One Game at a Time: You're only Here for the Pasties (and interview).
Cardiff City (A) Boxing Day
In what is, by necessity of time and other commitments, not the least of which is refreshing the new manager thread fifty times an hour, a slightly briefer OGAAT for the Boxing Day match. Boxing Day, a tradition started in the UK in the eighteenth century when tradespeople would be granted gifts by employers ad wealthy benefactors, is a predominantly British and Commonwealth thing, although it is concurrent with the feast of St Stephen, so we won't be celebrating that for long.
The shortest recovery time for players staff and preview writers alike, after a Christmas Eve match which was as breathless as it was dramatic. For a pre Xmas game there were gifts a plenty, and the first half appeared to be very much Waynes World as his Brummie side roared into a two goal lead, which could by rights have been a couple more. Loveable rogue Jay Stansfield blotted his copybook with the boss by opening his Secret Santa "Junior T Shirt maker" early, but his launch event at the Devonport End was a big success with many fans rushing to place pre orders, presumably for the more popular Green version.
Even the ref was impressed. showing him a swatch of the shade of yellow he would prefer.
Waynes World then briefly became Waines World as the much maligned , but only fit Argyle forward, chased a lost cause to flick the ball inside. In the world of inverted full backs, this became a great chance for Joe 90 to appear as the next most advanced Argyle player and in a pickpocketing tackle worthy of a Dickensian Artful Dodger, the half time score was 1-2.
The next bah humbug was from referee Scott , who having allowed a much worse tackle by Dembele, decided the lunge by Bielek was beyond the pale, and produced a straight red. Even down to ten, City were still dangerous, and the annoyingly efficient Stansfield produced a surging run and cutback for Bacuna to restore their advantage to two goals.
If we have learnt anything, however, about this Argyle side, is that they may lack some things, but heart and desire are not amongst them. A super cross by Miller was met, under huge pressure from Waine, by the City centre half Roberts to deliver his own early gift of a goal. Then Azaz and Whittaker combined to allow a strike from the edge of the box that kissed the post as it went in. There was even a brief moment when an Issaka shot could have sealed a remarkable 4-3, but it was not to be.
Honours even then, although the thought of not playing Stansfield again this season might be dashed by an Ipswich inspired move for him in the upcoming Window. He won't even have to make a new T shirt for that one either.
Boxing Day for Argyle of late has meant a new tradition, mainly of getting up early, and after three in a row at Cheltenham , Argyle fans and coach drivers will have to remember to turn left not right at Bristol and make their way to the City of Arcades (the shopping kind rather than the fruit machine kind) and the capital of Wales (but only since 1955) for a game at Cardiff City.
Originally another of the clubs formed in order to keep their cricket team fit, Riverside, as City were originally known played their very early fixtures at Sophia Gardens ( home of Glamorgan CC to this day). Playing in local leagues, they evolved to become Riverside Albion, and in 1905 asked to change their name to Cardiff City, to reflect the newly granted status of their former home town, but were denied as they were not considered to be playing a high enough standard.
This prompted a move up the league pyramid and in 1908 the club became Cardiff City. One reason for the success of the South Walian clubs in joining the League was the rapid expansion of the rail network in the UK which allowed them to far more easily play matches to their east, and so in 1920 the club were elected into the Second Division. As Blackadder said to Baldrick, "Never ask for directions in Wales. All you'll get is confused and a head full of spit."
In 1927, having previously lost in the final to Sheffield United two years previously, the club had its most impressive achievement, and, beating Arsenal, Welsh keeper Dan Lewis and all, 1-0 at Wembley became the first and only non English based club to win the FA Cup. Just to compound the irony, the game was played on St Georges Day.
Other than that the only real silverware the club has regularly obtained is the Welsh Cup, which they are the second most prolific winners of, after Wrexham. Following a UEFA direct that they could not enter cups runs by separate National jurisdictions the club have eschewed the Devon Bowl equivalent for the FA Cup and thus have lost the route that granted then occasional European Football in the sixties and beyond (although you could argue they get that in all but one of their away League games). No more one nil wins over Real Madrid then unless that can gatecrash the Superleague.
Cardiffs original colours were chocolate and amber, but they changed to blue in 1908 with the change of name and status, as well as moving into their home of almost a hundred years, Ninean Park. Their nickname of "the Bluebirds" stemmed from the strip change but also to the performance of a play in Cardiff by the shortly to be conferred Novel Laureate playwright Thomas Maeterlinck. the Belgian, whose play about children pursuing the bluebird, denoting happiness, and trying to imprison it was written in 1909, and played the New Theatre Cardiff for a successful run. It was championed by a City supporter as a suitable nickname, being about the pursuit of happiness and the need not to hoard it selfishly, and rapidly became established and eventually enshrined on the club badge.
Cardiff have more or less survived predominantly at the second tier, with occasional forays to the top level, and a couple of very brief descents to the depths, once almost exiting the league by finishing 22nd.
In recent years however the club have been more known for their ownership issues with a series of the somewhat less reputable custodians and a series of battles over identity and tradition. First up in 2000 was Lebanese businessman Sam Hamman, who having abandoned his Dublin dream at Wimbledon, acquired Cardiff to immediately attempt to rebrand them as the Cardiff Celts ( I mean talk about an open goal for opposition fans) and for them to play in the Welsh colours of Green Red and White.
Having failed to win the fans over he eventually settled for a rebrand of the club badge and for several years was seen doing the Ayatollah with the clubs fans, their unique celebration, and under ex Argyle assistant boss Lennie Lawrence, and having funded a number of players, they won promotion to the EPL.
Having returned to the second tier, the club then struggled to finance the new ground they needed, but by perfect happenstance Peter Ridsdale was on a walking holiday in the Brecon Beacons (well, why not) and headed up a consortium to buy the club and deliver the new Stadium.
To the surprise of almost no-one the club ran up massive debts of almost seventy million pounds, and the Riddler departed, and headed for another walking holiday, this time in the West Country where he managed to acquire another club for a quid before it found more appropriate ownership options.
The new owner, and still in place, albeit on a more absentee basis, was Bond villain wannabe Vincent Tan. Tan rapidly bought out most of the other shareholders, including Hamman after an acrimonious legal dispute. To call his reign turbulent would be an understatement, as amongst his more extreme moments he attempted to change the clubs colours from Blue to Red to reflect a more lucky colour, queried why his goalkeeper didn't score more goals and suggested transfers should be based on players associated with the oriental lucky number eight.
Tan did achieve success under Malky Mackay, before falling out with him and dismissing him, after appointing a head of recruitment who previously was a handyman at the club and, perhaps more pertinent, his sons best friend. After spells with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Russell Slade, Neil Warnock donned the parachute and arrived, taking the club back to the EPL for another brief stay.
After his departure, the club entered the ex Millwall years with Neil Harris being followed by Mick McCarthy and then Steve Morison, and then after a quickfire three managers in two years this season the club steeled on Turkish boss Erol Bulut, the sub editors dream for the day City either get promoted or he gets fired.
So far this season he has been a qualified success although a recent slump in form resulted in a forty five minute frank exchange of views with the squad, before they snatched a very late victory at Wednesday on Christmas Eve. Worryingly for Argyle they appear to be very good at set pieces.
Argyle however had a decent past record at Cardiff, and recorded a 1-0 win on their last Boxing Day visit courtesy of a Gary Sawyer goal.
With still no green smoke over the Grandstand, one must assume it remains the Nance and Dewy show for now. All Argyle fans want to unwrap, apart from the newly launched Jay Stansfield dartboard, is that elusive away win.
Will Boxing Day be the day?
Seconds out......
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cardiff City (A) Boxing Day
In what is, by necessity of time and other commitments, not the least of which is refreshing the new manager thread fifty times an hour, a slightly briefer OGAAT for the Boxing Day match. Boxing Day, a tradition started in the UK in the eighteenth century when tradespeople would be granted gifts by employers ad wealthy benefactors, is a predominantly British and Commonwealth thing, although it is concurrent with the feast of St Stephen, so we won't be celebrating that for long.
The shortest recovery time for players staff and preview writers alike, after a Christmas Eve match which was as breathless as it was dramatic. For a pre Xmas game there were gifts a plenty, and the first half appeared to be very much Waynes World as his Brummie side roared into a two goal lead, which could by rights have been a couple more. Loveable rogue Jay Stansfield blotted his copybook with the boss by opening his Secret Santa "Junior T Shirt maker" early, but his launch event at the Devonport End was a big success with many fans rushing to place pre orders, presumably for the more popular Green version.
Even the ref was impressed. showing him a swatch of the shade of yellow he would prefer.
Waynes World then briefly became Waines World as the much maligned , but only fit Argyle forward, chased a lost cause to flick the ball inside. In the world of inverted full backs, this became a great chance for Joe 90 to appear as the next most advanced Argyle player and in a pickpocketing tackle worthy of a Dickensian Artful Dodger, the half time score was 1-2.
The next bah humbug was from referee Scott , who having allowed a much worse tackle by Dembele, decided the lunge by Bielek was beyond the pale, and produced a straight red. Even down to ten, City were still dangerous, and the annoyingly efficient Stansfield produced a surging run and cutback for Bacuna to restore their advantage to two goals.
If we have learnt anything, however, about this Argyle side, is that they may lack some things, but heart and desire are not amongst them. A super cross by Miller was met, under huge pressure from Waine, by the City centre half Roberts to deliver his own early gift of a goal. Then Azaz and Whittaker combined to allow a strike from the edge of the box that kissed the post as it went in. There was even a brief moment when an Issaka shot could have sealed a remarkable 4-3, but it was not to be.
Honours even then, although the thought of not playing Stansfield again this season might be dashed by an Ipswich inspired move for him in the upcoming Window. He won't even have to make a new T shirt for that one either.
Boxing Day for Argyle of late has meant a new tradition, mainly of getting up early, and after three in a row at Cheltenham , Argyle fans and coach drivers will have to remember to turn left not right at Bristol and make their way to the City of Arcades (the shopping kind rather than the fruit machine kind) and the capital of Wales (but only since 1955) for a game at Cardiff City.
Originally another of the clubs formed in order to keep their cricket team fit, Riverside, as City were originally known played their very early fixtures at Sophia Gardens ( home of Glamorgan CC to this day). Playing in local leagues, they evolved to become Riverside Albion, and in 1905 asked to change their name to Cardiff City, to reflect the newly granted status of their former home town, but were denied as they were not considered to be playing a high enough standard.
This prompted a move up the league pyramid and in 1908 the club became Cardiff City. One reason for the success of the South Walian clubs in joining the League was the rapid expansion of the rail network in the UK which allowed them to far more easily play matches to their east, and so in 1920 the club were elected into the Second Division. As Blackadder said to Baldrick, "Never ask for directions in Wales. All you'll get is confused and a head full of spit."
In 1927, having previously lost in the final to Sheffield United two years previously, the club had its most impressive achievement, and, beating Arsenal, Welsh keeper Dan Lewis and all, 1-0 at Wembley became the first and only non English based club to win the FA Cup. Just to compound the irony, the game was played on St Georges Day.
Other than that the only real silverware the club has regularly obtained is the Welsh Cup, which they are the second most prolific winners of, after Wrexham. Following a UEFA direct that they could not enter cups runs by separate National jurisdictions the club have eschewed the Devon Bowl equivalent for the FA Cup and thus have lost the route that granted then occasional European Football in the sixties and beyond (although you could argue they get that in all but one of their away League games). No more one nil wins over Real Madrid then unless that can gatecrash the Superleague.
Cardiffs original colours were chocolate and amber, but they changed to blue in 1908 with the change of name and status, as well as moving into their home of almost a hundred years, Ninean Park. Their nickname of "the Bluebirds" stemmed from the strip change but also to the performance of a play in Cardiff by the shortly to be conferred Novel Laureate playwright Thomas Maeterlinck. the Belgian, whose play about children pursuing the bluebird, denoting happiness, and trying to imprison it was written in 1909, and played the New Theatre Cardiff for a successful run. It was championed by a City supporter as a suitable nickname, being about the pursuit of happiness and the need not to hoard it selfishly, and rapidly became established and eventually enshrined on the club badge.
Cardiff have more or less survived predominantly at the second tier, with occasional forays to the top level, and a couple of very brief descents to the depths, once almost exiting the league by finishing 22nd.
In recent years however the club have been more known for their ownership issues with a series of the somewhat less reputable custodians and a series of battles over identity and tradition. First up in 2000 was Lebanese businessman Sam Hamman, who having abandoned his Dublin dream at Wimbledon, acquired Cardiff to immediately attempt to rebrand them as the Cardiff Celts ( I mean talk about an open goal for opposition fans) and for them to play in the Welsh colours of Green Red and White.
Having failed to win the fans over he eventually settled for a rebrand of the club badge and for several years was seen doing the Ayatollah with the clubs fans, their unique celebration, and under ex Argyle assistant boss Lennie Lawrence, and having funded a number of players, they won promotion to the EPL.
Having returned to the second tier, the club then struggled to finance the new ground they needed, but by perfect happenstance Peter Ridsdale was on a walking holiday in the Brecon Beacons (well, why not) and headed up a consortium to buy the club and deliver the new Stadium.
To the surprise of almost no-one the club ran up massive debts of almost seventy million pounds, and the Riddler departed, and headed for another walking holiday, this time in the West Country where he managed to acquire another club for a quid before it found more appropriate ownership options.
The new owner, and still in place, albeit on a more absentee basis, was Bond villain wannabe Vincent Tan. Tan rapidly bought out most of the other shareholders, including Hamman after an acrimonious legal dispute. To call his reign turbulent would be an understatement, as amongst his more extreme moments he attempted to change the clubs colours from Blue to Red to reflect a more lucky colour, queried why his goalkeeper didn't score more goals and suggested transfers should be based on players associated with the oriental lucky number eight.
Tan did achieve success under Malky Mackay, before falling out with him and dismissing him, after appointing a head of recruitment who previously was a handyman at the club and, perhaps more pertinent, his sons best friend. After spells with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Russell Slade, Neil Warnock donned the parachute and arrived, taking the club back to the EPL for another brief stay.
After his departure, the club entered the ex Millwall years with Neil Harris being followed by Mick McCarthy and then Steve Morison, and then after a quickfire three managers in two years this season the club steeled on Turkish boss Erol Bulut, the sub editors dream for the day City either get promoted or he gets fired.
So far this season he has been a qualified success although a recent slump in form resulted in a forty five minute frank exchange of views with the squad, before they snatched a very late victory at Wednesday on Christmas Eve. Worryingly for Argyle they appear to be very good at set pieces.
Argyle however had a decent past record at Cardiff, and recorded a 1-0 win on their last Boxing Day visit courtesy of a Gary Sawyer goal.
With still no green smoke over the Grandstand, one must assume it remains the Nance and Dewy show for now. All Argyle fans want to unwrap, apart from the newly launched Jay Stansfield dartboard, is that elusive away win.
Will Boxing Day be the day?
Seconds out......
COYG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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