Cardiff City fan finds sanctuary in lower leagues

#### copy and pasted from the blog linked, this blog is not my own work ####

Goodbye Cardiff City FC: a life long fan finds salvation in the lower leagues


http://www.urban75.org/blog/goodbye-car ... r-leagues/

Long term readers of this blog will know that I’ve been a hardcore Cardiff City fan all my life.

I’ve been going to games since I was 6 years old, and supported them through their highs and sometimes calamitous lows.

Even when we were scraping the bottom of Division Four, my passion for City never faltered for a second – after all, they were my team from my home town and I was proud to support and cheer them on.



Along with my friends in the now moribund London 1927 Club, I thought nothing of travelling to bleak northern wastelands to cheer on my team.

Such was my love for the City that I even authored a comic fanzine called Bluebird Jones, which garnered nationwide publicity for its unique format and documentation of the trials and tribulations of being a Cardiff fan.

I also ran a regularly updated section on this website dedicated to Cardiff City match reports, photos and features.


I thought nothing would ever sway me from supporting my club until the arrival of the billionaire megalomaniac Vincent Tan, who swiftly embarked on a campaign of jettisoning all the things I loved about my team.

The strip changed and the badge was replaced, as the club’s proud history and heritage was stripped clean in a quest for transnational commercial success.


Cardiff’s once legendarily robust and loyal fan base turned on each other, as arguments raged over what price was a worthwhile one to pay for Premiership ‘glory’.

But for me, the magic was gone. The amount of fun on offer had already been decreasing over the years, as success drove the fans into ever more restricted and sanitised experiences.

Sit down. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t swear. Don’t wave that banner. Stop shouting. Enjoy the stadium experience (TM) in the correct manner.



But the final straw for me was the despicable way in which some Cardiff fans just rolled over and let Vincent Tan do his worst. For them, it was a case of anything for success and I ended up hating them.

So I don’t even recognise Cardiff City FC any more. I don’t care about the Premiership and its endless corporate sponsorship deals and I don’t want to pay for an effing ‘gold’ membership.

I’ve no interest in paying £40 to watch a game in a soulless stadium and being compelled to sit in a designated seat and forced to be a passive consumer for two hours

Most of all, I don’t want to play any part in Vincent Tan’s rebranding of the team that I’ve supported all my life.

So I’ve moved on to the joys of non league football, a place where fans matter and self expression hasn’t been legislated out of the ground. I now support Dulwich Hamlet FC.


I have fun again. I can enjoy a drink as I watch the game. I can stand, sing, dance and muck about to my heart’s content.

I don’t need to send in my passport to be able to buy a ticket and I can turn up at the turnstiles five minutes before kick off.

I’m meeting passionate fans who are more interested in the fun and passion of supporting a local team in all weathers than being a tiny cog in the money-churning Premiership machine.

Twirling scarves celebrate Dulwich Hamlet's 2-0 win over Thamesmead Town, 11th February, 2014

By coincidence, there’s other ex-Cardiff fans who have joined me on the Hamlet terraces, and just like me, they’re loving football again.

So goodbye Cardiff City FC. You gave me some amazing times over the years and I met some great friends on the way, but I won’t be coming back until I can recognise you again.

f**k modern football. Long live grass roots football

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

the problem with all of this is.

your new comrades most likely aspire to play a level up......the players also have ambitions as does the manager........
football is all about trying to win and win again and again........the more you win..the more the pressure..the bigger the crowds..and the bar rises.........but good luck anyway

I totally understand his sentiment and thought. His clubs been raped .

dulwich it is then

Gavin, you're a sad miss...

Your website has always been top notch and a good read from games through to advice regarding arrest at football and rights.
Bluebird Jones was inspired, esp 70s man, a right riveting read which I showed to many fans of many clubs during my RAF days and was unanimously applauded.

I was one of the 70 who had my season ticket refunded once the colour change was proposed and honestly thought that thousands would follow suit. I couldn't bring myself to support another club but I'm glad you've found a new home.

Respect and thanks for all the laughs.

Agree, the magic has gone for me , its more of a hassle these days than enjoyment. This will be the last season I have a season ticket, until tan fuks off and we get our identity back, if it means lower divisions then so be it.

Goodbye Cardiff City FC: a life long fan finds salvation in the lower leagues


http://www.urban75.org/blog/goodbye-car ... r-leagues/

Long term readers of this blog will know that I’ve been a hardcore Cardiff City fan all my life.

I’ve been going to games since I was 6 years old, and supported them through their highs and sometimes calamitous lows.

Even when we were scraping the bottom of Division Four, my passion for City never faltered for a second – after all, they were my team from my home town and I was proud to support and cheer them on.



Along with my friends in the now moribund London 1927 Club, I thought nothing of travelling to bleak northern wastelands to cheer on my team.

Such was my love for the City that I even authored a comic fanzine called Bluebird Jones, which garnered nationwide publicity for its unique format and documentation of the trials and tribulations of being a Cardiff fan.

I also ran a regularly updated section on this website dedicated to Cardiff City match reports, photos and features.


I thought nothing would ever sway me from supporting my club until the arrival of the billionaire megalomaniac Vincent Tan, who swiftly embarked on a campaign of jettisoning all the things I loved about my team.

The strip changed and the badge was replaced, as the club’s proud history and heritage was stripped clean in a quest for transnational commercial success.


Cardiff’s once legendarily robust and loyal fan base turned on each other, as arguments raged over what price was a worthwhile one to pay for Premiership ‘glory’.

But for me, the magic was gone. The amount of fun on offer had already been decreasing over the years, as success drove the fans into ever more restricted and sanitised experiences.

Sit down. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t swear. Don’t wave that banner. Stop shouting. Enjoy the stadium experience (TM) in the correct manner.



But the final straw for me was the despicable way in which some Cardiff fans just rolled over and let Vincent Tan do his worst. For them, it was a case of anything for success and I ended up hating them.

So I don’t even recognise Cardiff City FC any more. I don’t care about the Premiership and its endless corporate sponsorship deals and I don’t want to pay for an effing ‘gold’ membership.

I’ve no interest in paying £40 to watch a game in a soulless stadium and being compelled to sit in a designated seat and forced to be a passive consumer for two hours

Most of all, I don’t want to play any part in Vincent Tan’s rebranding of the team that I’ve supported all my life.

So I’ve moved on to the joys of non league football, a place where fans matter and self expression hasn’t been legislated out of the ground. I now support Dulwich Hamlet FC.


I have fun again. I can enjoy a drink as I watch the game. I can stand, sing, dance and muck about to my heart’s content.

I don’t need to send in my passport to be able to buy a ticket and I can turn up at the turnstiles five minutes before kick off.

I’m meeting passionate fans who are more interested in the fun and passion of supporting a local team in all weathers than being a tiny cog in the money-churning Premiership machine.

Twirling scarves celebrate Dulwich Hamlet's 2-0 win over Thamesmead Town, 11th February, 2014

By coincidence, there’s other ex-Cardiff fans who have joined me on the Hamlet terraces, and just like me, they’re loving football again.

So goodbye Cardiff City FC. You gave me some amazing times over the years and I met some great friends on the way, but I won’t be coming back until I can recognise you again.

f**k modern football. Long live grass roots football

after all that its quite clear you're just not as 'hardcore' as you say you are. jumping ship when things dont go your way....

thanks for the attention seeking message though

In fairness fans didn't turn on each other. It's a case that certain fans on mb's thought they were more important than what they actually were.

Where were the fans complaining when some of our fans were dreadful in the past and made other fans feel like lepers because of their behaviour?

The truuth is ....the rebarnd has little to do with it. Some just got fed up with fotball. Do you actually miss the days of hooliganism, shite stadiums, being treated like criminals by the police for just being a football fan? There was nothing glorious about NP ....it was a shit hole.

When the novelty of following Dulwich Hamlet wears off you'll jack them in too.

Good luck to you....personally I'd look for another sport....or hobby.

It seems your a plastic fan if you have just joined in the past few seasons, but hardcore if you walk away when we face adversity.

Good on you

A statement from Simon Lim: Next year at the CCS things gonna change, better half-time entertainment a tastier hot-dogs so please come back!

I ve supported city around 30 year, and since the rebrand, I ve wanted to walk away,tan has made our club a joke and it seems every week ,another story comes out from within the club,I ve thought long and hard every year about renewing my season ticket,this year is the most difficult,I don't care about being in the premiership or the championship or even if we were back in the bottom leagues,I'd just like all cardiff fans united again and to be in a stadium where we are focused on what matters,and that to me is what's going on on the pitch,not moaning and bitching about board room issues,at the moment the only thing that keeps me going is the social part,having a laugh and a pint with my mates ,before and after the game,each week that passes my passion for my club is getting less and that's down to the ownership of tan,the sooner he sells up the better,hopefully one day that will come true,and who ever takes over will return us to our rightful colours,I live in hope.

I will never stop supporting City but understand this post well. I have struggled so much since the rebrand to enjoy the team I have followed for over twenty years. I've watched my local side Eastleigh Fc this season and enjoyed games as much if not more than seeing City play. Eastleigh play in blue which helps.

I've supported Cardiff since 89 and been through the shit. A name change would be the final straw for me but one thing I could never do is go and support somebody else - it's Cardiff or nothing. It would be horse racing meets and Saturdays on the piss. One dayTan will sell up and unless the new owner is another nutty asian with a phobia of blue ..the first thing a new owner would do is change us back. That I am sure of

No disrespect intended, but whether you've been supporting City 40 years or 40 weeks, and you no longer want to watch the City then just go! Every week like clockwork we have fans lamenting about how long they have been going, and how much better it was in times gone by. Watching football is about your emotions being stretched to the limit, the highs and the lows, if it was not like that it would be boring.
Who cares who is not going any more, the die hard fans will continue to attend, the new fans destined to be lifelong supporters and die hard fans of the future will attend.
Fans who decide that it is not for them and stop going to watch the City will be quickly forgotten and replaced.

Ta ta then turncoat:wave:

So long as its cardiff city fc i'll never leave...

'What is a club in any case? Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it. It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes. It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city. It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.'

- Sir Bobby Robson

same here pal, the magic and love for me has gone, used to save up all my money just to go, and the excitment of going was magic, especially for like a 14year old being in the grange end with all the older heads, and feeling not only some form of belonging, a sense of family, i felt pride and enjoyment in the whole match day experience.

now it seems to be ruined all that, when fans say they want league two and blue, i'd love that, because atleast in the lower leagues that was excitment and normalility i felt

same here pal, the magic and love for me has gone, used to save up all my money just to go, and the excitment of going was magic, especially for like a 14year old being in the grange end with all the older heads, and feeling not only some form of belonging, a sense of family, i felt pride and enjoyment in the whole match day experience.

now it seems to be ruined all that, when fans say they want league two and blue, i'd love that, because atleast in the lower leagues that was excitment and normalility i felt

Plastic

No disrespect intended, but whether you've been supporting City 40 years or 40 weeks, and you no longer want to watch the City then just go! Every week like clockwork we have fans lamenting about how long they have been going, and how much better it was in times gone by. Watching football is about your emotions being stretched to the limit, the highs and the lows, if it was not like that it would be boring.
Who cares who is not going any more, the die hard fans will continue to attend, the new fans destined to be lifelong supporters and die hard fans of the future will attend.
Fans who decide that it is not for them and stop going to watch the City will be quickly forgotten and replaced.

The die hard fans are leaving and as you said will be replaced by new fans who are not As die hard . At what point will this club cease to be the club you fell in love with? Getting rid of the bluebird perhaps ? Or maybe changing the name of the club? The point is we all should have stood together and refused to take the rebrand en masse. The moment some decided to accept the change ( no matter how well intentioned their reasons for doing so) Tan knew he could do as he wished with our identity and that is why I fear we haven't seen the last of the rebrand...

Ta ta then turncoat:wave:

So long as its cardiff city fc i'll never leave...

Good for you, and if if changes to cardiff dragons I take it you'll then be doing exactly the same as the much respected person who's the subject of this post then?

Gavin, you're a sad miss...

Your website has always been top notch and a good read from games through to advice regarding arrest at football and rights.
Bluebird Jones was inspired, esp 70s man, a right riveting read which I showed to many fans of many clubs during my RAF days and was unanimously applauded.

I was one of the 70 who had my season ticket refunded once the colour change was proposed and honestly thought that thousands would follow suit. I couldn't bring myself to support another club but I'm glad you've found a new home.

Respect and thanks for all the laughs.

As another who walked away, I echo the above and would like to thank Gavin too.

As yet another who has walked away, I think Gavin's opening post sums up my feelings too.
After supporting the club for 36 years I cannot bear to witness what has become of the club I loved.
I am now back coaching local football again.
I just hope that one day soon Tan will leave and sanity prevails with new owners returning us to blue and our rightful badge.
However, as Tan has apparently said in the Villa programme that our fans have now "come to terms with our new colours so we can push on", I have grave doubts whether Tan will leave soon and with more rebranding it will be too late to ever return to blue.

Sorry, but can't see the guys logic...to me, you are either a Cardiff City fan or you are not

I didn't choose it; it chose me

I am a Cardiff boy and my first pro-game was in the old Enclosure (formerly under the Grandstand) when I needed a box to see over the wall and the players/pitch all seemed to be well above me at that time

I have followed the club through thick (mainly) and thin and I have seen some great players, lots of average players, and some absolute dross in my time. But it didn't matter; for a club and supporters with limited real ambition other than to float between the middle divisions and cause the odd (well, more than that TBH ) upset in the cup, it sort of didn't matter

It was a comfortable position, where the small but very vocal band of supporters were there because they HAD to be; it was (still is to me) an obsession and somewhere in our sub-conciences we dared to dream (of a place at the top table)

That we are there now is, for many, a disappointment; some blame the owner, some blame the colour change, some blame the Premier League 'circus' itself

Truth is, it is probably a mixture of several things that have left this historic season feeling a little 'flat' and I include the fans themselves in that, because (IMHO) far too many have gone 'looking' for issues that should really be away from the football itself and which have filtered down to the masses, leaving a feeling of numbness about the club's wonderful achievement of getting to the Premier League in the first place

I can't speak for anyone else, but I look at it this way: CARDIFF CITY FC ITSELF IS THE ONLY CONSISTENT IN ALL OF THIS CURRENT UPHEAVAL and will remain so well after ALL OF US have expired; you, me, Vincent Tan, current players et al

Cardiff City FC (sentimentally) is MY club and will always be so, so I will enjoy the ride for as long as it lasts and the thought of 'abandoning' it for another club (even from the lower leagues) is simply abhorrent

Each to their own, but I'll be there and (should the ultimate worse happen) choose fight rather than flight IF Tan (or anyone else) ever tries to change MY club's name!

No disrespect intended, but whether you've been supporting City 40 years or 40 weeks, and you no longer want to watch the City then just go! Every week like clockwork we have fans lamenting about how long they have been going, and how much better it was in times gone by. Watching football is about your emotions being stretched to the limit, the highs and the lows, if it was not like that it would be boring.
Who cares who is not going any more, the die hard fans will continue to attend, the new fans destined to be lifelong supporters and die hard fans of the future will attend.
Fans who decide that it is not for them and stop going to watch the City will be quickly forgotten and replaced.

BANG ON.

I love all this self indulgent bollox......

Every season fans leave, new fans arrive. Each have their own reason.

I jacked it in for my own reasons in 87, Money, college, came back during the Eddie May revival then wife and family meant I didn't come back until the promotion into the championship. My daughter had a flyer about 4 years ago from the CCFC community project in for a quid, she loves it and we have been ever since.

At no point did I not consider myself a Cardiff City fan, and at no point in my life have I have chanted another teams name....

So I am as fair weathered as they come, but all this self sacrifice claptrap does my head in. You were on your way out anyway, NP closing was probably the last straw but you never owned up to it

OP edited due to some confusion over who's opinion piece this is.

Goodbye Cardiff City FC: a life long fan finds salvation in the lower leagues


http://www.urban75.org/blog/goodbye-car ... r-leagues/

Long term readers of this blog will know that I’ve been a hardcore Cardiff City fan all my life.

I’ve been going to games since I was 6 years old, and supported them through their highs and sometimes calamitous lows.

Even when we were scraping the bottom of Division Four, my passion for City never faltered for a second – after all, they were my team from my home town and I was proud to support and cheer them on.



Along with my friends in the now moribund London 1927 Club, I thought nothing of travelling to bleak northern wastelands to cheer on my team.

Such was my love for the City that I even authored a comic fanzine called Bluebird Jones, which garnered nationwide publicity for its unique format and documentation of the trials and tribulations of being a Cardiff fan.

I also ran a regularly updated section on this website dedicated to Cardiff City match reports, photos and features.


I thought nothing would ever sway me from supporting my club until the arrival of the billionaire megalomaniac Vincent Tan, who swiftly embarked on a campaign of jettisoning all the things I loved about my team.

The strip changed and the badge was replaced, as the club’s proud history and heritage was stripped clean in a quest for transnational commercial success.


Cardiff’s once legendarily robust and loyal fan base turned on each other, as arguments raged over what price was a worthwhile one to pay for Premiership ‘glory’.

But for me, the magic was gone. The amount of fun on offer had already been decreasing over the years, as success drove the fans into ever more restricted and sanitised experiences.

Sit down. Don’t drink. Don’t smoke. Don’t swear. Don’t wave that banner. Stop shouting. Enjoy the stadium experience (TM) in the correct manner.



But the final straw for me was the despicable way in which some Cardiff fans just rolled over and let Vincent Tan do his worst. For them, it was a case of anything for success and I ended up hating them.

So I don’t even recognise Cardiff City FC any more. I don’t care about the Premiership and its endless corporate sponsorship deals and I don’t want to pay for an effing ‘gold’ membership.

I’ve no interest in paying £40 to watch a game in a soulless stadium and being compelled to sit in a designated seat and forced to be a passive consumer for two hours

Most of all, I don’t want to play any part in Vincent Tan’s rebranding of the team that I’ve supported all my life.

So I’ve moved on to the joys of non league football, a place where fans matter and self expression hasn’t been legislated out of the ground. I now support Dulwich Hamlet FC.


I have fun again. I can enjoy a drink as I watch the game. I can stand, sing, dance and muck about to my heart’s content.

I don’t need to send in my passport to be able to buy a ticket and I can turn up at the turnstiles five minutes before kick off.

I’m meeting passionate fans who are more interested in the fun and passion of supporting a local team in all weathers than being a tiny cog in the money-churning Premiership machine.

Twirling scarves celebrate Dulwich Hamlet's 2-0 win over Thamesmead Town, 11th February, 2014

By coincidence, there’s other ex-Cardiff fans who have joined me on the Hamlet terraces, and just like me, they’re loving football again.

So goodbye Cardiff City FC. You gave me some amazing times over the years and I met some great friends on the way, but I won’t be coming back until I can recognise you again.

f**k modern football. Long live grass roots football

after all that its quite clear you're just not as 'hardcore' as you say you are. jumping ship when things dont go your way....

thanks for the attention seeking message though

Jezzy there are many fans who totally agree with how Gavin feels. I myself have hated what our fans have become and reading comments such as yours just reinforces what Gavin has said.

No disrespect intended, but whether you've been supporting City 40 years or 40 weeks, and you no longer want to watch the City then just go! Every week like clockwork we have fans lamenting about how long they have been going, and how much better it was in times gone by. Watching football is about your emotions being stretched to the limit, the highs and the lows, if it was not like that it would be boring.
Who cares who is not going any more, the die hard fans will continue to attend, the new fans destined to be lifelong supporters and die hard fans of the future will attend.
Fans who decide that it is not for them and stop going to watch the City will be quickly forgotten and replaced.

You totally miss the point. Its the diehard fans who are leaving and thats the problem. To dismiss anyone who no longer wants to go by just saying they will be replaced and forgotten shows a total disrespect for your fellow fan and with attitudes like yours its no wonder we no longer feel the togetherness which once existed.