Cardiff City Football Club Statement 10/05/12

Seen this mentioned by TLG on mikes board. One year one day on we had this released to us all, so what happened then, how did it all change. I remember reading this open letter to us fans back on the day then and thinking thank f**k for that


From Cardiff City Football Club's official website on 10/05/12:

To begin, I would like to assure all supporters that the feelings toward Cardiff City Football Club from Malaysia remain as strong as ever.

Since our arrival in 2010, we have been blessed and humbled by the passion and dedication of everyone associated with the club, a trait we quickly adopted ourselves, along with the collective aspirations to see Cardiff City succeed.

Having remained in regular and close contact with board members and the management team in Cardiff, both I and our principal investor, Tan Sri Vincent Tan, are aware of and fully appreciate the concerns from supporters and others alike given the scale of the bold, and as we believed, necessary steps that would need to be taken if this football club is to be able to realise the dream and vision that I would hope all supporters have for our future.

It was therefore unfortunate that someone felt the need to leak and break the confidential details of some of those plans before they had been fully finalised and agreed by the board, which has led to the series of events unfolding this week.

Following Cardiff based meetings and discussions with supporter representatives, media outlets and management staff at the club, led by Alan Whiteley, key points have been communicated, listened to and discussed in depth here in Malaysia.

To that end I would like to communicate the following points to help supporters understand our feelings and the strategy going forward:

I can categorically state that there were never any plans to rename the club. Cardiff City Football Club has a rich history, which we are honoured to celebrate and share locally, nationally and internationally.

Indeed, the intention and part of the reason for reaching agreement with the Cardiff Blues was to allow the stadium to become the sole home of the football club. As such it could embrace and honour the history and heritage through the ages at the stadium accordingly, a step that was intended to allow future generations to also remember, learn and appreciate the achievements of the club in years gone by.

It is clear to all concerned that the club simply cannot continue to function and exist in its current state, effectively losing large amounts of money each month, while acquiring more and more debt.

We have continued along this path until the end of the current season, but the club inevitably now faces bold and real world decisions should we want to see the club survive. As romantic and simplistic a notion as it may seem, maintaining our current course without growth or change, is not, and cannot be, an option.

The new club crest and home colours which were being discussed were intended to demonstrate the symbolic fusion of Welsh and Asian cultures through the use of the colour red and the predominant featuring of a historical Welsh dragon under the Cardiff City FC name.

This would have been a springboard for the successful commercialisation and promotion of the club and its brand, driving international revenues and allowing us to fund transfers and success locally, thereby giving the club the best chance of competing at the higher reaches of competition.

This was not meant as a slight in any way shape or form on the club's traditions or history which we recognise are the lifeblood of any club.

It was intended as a positive change to allow us to adapt and embrace the future. Notwithstanding a number of rumours there were no further plans to turn the stadium red or make other radical changes.

The impending investment and development plans built on the above strategy which were in the course of being finalised and led by Tan Sri Vincent Tan were intended to greatly reinforce our long term affinity and reflect and represent a desire to see this great club grow, built on solid foundations that would ensure the prosperity of Cardiff City within South Wales for many generations to come.

It was intended to reach settlements with the principal historic creditors, and for Tan Sri Vincent Tan to then transfer the debts currently due to him into equity and drive revenues through an aggressive marketing and commercialisation plan.

This would as a result allow initial and further investment for team strengthening.

However, we have no desire to cause offence, or for people to think we have no respect for the club or its history, as it would appear has been suggested in various quarters - including by local Assembly members.

We would have hoped that the significant investment made to date would have already demonstrated our good faith in that regard.

Indeed, we are disappointed that anybody would think the contrary. In the light of the vociferous opposition by a number of the fans to the proposals being considered, as expressed directly to our local management and through various media and other outlets, we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge.

We will now reassess in conjunction with the board of the club the future strategy and the further ongoing investment necessary to allow the club to continue to trade. This may include looking for new and additional partners and investors.

Finally I would like to thank all associated with Cardiff City Football Club for their fantastic and continued support during the whole of the last season and to express my thanks to our manager and his team and staff at the football club for all their work last year in again getting us so close to promotion in what was always going to be a difficult transitional season.

"we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge"

Ouch

A huge majority realised losing VT was worse than losing the colour.

The following days a guge surge of support for VT led to his plan above going ahead.

We could of been in league 1 now and not the premier league

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So what happens if we get relegated again? Change colours and crest again?

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

the club I chose to support was this:

Name: Cardiff City FC
Crest: The Bluebird (as the main feature)
Colours: Blue/White

2/3 of our identity has been destroyed!!!

the one who is selfish, is that pr1ck who came in and took our identity away, as he prefers red and a dragon...
and the ones who prefer success over their football club, what do you you do when we get relegated? swap your team then? I chose CCFC as my club when we were in the sh1t, it makes no difference to me in what league we play in, as long as we are who we are and not selling our soul...

BLUEBIRDS

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

the club I chose to support was this:

Name: Cardiff City FC
Crest: The Bluebird (as the main feature)
Colours: Blue/White

2/3 of our identity has been destroyed!!!

the one who is selfish, is that pr1ck who came in and took our identity away, as he prefers red and a dragon...
and the ones who prefer success over their football club, what do you you do when we get relegated? swap your team then? I chose CCFC as my club when we were in the sh1t, it makes no difference to me in what league we play in, as long as we are who we are and not selling our soul...

BLUEBIRDS

You have chosen a colour over the long term financial stability of the football club. Im just going by the words from your mouth.

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

the club I chose to support was this:

Name: Cardiff City FC
Crest: The Bluebird (as the main feature)
Colours: Blue/White

2/3 of our identity has been destroyed!!!

the one who is selfish, is that pr1ck who came in and took our identity away, as he prefers red and a dragon...
and the ones who prefer success over their football club, what do you you do when we get relegated? swap your team then? I chose CCFC as my club when we were in the sh1t, it makes no difference to me in what league we play in, as long as we are who we are and not selling our soul...

BLUEBIRDS

You have chosen a colour over the long term financial stability of the football club. Im just going by the words from your mouth.

no, I have chosen our club's identity over sporting success

Indeed, the intention and part of the reason for reaching agreement with the Cardiff Blues was to allow the stadium to become the sole home of the football club. As such it could embrace and honour the history and heritage through the ages at the stadium accordingly, a step that was intended to allow future generations to also remember, learn and appreciate the achievements of the club in years gone by.

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

the club I chose to support was this:

Name: Cardiff City FC
Crest: The Bluebird (as the main feature)
Colours: Blue/White

2/3 of our identity has been destroyed!!!

the one who is selfish, is that pr1ck who came in and took our identity away, as he prefers red and a dragon...
and the ones who prefer success over their football club, what do you you do when we get relegated? swap your team then? I chose CCFC as my club when we were in the sh1t, it makes no difference to me in what league we play in, as long as we are who we are and not selling our soul...

BLUEBIRDS

I'd rather sniff glue in division two,yea right.What a crock of shit

I can understand fans who have grown up supporting the bluebirds and watching blue being disgruntled but why bang on about heritage and history anyone who believes in cardiffs history would be playing in riverside colours as this club was founded as riverside, so a true believer would wear original colours, before anyone starts I have always supported us in blue as that is why I know like you guys but in order o support city in the future which is where we are heading not to the past I have embraced the change of direction the club is going because I can see howit will benefit the club I love in the future, a club my eventual children will follow and they will only know red and if some other loony owner comes along in there lifetime the colours may change again, I'm sure they will feel strange as well but long term stability and the clubs future are far more important than the colour of the shirt, we may win more cups etc in future we may not Wht matters most will be that the club is still ccfc and still has a history a club going bust will have no history with VT at the helm we stil have a club that will exist goin into the future and what a prosperous future it looks for us onwards and upwards ccfc!!!!

"we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge"

Ouch

Unfortunately a few days later there was a larger clamour to support VT and his plans. The support supposedly outweighed that of the initial anti rebrand and the plan went ahead. If this was true TG did not lie he just went with the majority. so they say.

I'd prefer conference in blue than premiership in red, tbh...

So you would put your liking of the colour blue above the stability and progression of the club you "love"

Nice one, how f*cking selfish.

the club I chose to support was this:

Name: Cardiff City FC
Crest: The Bluebird (as the main feature)
Colours: Blue/White

2/3 of our identity has been destroyed!!!

the one who is selfish, is that pr1ck who came in and took our identity away, as he prefers red and a dragon...
and the ones who prefer success over their football club, what do you you do when we get relegated? swap your team then? I chose CCFC as my club when we were in the sh1t, it makes no difference to me in what league we play in, as long as we are who we are and not selling our soul...

BLUEBIRDS

I'd rather sniff glue in division two

judging by your comment you already had too much of it...

"we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge"

Ouch

Unfortunately a few days later there was a larger clamour to support VT and his plans. The support supposedly outweighed that of the initial anti rebrand and the plan went ahead. If this was true TG did not lie he just went with the majority. so they say.

There was a deluge of support for the rebrand. As far as I am concerned the masses were conned into believing the worse.

"we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge"

Ouch

Unfortunately a few days later there was a larger clamour to support VT and his plans. The support supposedly outweighed that of the initial anti rebrand and the plan went ahead. If this was true TG did not lie he just went with the majority. so they say.

There was a deluge of support for the rebrand. As far as I am concerned the masses were conned into believing the worse.

Yep. Would be very interesting to know if TG & VT would have followed through with walking away had we stayed blue. They were only going to curtail their investment into training facilities and stadium expansion then see if they could sell us on.

We could have been in the same situation we are in today but having played in blue. We would then be calling their bluff as to whether they walked away from a Premier League club.

"we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge"

Ouch

Unfortunately a few days later there was a larger clamour to support VT and his plans. The support supposedly outweighed that of the initial anti rebrand and the plan went ahead. If this was true TG did not lie he just went with the majority. so they say.

There was a deluge of support for the rebrand. As far as I am concerned the masses were conned into believing the worse.

I believe this also but alot was thinking at the time what if's and the more time went on more and more fans thought the same if's & buts scenario