Maesteg Bluebirds Features

Neil, How long have you supported Cardiff City?
My first game was at the tender age of 7, way back in 1976/77 where my dad took me to watch City v Oldham. We won 3-1 but my clearest recognition was of a woman stood behind me on the Bob Bank shrieking, "Come on Friday" throughout the game. I thought she was nuts as it was Saturday! I started going with my dad more regularly in 78/79 and would say that I really started supporting us then, especially after I got a scarf and hat for Christmas.

Who is your Cardiff City player past and present?
My favourite current player is probably a toss up between Kevin McNaughton who I consider to be easily the best full back in the Championship, and so underrated, and Chris Burke simply because he is so skilful.

My all time favourite player is much more difficult as there are many for many different reasons. I am going to go with my earliest hero at Ninian Park, Billy Ronson. He came to the club just after I started going regularly and even though he was only here for 2 seasons I, as a youngster idolised him. Plus he game me my first taste of beating Swansea by scoring the winner at Easter 1980!

What is your best ever Cardiff City moment?
My favourite moment was beating Barnsley at Wembley and the realisation that we were in the FA Cup Final. However, I think Chopra's last minute winner against Swansea beat that for sheer elation. That goal meant so much to us as fans and the club for the play off push.

Some great memories there...

You mentioned the FA cup final, which meant us going to Wembley for the second time in a few weeks. We could well be going back there in a couple of weeks, with that thought how do you think the play-offs will pan out?
This is Cardiff and therefore I am the eternal pessimist! Nothing ever goes smoothly for us and for that alone I still expect to be in the Championship next season. On form and ability we have a great chance and the one thing I think we have over Leicester and Blackpool is more players with the ability to score goals - Chopra, Bothroyd, McCormack, Whitts, Burke, Ledley etc. I think Forest probably have similar abilities and if I was a neutral I would be expecting us against Forest in the final but..

You mentioned a few Cardiff players there and how good they are attacking, who do you think has made the difference this year and what has made things different compared to last season?
Burke has had the benefit of a full pre season whereas last year he came in and had not played for so long. Obviously the goals of Whitts has been a major plus point, and I think its fair to say that we have never had a goal scoring midfielder at this level such as him this season. Bothroyd has been better this season for us as well and has been a key figure. I also think that Marshall has made a hell of a difference in goals. He is possibly the best keeper I have seen between our posts. I think one of the most underrated players in the recent run we have had though has been Steve McPhail. Our record with him in the team this season has been so much better than our record without. In league games that he has played we have won 14 drawn 5 and lost 2. Maybe if he had been fit all season we wouldn't have even needed the play offs!

If Cardiff do achieve the dream this season do you think we can stay there and if so how or if not why not?
That is purely down to how much money we have to spend. I am confident that, given the right investment, Dave Jones will spend it wisely and keep us up. I know he takes stick but I think he has a fabulous transfer record. Yes of course some have not worked out but when you consider the players he has brought in and the prices he has paid for them it is astonishing. Chopra, McCormack, McPhail, Johnson, Loovens, Bothroyd, Whitts, Burke. I am not sure that all of those combined have cost a million and yet could be sold on for a lot more. If he had some real money to spend then I believe we could flourish even in the Premier League. Of course we could use the Premier league as a vehicle to pay off our debts in full and get relegated in one season. Economically that probably makes sense but my heart hopes that we would stay and be competitive. I think we would need at least 6 players though.

Lets hope your heart is right. With the massive play-off games coming up can you give us a prediction for both games this Sunday and the final?
OK I am going to go for a tight two legged affair and we will get a draw up there on Sunday and then a 2-1 win at home! Of course my heart says - "please don't put pressure on me and get a 4-0 win away so the home game can be a nice relaxed affair!" I wish!

Thanks Neil, I hope your right about the 4-0! Take care and hope to see you in the premiership next season.

How long have you supported Wrexham?
I first went to see Wrexham around 1982 against Halifax town, and have followed them since then.

Have you ever watched Wrexham V Cardiff City?
Yes, a few times. I watched us win 2-1 in the FAW cup final at the Racecourse in 1998 and a FAW cup semi-final at Ninian Park, possibly the following year, when we lost but went through on away goals. Saw a 1-1 draw in Ninian Park in the league in 1999 and also saw us win 2-1 up in the Racecourse in the return league fixture in 2000. All were pretty close matches to be fair.

You talk about winning a lot there, but unfortunately since then it seems to have gone downhill. What do you think has been the problem? And can you get to where you once were?
Yes, we were the best team in Wales around the mid to late 90s, but it all started going pear-shaped with the mis-management of the club from the top down. Our then chairman Pryce Griffiths sold the club to a certain Alex Hamilton who, together with Mark Gutterman, attempted to run the club into the ground and move us to a smaller stadium so they could sell off the Racecourse to build houses on. This resulted in a fierce battle for the club by the fans, and the only course of action left at one point was for Wrexham to be put into administration, thereby losing 10 points and getting relegated from League 1, and we’ve been on a slippery slope ever since, and haven’t fully recovered to this day… As for getting us back up the league, it may take a change in management again to get us going in the right direction next season. Dean Saunders has lost the confidence of a lot of Wrexham's fans, as although he has been backed by the new board financially, he seems to be taking us backwards still….

Have you been tempted to support another team, especially as you now live in Cardiff? Or do you have a “second” team?
I’ve never been tempted to support Cardiff or even Swansea, living down here in South Wales, although I do have a soft spot for Nottingham Forest who I go to see when they’re playing local games. That said I’d love to see either of the Welsh clubs go up to the Premiership if Forest were to fail, and would back them against the big boys in the top league…

Ok, now on to real football (Championship that is). How do you think Cardiff have done this season and with the season coming to an end how do you think Cardiff will finish?
I reckon Cardiff have had a really good season, considering all the off the field issues you’ve had and are having. The Championship had the potential to be a really tough league this season, so you’ve done well to keep on competing, especially when the injuries started piling up for you. I think Dave Jones must take a hell of a lot of credit for making sure that the disappointments of the last couple of seasons have been motivating factors in pushing onwards this season, as at the moment you look like certs for a play-off spot (although we could have said that last season I suppose). It all depends who you get drawn with in the play-offs, but anyone of Forest, Cardiff, Swansea or Leicester can beat any one of the others on their day, with maybe just Blackpool being a weak link. It should all come down to experience in the big games therefore, and City should certainly be able to draw on their FA cup runs of the last few years to give them an advantage… I’m not a betting man (much) but my money would be on Leicester – only because I really can’t stand them!!!

Wrong team in blue there mate! Thanks Huw, hope to see you making an appearance at the Cardiff City stadium in the future and I think I speak on behalf of many Cardiff fans when I wish your team Wrexham (that is not Forest) luck in getting back in to the football league.