" WORST EVER DAYS ON THE PITCH/ I TOTALLY DISAGREE "

My View/Opinion

On the pitch I totally disagree with you Paul,if you were there in the old days?
Then there were far worse days on the pitch than there are nowadays. Being 2nd from bottom of the old 4th division etc, Ive watched City at every home and away game during our total of 9 years in the 4th Division and they were really bad days, only 11,20 & 50 Cardiff fans going to away games etc
But its all about opinions




" 'This could well be the most miserable 12 months I've experienced as a Bluebirds fan''


Wed Dec 31, 2014

By Paul Evans

Cardiff City fan Paul Evans was almost lost for words after the Bluebirds most recent collapse against Watford


I was looking for a word to describe what happened once Watford scored.

It took about a second or two for “capitulation” to spring into my mind, but my next reaction said so much about what could well be the most miserable 12 months I’ve experienced as a Cardiff City fan.

What happened was that I thought “no, I can’t use that word, I’ve used it so many times already in the past year”.

When I looked “capitulation” up in my Thesaurus, it was surprising how few suitable alternatives there were – there was “surrender”, but that was another word that had cropped up frequently in my recent posts.

So, “capitulation” or “surrender” it has to be then.

Either word captures perfectly what City fans have seen too often this year – by my reckoning, the first one came in our first home game of 2014 against West Ham, the last in the final game of the year a few days ago and there have been 10 more in the league in between, plus one in the League Cup for good measure.

I’m not going to list each of the league matches where at least some in the team basically appeared to give up as far as the fans are concerned.


But what I will say is that defeats do not have to be thrashings for me to consider them as capitulations/surrenders – for example, I believe we capitulated in each of our three 1-0 away defeats this season (Wolves, Blackpool and Millwall).

I’m sure some will think me harsh in my judgment and others will say I’ve been too lenient, but one thing I believe there would be general agreement on is that there have been many more capitulations in 2014 than there have been in any other year in the last decade.

Three of those horrendous last four matches of 2008-09 were examples of City being found lacking when it came to a scrap, so there were important occasions (notably Reading in the play-offs in 2011) when Dave Jones’ sides came up short in that department as well.

Given that Jones’ Wolves team spectacularly failed to clinch promotion in 2002 after being well clear at the top of the table going into the last couple of months of the campaign, there is evidence to suggest that a side’s capacity for capitulation is set by their manager – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sides certainly had a penchant for caving in too.

For myself, I tend to blame the players more than the bloke who stands on the touchline, powerless, to a large degree anyway, to change things that are going wrong.

Another important factor in this for me is that if a team is liable to capitulate, then it’s more likely to be a mental thing than something that can be overcome by, say, a switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.

Annis in a way in those days expectations were a lot lower but maybe more enjoyable

How old are these new batch of reporters they have ? None of them have any knowledge of the days before Tan

Annis in a way in those days expectations were a lot lower but maybe more enjoyable

Our fans were together/united as one and City fans all acknowledged each othe, be it on the Bob Bank or an away game.
The football was far worse than dire,but our players loved us and we loved them

Annis I have been there in the old days, but I have to say the difference is that we supposedly have better players now, and that's what makes it worse, you cannot blame the players of old, they just did the best they could, and the managers could only do so much with what he had, today though I believe we do not have a manager that is using all the players at his disposal, and does not have a plan "B"

Annis I have been there in the old days, but I have to say the difference is that we supposedly have better players now, and that's what makes it worse, you cannot blame the players of old, they just did the best they could, and the managers could only do so much with what he had, today though I believe we do not have a manager that is using all the players at his disposal, and does not have a plan "B"

Those players gave 110% in the old days,they were not class and some were even awful, not over paid,but they gave their all and we loved them for it

The early to mid nineties were dreadful and can I remember City going in to the new year struggling in the bottom three of the football league. I watched a particularly awful 0 v 0 draw away at Torquay on a Cold Tuesday night when the team consisted of the talents of Dave Williams in goal, Paul Harding in midfield, Jimmy Gardner on the wing and the legendary Tony Philliskirk up front or as he was renamed that night 'Phil in a skirt!'. These were the bad days!

The early to mid nineties were dreadful and can I remember City going in to the new year struggling in the bottom three of the football league. I watched a particularly awful 0 v 0 draw away at Torquay on a Cold Tuesday night when the team consisted of the talents of Dave Williams in goal, Paul Harding in midfield, Jimmy Gardner on the wing and the legendary Tony Philliskirk up front or as he was renamed that night 'Phil in a skirt!'. These were the bad days!

that the same era as the long ball expert Damon Searle, loved watching him pump the ball aimlessly up the left flank lol

A mind field subject this.

It is good being at the bottom of the ladder because when it comes to falling you don't have far to fall. That is the difference between the old days and now.

that the same era as the long ball expert Damon Searle, loved watching him pump the ball aimlessly up the left flank lol[/quote]

Damon was in the team that night and his passing was always 'aerial'! The only decent player in the whole team, who probably kept them in the league, was Carl Dale.

How old are these new batch of reporters they have ? None of them have any knowledge of the days before Tan

Id say TOBW is not a new reporter and has been going to the City for a number of years.

The 90s - the players were shit, the quality of play was shit and the crowds were shit but I still found that more enjoyable than the shower of shit we've seen produced on the pitch in the last 12 months. Overpaid and have underdelivered - both managers and players.

A mind field subject this.

It is good being at the bottom of the ladder because when it comes to falling you don't have far to fall. That is the difference between the old days and now.

Haha, I suddenly feel so much more depressed about how much worse things can get. Cheers mate!

On a serious note, I think that's spot on. I think we've become used to this level of football and some people don't realise how poor the standard of football can get. We're still mid-table in the Championship. If anyone thinks this is rock bottom then they are gravely mistaken.

I remember the days when news about City was relegated to the inside pages in favour of the Cardiff Devils. They were doing well, but a following of 2000-2500 was deemed as important as our crowds of 3000 odd.

We've had a 14 year roller coaster ride and it's been wonderful..

Annis in a way in those days expectations were a lot lower but maybe more enjoyable

Our fans were together/united as one and City fans all acknowledged each othe, be it on the Bob Bank or an away game.
The football was far worse than dire,but our players loved us and we loved them

It was called effort and playing for the club. We know some players were crap, others were mediocre but put a shift in!

Currently these lot (excluding those who have been treated appallingly and are leaving) are nothing more than embarressing!

We didn't have the most talented players around, but we had people like Lee Baddeley who sometimes lived up to his name, but was prepared to put his head on the block for the cause, and didn't mind shedding a bit of blood in an attempt to stop the opposition from scoring. Don't think many of our current batch of overpaid superstars would put their heads amongst flying boots to prevent a goal.

The early to mid nineties were dreadful and can I remember City going in to the new year struggling in the bottom three of the football league. I watched a particularly awful 0 v 0 draw away at Torquay on a Cold Tuesday night when the team consisted of the talents of Dave Williams in goal, Paul Harding in midfield, Jimmy Gardner on the wing and the legendary Tony Philliskirk up front or as he was renamed that night 'Phil in a skirt!'. These were the bad days!

not as bad as now!

These players were on £150 pw, and tried!

Lee Baddeley and Derek Brazil were real triers. Their passing was worse than Turner' s! Brazil - back row of the stands and Baddeley a hoof over the roof.

I used to love Graham Withey

Like me Paul Evans has been a city regular for over 40 years. I agree with Paul. These are the worst times on the pitch I can remember. I have seen plenty of City teams with no talent but I can't recall a team so consistently lacking in commitment, courage, energy and organisation as the current one. I walked out of the Brentford game in the first half. Never done that before in 50 years of supporting. Chose not to go to the Watford game and it was a relief not to go. Never done or felt that before. Not going to the cup game on Friday. Never done that before; always loved the FA Cup. For me it isn't about Tan or the rebrand. There is just no entertainment to be had at the CCS . We have reached new depths this year but, bar a few isolated high spots. it has been poor for 3 years now, even in our promotion season.

I loved the team with the Bennett brothers, Jeff Hemmerman, etc. At one time, we were all in the old Canton Stand - different times and as others have said, we all knew each other, not all by name, but by sight.

Worst playing days were under Alan Durban, ie home to Halifax I front if 1,700 fans, still better fun than now though

I think the issue is playing shit with shit players is one thing but playing shit with good players is another.

I think the issue is playing shit with shit players is one thing but playing shit with good players is another.

Very true, good point

Not sure about the fans always getting on mind, always been a cardiff/valleys devide but when it mattered always united which is what we need to do now and what I believe is happening

I still believe CCFC will go back to its roots and become a force to be reckoned with. However, it will probably take some dark days financially, maybe another demotion and a slow but steady rebuild. I hope Championship level is attainable during this time, but am prepared to regroup at a level where foundations can be relayed, underpinned by supporters who actually give a damn about the identity of the "brand" on and off the pitch.

Shedding squad is a first step, shedding a tyrant the next (if he won't see sense).

Regaining the enjoyment is all about regaining the club.

My View/Opinion

On the pitch I totally disagree with you Paul,if you were there in the old days?
Then there were far worse days on the pitch than there are nowadays. Being 2nd from bottom of the old 4th division etc, Ive watched City at every home and away game during our total of 9 years in the 4th Division and they were really bad days, only 11,20 & 50 Cardiff fans going to away games etc
But its all about opinions




" 'This could well be the most miserable 12 months I've experienced as a Bluebirds fan''


Wed Dec 31, 2014

By Paul Evans

Cardiff City fan Paul Evans was almost lost for words after the Bluebirds most recent collapse against Watford


I was looking for a word to describe what happened once Watford scored.

It took about a second or two for “capitulation” to spring into my mind, but my next reaction said so much about what could well be the most miserable 12 months I’ve experienced as a Cardiff City fan.

What happened was that I thought “no, I can’t use that word, I’ve used it so many times already in the past year”.

When I looked “capitulation” up in my Thesaurus, it was surprising how few suitable alternatives there were – there was “surrender”, but that was another word that had cropped up frequently in my recent posts.

So, “capitulation” or “surrender” it has to be then.

Either word captures perfectly what City fans have seen too often this year – by my reckoning, the first one came in our first home game of 2014 against West Ham, the last in the final game of the year a few days ago and there have been 10 more in the league in between, plus one in the League Cup for good measure.

I’m not going to list each of the league matches where at least some in the team basically appeared to give up as far as the fans are concerned.


But what I will say is that defeats do not have to be thrashings for me to consider them as capitulations/surrenders – for example, I believe we capitulated in each of our three 1-0 away defeats this season (Wolves, Blackpool and Millwall).

I’m sure some will think me harsh in my judgment and others will say I’ve been too lenient, but one thing I believe there would be general agreement on is that there have been many more capitulations in 2014 than there have been in any other year in the last decade.

Three of those horrendous last four matches of 2008-09 were examples of City being found lacking when it came to a scrap, so there were important occasions (notably Reading in the play-offs in 2011) when Dave Jones’ sides came up short in that department as well.

Given that Jones’ Wolves team spectacularly failed to clinch promotion in 2002 after being well clear at the top of the table going into the last couple of months of the campaign, there is evidence to suggest that a side’s capacity for capitulation is set by their manager – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sides certainly had a penchant for caving in too.

For myself, I tend to blame the players more than the bloke who stands on the touchline, powerless, to a large degree anyway, to change things that are going wrong.

Another important factor in this for me is that if a team is liable to capitulate, then it’s more likely to be a mental thing than something that can be overcome by, say, a switch from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3.

I agree the days in the old 4 th and div 3 were terrible can't remember what year it was but I remember drawing 22 games and the football and matches were terrible

Alan Durban era was a bad time to be a city fan