' A new year, a new start for Vincent Tan? '

' A new year, a new start for Vincent Tan? '

Vincent Tan's meeting with Cardiff City fans offers hope of a brighter Bluebirds future

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By Terry Phillips

Tuesday Jan 06, 2015

Football correspondent Terry Phillips will attend the meeting between Cardiff City chiefs and supporters on Thursday. Here, he explains why this opportunity to mend broken relationships must be taken


Vincent Tan has been urged to reconsider the re-brand

As Vincent Tan invites supporters to share their views with club chiefs at a crunch meeting on Thursday, football correspondent Terry Phillips, one of those asked to attend, explains why there remains hope of a brighter future at Cardiff City.

A new year, a new start for Vincent Tan?

It is fair to say 2014 will go down as one of the most turbulent in Bluebirds history as Premier League implosion on the pitch was accompanied by controversy and infighting off it.

Indeed, many Cardiff fans have never felt this low. Their love for a great club has never been so sorely tested.

But there remains hope. The Malaysian billionaire who made the Bluebirds’ Premier League dream become reality still has the power to unite Cardiff City once again and heal the wounds of a tortuous period.

If Tan, a man who has thrown his financial muscle behind the club, could find a way for a return to the club’s traditional blue kit and badge, it is still possible to repair his relationship with many fans who have turned on him over the club’s rebranding.

The Malaysian businessman has faced much criticism in recent weeks, but he deserves credit for making the first move to open the door to a brighter future by asking chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo to meet a cross-section of supporters to a meeting on Thursday.

Leading members of Cardiff City Supporters Club and the Supporters Trust will attend, but the club make it clear invitations will cover a far wider spectrum of the Bluebirds’ faithful.

Crucially, Tan appears ready to genuinely listen to the fans. He wants to hear their views, he wants the toxic atmosphere to end.

Watch: Tan says he could consider kit compromise earlier this year


Tan caught the football bug four years ago after watching Cardiff City’s play-off final against Blackpool at Wembley.

That was his first ever live football match - and he loved it. More than 82,000 people were at the final, the atmosphere was electric and Tan had surely never experienced anything like it in his business life.

It drove his passion to get involved, to run a football club and make it a success.

Such was the power of the football force which brought his focus to South Wales, he has poured an estimated £150m into the Bluebirds and remains committed to paying around £5m a month into the club to keep the books balanced.

Let’s look at the undoubted positives.

Tan backed Malky Mackay as City paid £25m to bring in the likes of Gary Medel, Andreas Cornelius and Steven Caulker, while he also bankrolled the return of hometown hero Craig Bellamy.


To his credit, he gave Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the chance to bring in a raft of his own players and is doing the same for Russell Slade.

The stadium has been expanded ready for a return to the Premier and plans for a £10m training ground are pressing ahead.

And yet, for all his good work and his clear love for football, Tan clearly doesn’t feel comfortable attending matches.

He was a regular in Cardiff during the Premier League days, but is yet to attend a match this season.

Thursday’s meeting is an opportunity to build bridges and everyone associated with the Bluebirds must make sure it is grasped.





Make no mistake, Tan would be embraced by many Bluebirds fans if he gave the go-ahead for a return to blue in the future.

His popularity levels would rise immediately, splits among supporters and those between fans and the club would quickly start to heal and, crucially, everybody could focus on Slade and his bid to lead the Bluebirds back to the Premier League.

Cardiff’s best chance of a successful future remains finding a way forward under the current ownership. It’s hard to see how it is feasible for Tan to walk away after investing such vast sums of money and a lot of his own time in the club.

Tan clearly knows the world of business and has also learned quickly about football. I’m sure there are things he would do differently if he could go back.

He is, at 62 years old, the same age as me and having ploughed a fortune into the Bluebirds would love to see the club return to the top flight over the next couple of years.

Tan surely has the same football dreams and aspirations that every Cardiff supporter has.

Working together, owner and fans would be a potent mix. If they could somehow find a common ground in 2015 then City could again be taking on the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool on a weekly basis.

The Cardiff City rebrand is far from the only problem for the club but that is the number one priority. This is the ideal time for Tan to take the lead and show he can be a man of the people.

I hope he can find a way to embrace the needs of Bluebirds fans who crave watching their team in blue.

It would be a big move for the owner, but the positive repercussions would be felt for generations to come.

He may have said earlier in the year kit compromise but a week ago he said we stay red. He's not someone who backs down under threats so can't see what we'll get out of this meeting.

I doubt Tan will be there, he will send Choo and Dalman these are the two who run the show whilst Tan is away.

I am one of those people since day one of the rebrand thats absolutely hated it.

If tan is willing to listen and change us back to blue with the badge then I would be willing to accept tan on board at ccfc and I no many more fans would be the same.

Over to you Vincent tan

Tan is worried about the boycott on season tickets. Renewals only round the corner. The value of our club will severely drop if no revenue coming through the gates.

I believe that Tan, because of the small turnout in the cup, realises that a threat not to renew season tickets next year is realistic. The only compromise about the kit is blue, and change the badge back, at home and red away.

I believe that Tan, because of the small turnout in the cup, realises that a threat not to renew season tickets next year is realistic. The only compromise about the kit is blue, and change the badge back, at home and red away.

Sounds like the #NoBlueNoRenew is having an effect, it should do he won't want to see an empty stadium...............

No how can he compromise without losing face ??????

I can not see any way the club will change their stance on the awful badge or terrible red kit I'm afraid, this meeting will be to try an appease the fans to buy season tickets next season, I hope I'm 100% wrong, but I bet I won't be. I think there will be a lot of huffing and puffing, and "we will relay the fans views etc" and then that will be that

Also I would bet the club will ask for all protests to cease whilst they pass on the fans views

Annis is a big part of this meeting to do with the implications of financial fairplay and the #nobluenorenew protest? I dont know the ins and out of the fairplay or our annual figures but surely taking 18,000 season tickets out of our income is going to mean fines/restrictions similar to what Forest have had? How much income does our season tickets generate?

I should be really excited about seeing who we bring into the club and who goes.

About a winnable home draw in the FA cup.

How the fans can pull us through this difficult period.

However I really don't care a rats arse anymore about the club or how it does.

This meeting of the chosen few is the final icing on the cake for me, the club have done it wrong again in my opinion.

This will be my last season, for ever. No more message boards at the end of the season, just see out the final games and then into a new world.

Will I miss it, NO and that's the funny part! Made lots of friends over the years and had loads of great and bad times but the last few years have been a nightmare!

Didn't realise until recently that I will make a saving of over £6000 a season, so it's a new car and great holidays to come.

Will I look for the results, maybe or better still NO, as I don't care anymore.

Thank you Mr T it's a new start for me (us)

I should be really excited about seeing who we bring into the club and who goes.

About a winnable home draw in the FA cup.

How the fans can pull us through this difficult period.

However I really don't care a rats arse anymore about the club or how it does.

This meeting of the chosen few is the final icing on the cake for me, the club have done it wrong again in my opinion.

This will be my last season, for ever. No more message boards at the end of the season, just see out the final games and then into a new world.

Will I miss it, NO and that's the funny part! Made lots of friends over the years and had loads of great and bad times but the last few years have been a nightmare!

Didn't realise until recently that I will make a saving of over £6000 a season, so it's a new car and great holidays to come.

Will I look for the results, maybe or better still NO, as I don't care anymore.

Thank you Mr T it's a new start for me (us)

If that's how you feel, why wait until the end of the season?

I should be really excited about seeing who we bring into the club and who goes.

About a winnable home draw in the FA cup.

How the fans can pull us through this difficult period.

However I really don't care a rats arse anymore about the club or how it does.

This meeting of the chosen few is the final icing on the cake for me, the club have done it wrong again in my opinion.

This will be my last season, for ever. No more message boards at the end of the season, just see out the final games and then into a new world.

Will I miss it, NO and that's the funny part! Made lots of friends over the years and had loads of great and bad times but the last few years have been a nightmare!

Didn't realise until recently that I will make a saving of over £6000 a season, so it's a new car and great holidays to come.

Will I look for the results, maybe or better still NO, as I don't care anymore.

Thank you Mr T it's a new start for me (us)

Isn't this typical of a lot those crying about the red shirts. seems this guy cares so much about the club that he has jumped ship. Fickle or what. We could do without "supporters" like you. Please go and don't come back.

I doubt Tan will be there, he will send Choo and Dalman these are the two who run the show whilst Tan is away.

Yeah I think that's already Ben stated. Choo & Dalman will be reporting back to Tan.

I can not see any way the club will change their stance on the awful badge or terrible red kit I'm afraid, this meeting will be to try an appease the fans to buy season tickets next season, I hope I'm 100% wrong, but I bet I won't be. I think there will be a lot of huffing and puffing, and "we will relay the fans views etc" and then that will be that

Neither can I mate.
With regards to the kit I think the best we can hope for is a half arsed statement saying we may compromise on it next season. Crystal Palace style maybe? Lol
Still, you never know!!

I should be really excited about seeing who we bring into the club and who goes.

About a winnable home draw in the FA cup.

How the fans can pull us through this difficult period.

However I really don't care a rats arse anymore about the club or how it does.

This meeting of the chosen few is the final icing on the cake for me, the club have done it wrong again in my opinion.

This will be my last season, for ever. No more message boards at the end of the season, just see out the final games and then into a new world.

Will I miss it, NO and that's the funny part! Made lots of friends over the years and had loads of great and bad times but the last few years have been a nightmare!

Didn't realise until recently that I will make a saving of over £6000 a season, so it's a new car and great holidays to come.

Will I look for the results, maybe or better still NO, as I don't care anymore.

Thank you Mr T it's a new start for me (us)

Isn't this typical of a lot those crying about the red shirts. seems this guy cares so much about the club that he has jumped ship. Fickle or what. We could do without "supporters" like you. Please go and don't come back.

No mention of Red Shirts in my thread???????

You Colourblind, been supporting the club since the early 70's not that it's your business

Quite a few of us feel the same way, so you are welcome to it

I can not see any way the club will change their stance on the awful badge or terrible red kit I'm afraid, this meeting will be to try an appease the fans to buy season tickets next season, I hope I'm 100% wrong, but I bet I won't be. I think there will be a lot of huffing and puffing, and "we will relay the fans views etc" and then that will be that

Neither can I mate.
With regards to the kit I think the best we can hope for is a half arsed statement saying we may compromise on it next season. Crystal Palace style maybe? Lol
Still, you never know!!

May be he wants to call us the Eagle Dragons

I dont expect anything to happen, I will hope though.

what if the meeting is to announce more red, more red seats to go in, red cladding to go on, im sure i read somewhere that someone was working on red shit to go in the ground or on the stadium...

they obviously have something tucked up there sleeve ready to come out

Mr Tan will not be attending and will be sending his 2 puppets Dalamn & Choo.. Tan will get a full debrief once completed????

Should grow a pair and turn up himself and answer for himself rather than doing television Interviews on Christmas Day from Kuala Lumpor

F*****g Shithouse Toss pot if u ask me

We can only hurt his pockets until he realises he's messed up

Annis is a big part of this meeting to do with the implications of financial fairplay and the #nobluenorenew protest? I dont know the ins and out of the fairplay or our annual figures but surely taking 18,000 season tickets out of our income is going to mean fines/restrictions similar to what Forest have had? How much income does our season tickets generate?

Probably about a weeks wages of a few players!