FOOTBALL can be a superstitious environment, but if Malky Mackay is looking for a positive omen as the race for the Premier League enters its business stage, then he could do worse than glance back 30 years.
Margaret Thatcher was nearing the end of her first term as Prime Minister, Aston Villa were European champions, and Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Culture Club vied for the number one single slot in the days when the charts were the charts.
More importantly, Cardiff City had suffered an FA Cup upset, going out to lowly non-league side Weymouth after losing 3-2 in a second-round replay at Ninian Park in December.
There was embarrassment, there was anger among a terrace faithful that then numbered significantly less than the regular gate at Cardiff City Stadium nowadays.
But the Bluebirds picked themselves up, dusted themselves down, and went on to nail the biggest prize on offer to them – promotion to Division Two.
So Mackay will hope history repeats itself after the 2-1 upset his side suffered at Macclesfield last weekend, albeit with a virtual second-string side and in times where the balance of priorities have tipped further towards the bread and butter of league affairs with the demise in cup stature.
Mackay’s men are Championship leaders, seven points clear at the top, on 56 points with 20 fixtures left.
Ashurst’s Bluebirds army of 1982-83 never got into a position that afforded them anywhere near as much breathing space, but they got over the line in the end in the days before play-offs, earning promotion with 86 points from their 46 matches, and the same tally would probably be enough this season for the class of 2012-13.
So what were the roots of success in those heady days three decades ago?
Ashurst believes he made his first decisive move when he packed long-serving Bluebirds defender Phil Dwyer off to Torquay United just before the start of the season.
City boss Ashurst was keen to make a point, knowing he wanted to bring Dwyer back to Ninian Park for the promotion chase he was planning.
A miffed Dwyer thought his days as a Bluebirds player were over, but he returned to play a leading role for City in a hugely-successful league season.
“I loaned Phil Dwyer out for a month-long pre-season trial at Torquay,” said Ashurst.
“He saw it as a personal insult to a club stalwart who had notched up nearly 500 games for Cardiff.
“I wanted to rattle the player and get him thinking as he was sloppy and, at times, indisciplined.
“For a month he saw the other side of life on the sleepy south coast and I know he hated every minute of his stay.
“Then, in the first match of the league season, I subbed him to ram home my point.
“But then that was it. I felt Phil, who was as brave as a lion, became a reformed character. He was an integral part of the promotion team and a great strength in our dressing room.”
Unlike Mackay’s Cardiff City empire building of today, Ashurst’s achievement was done on a shoestring budget at a time when the Bluebirds had no financial backing of real substance.
But Ashurst, who managed then Football League side Newport County for four of the most successful years in their history before moving to Cardiff, showed what could be done by fostering qualities that money cannot buy.
He recalled: “That Cardiff team played together superbly as I scrabbled together a mixture of free transfers and loan players.
“My captain, Jimmy Mullen, was the only one who cost a fee, £10,000 from Rotherham United.
“Experience was the key factor – only two of our players were aged under 20.
“But I think the main planks were the Bennett brothers, Gary and Dave.”
Dwyer, who will attend the reunion next month, remembers his temporary exile to Torquay and admits he spoke to Gulls boss Frank O’Farrell, and also nearly ended up at Exeter, with their manager at the time, Brian Godfrey, also keen to sign him.
He spoke to both clubs, opted for Torquay and than played pre-season matches before signing a contract.
It was then that Ashurst called.
“He asked if I would consider re-signing for Cardiff and back I went,” Dwyer said.
During that summer, Ashurst had recruited Jimmy Goodfellow, his former assistant at County, as trainer-coach and wheeled and dealed as best he could in the transfer market.
In came a number of free signings including Roger Gibbins from Cambridge United, Jeff Hemmerman from Portsmouth, and Paul Bodin from County.
Ashurst used five goalkeepers that campaign, Jim Brown, Steve Humphries, Eric Steele, Martin Thomas and a local teenager called Andy Dibble, who would go on to bigger things.
City’s small squad were tested to the limit, but with Dave Bennett outstanding down the wing and Hemmerman banging in the goals, they kept themselves in the promotion hunt.
The Bluebirds only struck one bad patch winning only twice in 10 games between a 4-2 reverse at Bradford in mid-February and a 1-0 defeat to County at Somerton Park in early April, when John Aldridge scored the only goal to send his side top and leave City clinging on in fourth spot.
In May, however, 11,480 fans were at Ninian Park to watch Cardiff beat Orient 2-0 with goals from John Lewis and Bennett to send City up as runners-up to Pompey, with the Bluebirds having lost only one match at Ninian Park all season, ironically the first outing in late August when Wrexham, who would be relegated, mugged them 2-1.
“Precisely a year earlier I had been told my career was over and that never again would I play for my beloved team, Cardiff City” said Dwyer. “Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would then go on to play an integral part in a Cardiff promotion.
“Credit where it’s due. Len Ashurst worked miracles that season and the promotion was very much down to him.”
There would be those who argue that Mackay’s influence is turning out to be just as critical.
So when the class of 1982-83 meet up in a few weeks time, perhaps their function can act as a lucky charm to Mackay and his players.
Dave Bennett, one of the most popular players ever to wear the Bluebirds shirt, is one of seven club legends who have confirmed they will be at the dinner.
Tricky and exciting winger Dave, who now lives in the Midlands, played 77 times for the City, scoring 18 times.
Hemmerman, who fired 26 goals in all competitions during the promotion season, Gibbins, Dwyer, who holds the record number of appearances for the club, John Lewis, Linden Jones and Paul Giles, will also be attending.
The evening is at Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday, February 13. The bar opens at 7pm with a short quiz at 7.30pm. A question and answer session with the players will start at 8pm.
Read more: Wales Online
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