporters Club coach turned up after a break down in Doncaster. City charged them all full admission prices! This at least gave us a chance to give the home fans a bit of noise in return, which in hindsight may not have been the wisest idea. 

The atmosphere was partisan to say the least. Boro were outplayed on the day and went down 2-0. At the end we were all detained under the Grandstand to allow the home fans to disperse. 

Unfortunately it gave them enough time to get to where we were trying to head out of the city and only the skills as a wannabe Grand Prix driver from Doomie got us out of a scrape after Mick had boomed out a remark to the football results in a broad Yorkshire accent with the window down!

I then attempted to drink the pubs of Shepshed dry in the way home and ended up as drunk as I think I've ever been much to annoyance of Doomie who wanted to offload me after I decorated his upholstery. I travelled back from Derby in the boot before arriving home and going straight to bed to leave my young brother, Nick, to explain our arrival time to our fretting parents. It has been mentioned that it's a good job we didn't win!

Cardiff City 0 Hull City 4 (Saturday 22^nd February 2014) FA Premier League (att: 26,167)

It had been far too long since I’d been down to the Welsh capital for a Cardiff home game, especially as I was good mates on cricket tours with Neil Eggar, a loyal Bluebird from nearby Barry. I needed to go to Cardiff City Stadium as it would constitute ground ninety out of ninety two of League grounds visited. My pal, City season ticket holder Frazer Armitage had sorted my £30 ticket out in advance.

I was on nights but after a sleep I was aboard the 11.45 train out of Paddington. Neil was waiting in his car outside the relatively small station, in the shadows of the Millennium Stadium. It was little wonder that they struggled to cope with the crowds when the FA Cup Final had been relocated to the principality.

Within a few minutes my guide had parked up and we were in The Cornwall pub. Fans mixed freely in a convivial atmosphere. Neil’s pals were good blokes who’d followed Cardiff from the old Division Four. 

No one wore the red that the egotistical owner Vincent Tam had forced on the club. Shirts from past triumphs adorned the walls. The excellent locally brewed Brains bitter was the perfect medicine as we caught up before walking to the stadium.

Less than fifteen minutes from the pub I said my goodbyes to the lads just up from where the old stadium once stood on Sloper Road as I went up the separate road to the away end. The police were welcoming as were the stewards on the other side of the gate; telling fans where to find all the facilities and which entrance to use for the seating.

After further refreshments I went upstairs. The stewards told us that we could sit where we wanted as the Hull allocation hadn’t been sold out. They showed common sense all day and made the afternoon enjoyable, allowing fans to stand towards the back. If only all clubs had such a laid back approach a lot of edginess would disappear.

The stadium was like many newly built grounds. It was similar to the Madejski Stadium at Reading only not as steep sided. It was fully enclosed with the Grange and Canton Stands behind the goals and then the Ninian Stand down the side all being one tier of seats. The Grandstand differed slightly as it had a raised tier for corporate fans, although it was the same height. The acoustics were first class.

The ‘Ulltras of Hull City had been in touch with the Cardiff fans groups in advance of the game. Both sets of fans were troubled by crackpot meddling owners, leading to mutual respect and support for each other. Hull fans sang “You’re Cardiff City, you’ll always be blue”, to applause from the home support. The Welshmen also backed the Tigers, “We’re City till we die”.

Cardiff began the game strongly, testing out the Hull rearguard, for who Alex Bruce and Curtis Davies were having excellent games. On loan winger Wilf Zaha and then Kenwyn Jones had good efforts to test out Alan McGregor in the visitors net. 

Gradually The Tigers got into the game. A fine move between new signings Shane Long and Nikita Jelavic set up the Croatian but he lingered too long, allowing David Marshall to save. However, Cardiff failed to clear and Tom Huddlestone’s fierce shot was deflected into the corner of the net.

Seven minutes before half time it was two as the home defence stood like statues as Long linked up with Jelavic who slotted home. The home fans were not happy with referee Howard Webb or their own side. Personally I thought the ref had a decent game.

The catering was not cheap at half time but I was hungry so I went for the foot long hot dog for £4 and a small Brains to wash it down. The concourse was large with the usual TVs showing the scores from elsewhere. The stadium had lots of space to aid any further expansion. The Ninian Stand had works going on behind it to increase the capacity of that side of the arena.

I fully expected Cardiff to give it a real go after the break, but the comeback never materialised. Hull made it three after fifty seven minutes. Long broke down the wing before his cross went all the way across to other flank to Liam Rosenior. His cross was expertly headed home by Jelavic as once more the defence stood around without marking or making a challenge much to the anger of keeper Marshall.

Boos were ringing down from the home seats. Their mood went from bad to worse ten minutes later. A stray pass saw Ahmed El Mohamadi race half the length of the pitch before rolling the ball into the path of Jake Livermore who slotted home from the edge of the box. 

Thousands of home fans left the stadium. Many of those who remained vented their anger towards their owner. Meanwhile it was party time in the away corner among the 800 travelling fans. 

At full time I retraced the walk, going past local club Grange Albion FC and the pub, before heading to the station over the River Taff and the Millennium Stadium. I made it to the platform with a few minutes to spare before the 5.25 service. 

I enjoyed a nap after hearing further good news as England had defeated Ireland in the Six Nations rugby. Only Scarborough Athletic’s defeat had gone wrong.

Despite that small setback it had been just about a perfect away day.

The arial photo of Ninian Park has been taken from the internet.