Palace view of Cardiff

From the Palace board.

Much has been said about Cardiff's controversial takeover but I don't tend to focus exclusively on that in this thread. Yesterday I made the 320-mile round trip to the Welsh capital and left feeling pretty empty inside for two reasons: one, that Palace had (yet again) thrown away a lead; two, because it feels like I've seen another piece of football's heritage die.

I remember a few years ago going to Ninian park, for I think a Boxing Day game, that Palace drew 0-0. It was a pretty small ground, but the atmosphere was electric, even for such a dull game, and camped in the away end you genuinely felt intimidated by the home fans on either side of you. Sure, there was a nasty element that went looking for trouble, but the passion was there, and overrall it was something you'd want to be a part of, that you could be proud about. Yesterday couldn't have been much more contrasting. You walk to the ground through a sterile shopping complex, which is pretty much a giant car park with KFC, McDonalds etc. around the sides. The ground almost seems like a giant shop itself, plopped in the middle with people milling around the sides as if they're going in to a f'ckiing cinema, holding cokes and bags of chips dressed in replica shirts. Selhurst may well be a sh'thole, but at least it represents a part of the community, situated within walking distance of Thornton Heath and Norwood High Street. This place was about as big a part of the community as whichever nutter in America who storms through a school blowing people's brains out is. Soulless, is the word.

Then you get in to the ground and have to check the badges to work out if you're in Reading/Coventry/Brighton etc etc. The atmosphere, in comparison to Ninian Park, is embarrassing and even as an impartizan bystander, quite saddening to hear/not hear. They had 26000 in there - probably twice the number who filled their old ground, but other than the last 10/15 minutes were almost completely mute. Maybe it was because it was Boxing day, which always evokes pretty sh'te atmospheres as was displayed in the away end (albeit we made a significant amount more noise than the home end). The thing that got me was that I can almost stand Reading or Coventry fans being quiet as they were never famed for being particularly loud, but Cardiff, despite their bizarre Muslim head patting thing, have always had a reputation as a vocal and hostile crowd. Is bowing down to modern football really worth losing that unique matchday experience?

The whole red kit thing need not be commented on much more, and the motto on their crest of 'fire and passion' is almost as embarrassing as our 'winning is everything' under Jordan. The advertising in the ground is also unbelievable. Behind our heads their was a giant screen with the word 'Malaysia' written on it, and just tiers and tiers of adverts everywhere.

So, although some may just call this a bitter and envious rant, is it worth losing so much of a club's heritage for a stab at the 'Promi$£d Land'? I would be mortified if Palace went down the same road, and would quite honestly rather play in League 2 with our current set up than sacrificing so much of ourselves to play in the Premiership.

http://www.holmesdale.net/page.php?id=106&tid=128238

There is some truth in that but Palace changed their colours and badge under Malcolm Allison, not to mention their nickname from Glaziers to Eagles so they went further than us!

If you look at their message boards they are incredibly bitter about our current success.

They should just enjoy the ride after fighting relegation for the last 9 seasons!

who cares what they think - been in admin how many times? They have no real right to an opinion on the way our club is run.

Welcome to modern football. A future to be embraced, with a past not too be forgotten.

sad thing is, he is right

totaly agree buddy. Never thought our fans would roll over and accept the changes so easily. But thats what the authorities wanted at our club fans with no passion and fire. and be fair the authorities have been at our fans throats since the early 90s now they have broken a lot of the older heads and got the prawn sandwich brigade in the football experiance have gone. Everyone talks about the souless new stadium. look at millwall saturday walking around doing what they liked slapping anyone. We have a great past and no one can take that away from us long live Cardiff City ,Bluebirds. If only in memory.

This was posted last week.

He's based his experience of NP on one game. In my experience of hundreds, the atmosphere was just as shit. Big games the place was buzzing.....90% of the time it was gash.

This was posted last week.

He's based his experience of NP on one game. In my experience of hundreds, the atmosphere was just as shit. Big games the place was buzzing.....90% of the time it was gash.

disagree on that. in the last 2 seasons az NP the atmosphere started to go down, b4 we were quiete vocal...

The ones making the most noise, and giving it big, about the change at Cardiff are the ones who took the esay route of administration (screwing everybody around them in the process). They are jealous that no one wanted their tin pot clubs.

How many times have palarse, the wurzels and scumsea gone under?
They forget that when trying to wind us up.

Look at many football clubs history, and see how many have changed colours/kits/badges/nicknames/stadiums etc.

There will not be many that have not changed. So have they lost their history? Sold their soul? No of course not, they just gave it away. At least our club has received a financial backing to ensure our future, and we have a modern stadium to rival any in the country, great training facilities.

I do not like the red shirts and hate the badge, but that will not stop me going, as long as we are Cardiff City, the Bluebirds.