' SLADE ' " DONT BLAME MY STYLE "

Cardiff City's missing fans: Don't blame my style of play or my team... the Russell Slade verdict

18 SEPTEMBER 2015

BY STEVE TUCKER

But Bluebirds boss admits he's 'at a loss' to explain why thousands of fans are snubbing his Bluebirds


Cardiff City Manager Russell Slade

Don’t blame my style... or my team!

That’s the defiant message from Cardiff City boss Russell Slade when it comes to the record low crowds turning up to watch his Bluebirds this season.




Cardiff fans continue to vote with their feet by staying away from Cardiff matches despite the team’s decent start to the Championship.

Attendances fell away last season, with many fans saying they didn’t want to watch the football on offer from Slade’s side.

And the gates have been steadily declining since the opening day of this campaign, with a new record League low of just 13, 715 turning up to see the Bluebirds defeat Huddersfield 2-0 last Saturday. That was also the lowest crowd of the 10 Championship games played that day.



Cardiff City played in front of a sparse crowd against Hull City on Tuesday evening


Even though the Bluebirds leapt to second in the table with that result, things barely improved on Tuesday night as just 48 more fans turned up to see Cardiff lose to Hull.

Many have reasoned that the apathy from the missing thousands stems from frustration at the style the Bluebirds have displayed on the pitch, a hangover from last season when Cardiff failed to impose themselves for much of their manger’s first season in charge.

But Slade believes his players are turning on the style somewhat in 2015-16 and insists his side are not to blame for the poor crowds. But the Bluebirds boss admits he is at a loss to explain the lack of fans.

“I don’t know why fans are not coming, I will leave that to you to decide that, but I don’t think the way we are playing is a factor,” maintained Slade.

On this season's performances he has a point.

But surely even he can see that most of last season's performances were absolutely dreadful and painful to watch.

Now, there may have been reasons why that was and they are often mentioned on here (his hands were tied, the players were unfit, he had to cut the wage bill, general malaise at the club) all of which were to some extent true.

However, the players were in the main exactly the same players who are performing well this season and who, for some reason, were performing so poorly last season.

Slade must get some credit for the turnaround but so must Trollope, as results and performances certainly seemed to improve when he came on board.

It's up to us, as fans, to tell the 'missing' how much the football has improved since last season. However they do need to have the consistency to play a whole game at the standard that they did during the first half last Tuesday. Some of the football then was a delight to watch.

This issue doesn't bother me because I am confident that we will still be competing at the top in the coming months and in for a shout of promotion then they will come back.

I don't think Slade has an issue with our attendance's, after all when you consider his football background, 13,000 plus would seem like a full house to Slade

The people who say about how poor the football under him is/was would have been more than happy to see that week in, week out under Tony Pulis.

What's the difference? The fact Pulis is a bigger name?

who do u blame
had 2 different paying fans sat next to me the last 2games both said they will not be comeing to often to watch the city with this style of football

The people who say about how poor the football under him is/was would have been more than happy to see that week in, week out under Tony Pulis.

What's the difference? The fact Pulis is a bigger name?

success, all we have is a Carling Cup 2nd round exit so far this

who do u blame
had 2 different paying fans sat next to me the last 2games both said they will not be comeing to often to watch the city with this style of football

Look for an excuse not to go. When really what they mean is I'm not going that often because I'm not paying £25+ if we are mid table, if we near play offs towards end of season they'll be back making out they cardiff through and through. Tossers

who do u blame
had 2 different paying fans sat next to me the last 2games both said they will not be comeing to often to watch the city with this style of football

Nothing to do with sitting next to you then ?

Slade and his football must go

Slade and his football must go

Have you been this season?

who do u blame
had 2 different paying fans sat next to me the last 2games both said they will not be comeing to often to watch the city with this style of football

Look for an excuse not to go. When really what they mean is I'm not going that often because I'm not paying £25+ if we are mid table, if we near play offs towards end of season they'll be back making out they cardiff through and through. Tossers

All good points.

People do things by habit. Following the 2008 cup final we grew and had an extra 10,000 fans who bought season tickets and came every week. They got into the habit.

For various anti Tan mainly, reasons, they did not re new and are now out of the habit.

It will be very difficult to get them back. Cost of tickets is a massive factor when they are now doing something else on match days.

The main problem is that there is not really a problem. We've simply returned to where we used to be before the 'glory seekers' jumped on board. When we were doing well we were looking to get promoted, then others joined in the success.

Now that we're back to being a mid-low budget club with no star names (as such) and the ambition of "let's see what happens"; we are not attractive to these other 'supporters'! Some of who are now jumping on the Swansea bandwagon.

The only ways to grow a sustainable supporter base are either through family links or through prolonged success... Neither of which are prevalent at at current time

The main problem is that there is not really a problem. We've simply returned to where we used to be before the 'glory seekers' jumped on board. When we were doing well we were looking to get promoted, then others joined in the success.

Now that we're back to being a mid-low budget club with no star names (as such) and the ambition of "let's see what happens"; we are not attractive to these other 'supporters'! Some of who are now jumping on the Swansea bandwagon.

The only ways to grow a sustainable supporter base are either through family links or through prolonged success... Neither of which are prevalent at at current time

Good quote