" CARDIFF CITY FANS HIT BACK "

Bluebirds fans hit back at Ipswich striker Luke Varney's 'Cardiff City Stadium is like a morgue' claim

15/03/16

By Steve Tucker

Our atmosphere at home to Ipswich was good. We sang throughout. The worst I've experienced this season was at Portman Road' - Supporters Club leader Vince Alm.

Cardiff City supporters have hit back at Luke Varney after the Ipswich striker controversially claimed the atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium was 'like a morgue.’

Russell Slade’s side saw off Championship play-off rivals Ipswich 1-0 in the Welsh capital on Saturday, a match which saw 33-year-old Varney come off the bench with 20 minutes left for Mick McCarthy’s side.

But Varney questioned the atmosphere over the 90 minutes and the number of empty seats inside the ground for a side pushing for the Championship play-offs.

Varney told the East Anglian Daily Times he was left wondering if Cardiff fans had stayed away to watch Wales play England in the Six Nations rugby which was on at the same time.

But Bluebirds fans have hit back, accusing Varney of sour grapes because his side lost, and claiming there was nothing wrong with the atmosphere at a game which had an official attendance of 15,175. That figure was an improvement on earlier gates this season.

“It’s clearly sour grapes from Varney because his side lost to one of their rivals,” said Cardiff City Supporters Club spokesman Vince Alm.

“The atmosphere against Ipswich was good on Saturday, perhaps not as good as the Leeds game before, but still a big improvement on some of the matches earlier in the season.

“I was in the Canton Stand and the fans did not stop singing and supporting their side for the whole 90 minutes.

"We know crowds have not been great at home, but I thought for the number there the support was terrific. I believe Varney is just upset his side lost, it’s simple as that.”

Also read: The buzz is back, argues our man Steve Tucker

Alm also urged the Ipswich striker to make sure his own club had its house in order before criticising others.

He said: “To be honest, the worst atmosphere I’ve experienced this season was when we travelled to Portman Road back in October.

"The place was dead as a doornail and there were loads of empty seats everywhere. Varney needs to look closer to home before he goes round judging others.”

Varney, who has made 15 appearances for Ipswich this season but is still looking for his first goal, actually insists the supporters at Ipswich are superior to those in Cardiff and bottom-club Bolton.

Ipswich have played those two in their last two matches and Varney said: “It was like a morgue on each occasion. Bolton are in a difficult position on and off the pitch, but Cardiff also felt flat and they are pushing for the play-offs.

“It was a weird one because there were so few fans. People were saying it was because of the rugby, which I found a bit surprising.

"But as the away team we were quite happy with that in the first half, although we conceded the goal. The aim in most away games is to quieten their crowd and I don’t think we did that enough at Cardiff. We didn’t have a lot to do to make it happen either.”

Varney claimed ahead of Ipswich's game with Blackburn: “There’s no problem at our own place so it will be good to be back at Portman Road under the lights with a great atmosphere.”

If Vince Alm is saying our atmosphere was good last Saturday then RIP CCFC. I don't care if it's better than Portman Road it's still terrible and one of the worst in the league.

Instead of hitting back at Varney for his comments we should take his criticism on board and let it be a good kick up the arse for us.

If Vince Alm is saying our atmosphere was good last Saturday then RIP CCFC. I don't care if it's better than Portman Road it's still terrible and one of the worst in the league.

Instead of hitting back at Varney for his comments we should take his criticism on board and let it be a good kick up the arse for us.

Spot on, I'm with you, call a spade a spade, the atmosphere may have got better lately, but its still abysmal and at Portman Road this year, it was also shit, but we did only have 150 of us there and the game was a dog shit 0-0 So, nothing for either set of supporters to cheer

If Vince Alm is saying our atmosphere was good last Saturday then RIP CCFC. I don't care if it's better than Portman Road it's still terrible and one of the worst in the league.

Instead of hitting back at Varney for his comments we should take his criticism on board and let it be a good kick up the arse for us.

Got to agree, the atmosphere although better in recent games is still rubbish compared to years gone by, I'm afraid that Leeds game is as good as it's going to get with the crowds we are getting this season.

We are no longer feared at home like we once were, part stadium, part modern day fan imho. Although we were getting lower gates when I first started going in the early late 80's/ early 90's, when visiting teams came to Cardiff they knew they were in for an horrible 90 minutes, now it is like a morgue in most games at home these days so he does have a point.

But as the away team we were quite happy with that in the first half, although we conceded the goal. The aim in most away games is to quieten their crowd and I don’t think we did that enough at Cardiff. We didn’t have a lot to do to make it happen either.”
My question is can u get quieter than a morgue lmao the guy is a knob

If Vince Alm is saying our atmosphere was good last Saturday then RIP CCFC. I don't care if it's better than Portman Road it's still terrible and one of the worst in the league.

Instead of hitting back at Varney for his comments we should take his criticism on board and let it be a good kick up the arse for us.

Got to agree, the atmosphere although better in recent games is still rubbish compared to years gone by, I'm afraid that Leeds game is as good as it's going to get with the crowds we are getting this season.

We are no longer feared at home like we once were, part stadium, part modern day fan imho. Although we were getting lower gates when I first started going in the early late 80's/ early 90's, when visiting teams came to Cardiff they knew they were in for an horrible 90 minutes, now it is like a morgue in most games at home these days so he does have a point.

Rio said our atmosphere was the most hostile he'd played in in this country. When they used to ask lower league players what the best atmospheres were 9 times out of 10 they would include Cardiff in their answer. Shows how far we have dropped as a fanbase that an opposing player would say this and the sad thing is it's true.

Seriously are we still going in about this.

If Vince Alm is saying our atmosphere was good last Saturday then RIP CCFC. I don't care if it's better than Portman Road it's still terrible and one of the worst in the league.

Instead of hitting back at Varney for his comments we should take his criticism on board and let it be a good kick up the arse for us.

Got to agree, the atmosphere although better in recent games is still rubbish compared to years gone by, I'm afraid that Leeds game is as good as it's going to get with the crowds we are getting this season.

We are no longer feared at home like we once were, part stadium, part modern day fan imho. Although we were getting lower gates when I first started going in the early late 80's/ early 90's, when visiting teams came to Cardiff they knew they were in for an horrible 90 minutes, now it is like a morgue in most games at home these days so he does have a point.

The atmosphere didn't do us much good in the 80's & 90's we were mostly crap!

I feel very sad that we seem to have lost that incredible intensity we used to generate even when attendances were much lower. Didn't matter how crap we were on the pitch no one was going to outsing us or be louder than us. It doesn't help that our singing section is so far away from the away fans. Can't they swap the canton and grange? It would make one hell of a difference in my opinion. Also the stewarding is killing us. Constantly watching people and telling them to sit down, don't look at the away fans. Killing the atmosphere.

It is a bit of a myth that NP was always a 'great atmosphere' I can remember many games when it was as dead as CCS is now.

However, in the final few seasons the Grandstand section had a habit of springing into life mid-way through the second half and that often lifted the team to a positive result.

That has never been recreated at CCS. There have been times when 116 have got close but it is simply not the same. We should lobby for the Canton and Grange End's to swap but the reality is that won't happen. What we need to do is work with fans and some how recreate the NP Grandstand experience. That probably involves moving season ticket holders who are affected by standing support, but the benefit would be worth it.

Well said Vince. We should always back our own how dare a player insult our team. The atmosphere is bad at many times not because of the stadium or the canton and family stand should swap it's because supporters are not making enough noise . Plus I have been at ninian park and it's been dead with 12000 but great noise there with 5000 . Make some noise. When we r away we sing shout all game wining or losing

I've just sent a delivery of the finest Sicilian lemons to Portman Road as the bitterness will go well with Varney's sour grapes.

Take his criticism on board yet he said because he lost v us? Howler.

Luke fecking varney