CARDIFF CITY |
The football club started out of the cricket club in the
city and indeed played their home games at Sophia Gardens (now home to
Glamorgan Cricket club) for some time. While scores were fairly
low, a few balls ended up in the river, because they were known as
Riverside from 1899 until 1902 for their proximity to the nearby waters
of the River Taff. In 1902, they added Albion to the end of their
name and by then had also strutted their stuff at Old Park, Fir Gardens
and finally ended up at Ninian Park by 1920, when they turned
professional. The site was formerly a rubbish dump and for the
first few years players were injured by glass and other debris rising up
through the turf. However, the biggest shock came when a bed-stead
protruded out of one of the goal-mouths on a particularly muddy
day. The original name for the ground was to be Sloper Park, but
luckily for the Blues, Lord Ninian (who kicked off their first game at
the new ground and scored the winner against Aston Villa late on) gave
his name as well as his money to the venture to develop the pride of
Wales, with 10 Scotsmen and one native Welshman to take the field in the
shirts of the new club.
The club joined the League in 1920 and in 1924, they came second in Division One, failing to land the championship by 0.024 of a goal. Len Davies was their frail, but successful forward at the time and he missed a penalty in that season, which could have secured the championship for the Welsh side. The next season, the Bluebirds got to the FA Cup semi-final, but two years later reached Wembley for the Final itself. On the way Davies hit a 40 yard shot against Chelsea in the FA Cup and the referee had to ask a policeman behind the goal if it had gone in - everyone was so amazed the slight striker could hit the ball so far !! In the Final they met Arsenal and started what was to be a long-running series of giant-killings for the London side. One goal, which squirmed off the keeper's new shiny jersey, settled the match and took the cup out of England for the only time. In 1929, Cardiff conceded a then record low of 59 goals, but still got relegated and by 1934 they had plummeted to the bottom of the Third Division (South), having to be re-elected to stay in the League. The ground suffered a tragedy in 1937, when thieves broke in and tried to blow up the safe, but only succeeded in setting the stand alight. Their recovery took some time - winning 30 out of 42 games in 1947 to take the Third Division (South) title and they did return to the top flight in the 1950's, before heading back down to the lower rungs of the League ladder. During the Fifties, they were drawn away to Leeds United in 1955, '56 and '57 in the FA Cup and they won each game 2-1 in front of a crowd that was the same size for each tie !! More recently, they have been trawling the lower end of the League, but in 1993 won the Division 3 championship and gaining promotion to Div. 2 again last season. In European competition, for which they have qualified through winning the Welsh Cup on many occasions, they have had some notable successes - in 1970 beating Real Madrid in the home leg of a Cup-Winners Cup tie and even managing to overcome FC Blau-Weiss of East Germany, the city that Cardiff is twinned with !! For a long time their most famous headlines have been for crowd trouble and financial struggles, but now it looks like the club are on firm ground (which is more than could be said for their original pitch) and hope to move forward into the 21st Century with ambition. This has received a knock-back as they were relegated from Division 2 at the end of the 1999-2000 season, being passed on their way down by their main rivals Swansea City. Under the bizarre leadership of Chairman Sam Hammam, the Bluebirds have soared up the league and into Div. 2 for the 2001-2002 season, having gained automatic promotion, passing their main rivals Swansea City who were on the way down. Having got planning permission for a new stadium, it looks like it is good times ahead for the Bluebirds if they can get out of the Championship (as it is now known) with a good push for promotion in 2006-07. The only black cloud on the horizon is the arrival of Peter Ridsdale who has taken over from Hammam and his duties might include him wanting to "live the dream" as he did at Leeds United. He didn't get the chance, as Hammam sold out to Vincent Tan, who sold out the club's history by making them wear red shirts and changing the club badge. It wasn't the only thing he changed, as he took the club into the Premier League under Malky Mackay's management and then spent a lot of money on the new club, the new ground and the new team to try to make them a fixture in the top flight. Tan appeared to become an increasingly erratic figure in his pronouncements and ended sacking Mackay for spending his money on the summer, before brining in former Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had no Premier League experience, before spending more of Tan's money in the January 2014 transfer window. FAMOUS PLAYERS : - John Toshack, Bob Stand, Fred Keenor, Phil Dwyer, Barry Swift, Don Clark. FAMOUS FANS : - Super Furry Animals (Band), Mike Young (creator of SuperTed), Neil Kinnock (Euro MP), David Sullivan (Chairman - Birmingham City) |
Formed | 1899 |
Turned Professional | 1910 |
Became a Limited Company | 1910 |
Former names | Riverside
- 1899-1902 Riverside Albion - 1902-1906 |
Previous grounds | Riverside,
Sophia Gardens Old Park Fir Gardens until 1910 |
Nickname | "The BLUEBIRDS" |
Club Colours | HOME : Shirts - Red Shorts - Red Socks - Red AWAY : Shirts - Blue |
Record Football League Win | 9-2
v Thames Div 3 (S) 6.2.1932 |
Record Premier League Win | 9-2
v Thames Div 3 (S) 6.2.1932 |
Record Football League Defeat | 2-11
v Sheffield United Division 1 1.1.1926 |
Record Premier League Defeat | 2-11
v Sheffield United Division 1 1.1.1926 |
Record Cup Win | 8-0 v Enfield FAC R1 28.11.1931 |
Record Fee Paid | £180,000 to San Jose Earthquakes for Godfrey INGRAM (September 1982) |
Record Fee Received | £500,000 from Coventry City for Simon HAWORTH (June 1997) |
Record Football League Appearances | 471 - Phil Dwyer (1972-85) |
Record Premier League Appearances | 471 - Phil Dwyer (1972-85) |
Record goal-scorer in a season | 30
- Stan RICHARDS (Div 3 (S) 1946-47) |
Record goal-scorer in a Premier League season | 30
- Stan RICHARDS (Div 3 (S) 1946-47) |
Record League goal-scorer | 128 - Len DAVIES (1920-31) |
Record Premier League goal-scorer | 128 - Len DAVIES (1920-31) |
Record all-time goal-scorer | 128 - Len DAVIES (1920-31) |
Most goals in a match | 5 - Hugh FERGUSON v Burnley
Division 1 1.9.1928 5 - Walter ROBBINS v Thames Division 3 (South) 6.2.1932 5 - William HENDERSON v Northampton Town Division 3 (South) 22.4.1933 |
Record Attendance (all-time) | Ground
record : 62,634 Wales v England 17.10.1959
Club Record : 57,893 v Arsenal Division 1 22.4.1953 |
Record total of goals in a League season | 93 Division 3 (S) 1946-47 |
Record total of goals in a Premier League season | 93 Division 3 (S) 1946-47 |
Record League points total | 3 points for a win
: 86 -
Division 3 1982-83
2 points for a win : 66 - Division 3 (South) 1946-47 |
Record Premier League points total | 3 points for a win
: 86 -
Division 3 1982-83
2 points for a win : 66 - Division 3 (South) 1946-47 |
Most Capped player while at club | Alf SHERWOOD - 39 (Wales) |
Youngest player | Alf SHERWOOD - 39 (Wales) |
Oldest player | Alf SHERWOOD - 39 (Wales) |
Address : Ninian Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff CF1 8SX
Telephone
: 01222 221001
(029)
20222857 / 20222858 (Box Office) or
email to : tickets@bluebirds.net
(Credit Card Bookings)
(News)
(Ticketline)
Fax : 029 20 341148
Capacity
: 13,920
Away Allocation : 1,800
Pitch size : 120 yards x 72 yards
Official website : http://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk
Unofficial website : www.bluebirdzone.co.uk
Fanzines
Watch The Bluebirds Fly
The Thin Blue Line
O Bluebird of Happiness
How to get there
By Car
FROM ALL DIRECTIONS: Ninian Park is best accessed from Junction 33 of the M4.
Join the A4232 at J33 and follow signs for Cardiff.
Leave the A4232 at the second exit. After coming down the slip road stay in the
left hand lane and you will automatically join Leckwith Road. Follow this road
to the traffic lights and turn right into Sloper Road. The ground is on the left
hand side.
By Rail
Regular train services run from Cardiff
Central Railway station to Ninian Park.
Full results history of Spurs v Cardiff City
Transfers from Cardiff City to Tottenham
Transfers from Tottenham to Cardiff City
Spurs v Cardiff City match reports
Spurs v Cardiff City Reserve match reports
Spurs v Cardiff City Youth Match Reports