More Photos More Inside Wembley

Our semi-final goal hero (and local Cardiff boy) Joe Ledley. He scored the winner against Barnsley at Wembley with just 9 mins gone, and meant 80 minutes of glorious torture for the 35000 Cardiff fans on that day in April.















Roger Johnson celebrating after scoring in the quarter-final game up in Middlesbrough to take us to Wembley for the first time.












Sadly all our hopes and dreams were not to be realised, as Portsmouth won 1-0.
Here we see the players taking their fully deserved lap-of-honour after the game. To a man they played their hearts out that day, and I for one will remember and thank them for their efforts as long as I live.

The way football has become now, we may never see Cardiff in the FA Cup Final again (or a final like the one we took part in) and that would be incredibly sad.
So despite the result, I will always look back on that day in may with joy, pleasure, yes disappointment at what could have been, but with a very happy heart.

Photos Inside Wembley

Showing the Maple Leaf in Wembley. It was worth the trip, and great to meet some other fans who'd traveled from Canada and even further afield!



Kevin, Rakes and Arkwright (l to r)


Family shot: John, Jeff & Steven (l to r)



Karen & Steve. Thomas, Michael and Joseph were tucked up at home watching the game on TV and cheering on the Bluebirds!

More Wembley Photos

Even the grey and drizzley start to Cup Final Saturday couldn't dampen the atomsphere for the 90,000 fans at Wembley. From early in the morning Cardiff fans were found all around North London, and our Portsmouth counterparts were soon to join us.

It didn't take long for Wembley Way to fill up and become the hive of activity that its so well known for.












A pre-match beer in the hotel to settle the nervous, or in some cases, make them worse! Archie, Steve, myself, and Rhys Gabe here enjoying the local hospitality.













And here is the full crew (along with some Pompey gatecrashers!) before heading for the ground, full of hope, excitement, (a couple of beers) and lots of nerves!

Wembley Photos

Here are some photos from Wembley and around London during the FA Cup Final weekend.




The advantage of arriving and staying around Wembley a couple of days before the final means you get to take lots of photos without the massed ranks of other fans clogging up the picture. Even without those fans, the stadium still had a special feel to it with all the banners and posters and flags flying.



On the Friday afternoon, the Cardiff City team came up to London on the train, and arrived at Paddington Station, to be met by a army of well wishing and cheering Bluebirds fans. A very classy and unique way for the club to do it. Not only did it give the fans at both Cardiff and Paddington stations a chance to congratulate the team, but also far more novel than the usual bus trip down the M4. Here Chairman Peter Ridsdale leads the team off the train.



On Friday evening, Nelson's Column at the centre of Trafalgar Square was adorned with a huge flag, paid for and produced by Cardiff City fans, to mark the semi-final and Final trips to Wembley. It was a very amusing and proud scene to see the tourists wondering just what it was all about, and then explaining that we were in fact playing in the famous FA Cup Final the next afternoon.

Leighton James Don't Like Us

Another excellent supporters song, this one aimed in a humourous jibe at local "football pundit" and ex-Swansea City player Leighton James.

Leighton James Don't like Us

James Fox-Bluebirds Flying High [Official Video]

With all the mayhem of getting ready for my trip back over the pond, and then arriving in London and sampling so much of the atmosphere around the city, I never managed to update the pre-match build-up as much as I'd hoped.

So this is part of the retrospective build-up to the Cardiff City v Portsmouth FA Cup Final.

And we begin with some of the songs (good and not so good) that were released as part of the occasion.

Do The Ayatollah - music video

Here's a Cardiff fans' version of the wonderful "Macarena" song. Yes its very cheezy and silly, but thats part of the fun of the build-up to the FA Cup Final. Enjoy.

FA Cup Final Reaction

Having had a couple of days to now unwind and take-in the events of the last few days, I'm feeling like talking about it at last!
Or rather, finding out what everyone else has said about it.

And that has been overwhelmingly positive. From the moment I arrived in London (on the Thursday before the game) all media coverage about the two sides was positive. Everyone concerned was pleased it wasn't the same teams as ever in the final, who would likely produce the same soporific, tactical bore of a game that had been so common.

The media were also pleased that the fans were so involved in the game, that the fans were "genuine" fans, who had seen their clubs through thin and thinner times. Yes the romance was well and truly back in the FA Cup Final. This would have been the case with any of the four semi-finalists to make it through, I was just lucky that Cardiff City were one of them.

Before, during and after the game, the atmosphere was one of passionate but friendly support for one's team, and a general feeling that everyone was there first and foremost for a good day out and may the best team win. And this was still the case after the game as well. Celebrating Portsmouth fans were clapping the coaches of disappointed Cardiff fans out of the car park, as the Cardiff fans returned the gesture, congratulating the Portsmouth fans on their victory.

I met several Portsmouth fans in and around Wembley and our hotel over the weekend, and to a man they congratulated us on our performance, wished us luck in the coming season, and hoped we'd be getting promoted to the Premiership to join them soon.

And these are the type of events that have been reported and celebrated in the national media, even more-so after the horrendous actions of Glasgow Rangers fans in Manchester during the previous week. Reported and celebrated in all but one national media outlet that is. TalkSport (or TalkSpite... and other variations... as it has been called) have decided to attack Cardiff fans and their general behaviour for no reason and with no evidence whatsoever. So for what good it may do, if you happen to listen to this tragedy of a radio station, please stop now and realise that they will happily attack anyone that doesn't fit their "identity". Letters and e-mails of complaint have been written to Ofcom about their accusations from both Cardiff AND Portsmouth fans. Hopefully we will receive a full apology, but for some reason I'm not holding my breath!

Watch This!

So near....

... and yet so far!

Well, its a couple of hours after the FA Cup Final, and Cardiff City's (and my) dream has finally ended.
Portsmouth won the game 1-0, but just about everyone I've spoken to thinks Cardiff were the better side, we just couldn't put the ball in the net!
So, we move on to a new season, and all the promise that that brings with it, starting with those friendlies in July!
Only a couple of months to start it all over again.

Disappointing? Yes.
Sad? Yes.
Heartbreaking? ........ Very nearly!
But I'm proud to be a supporter of Cardiff City today, and for the rest of my life (and this may not happen again given our previous record!) I can say "I was there!"

Do the ayatollah everyone!

Commence Lift-Off!

It's finally here, the week of the FA Cup Final. OUR FA Cup Final!
As a result of this I'm throwing myself into just about everything FA Cup and Cardiff City related, and trying to savour as much of the experience as possible.
Yes, I've bought the official Cardiff City FA Cup Final song which has reached number 15 in the UK charts (and its not bad at all as these things go, certainly better than all of the manufactured pop-idol inspired rubbish thats around, and it actually has some heart and soul put into it), the unofficial fans one "Do the Ayatollah", and downloaded several other home-made ones.

So from now on, I expect to be talking, thinking, and posting about just one thing..... go on... have a guess!

To kick-off this week long celebration, here we have the words to the hymn "Abide with me". The origins of this tradition are way back in 1927, in Cardiff City's second FA Cup Final appearance, (the one we won) and its been sung before every FA Cup Final ever since.

A copy of the crowd singing this 81 years ago has even been found, and can be heard HERE.

I won't be at all surprised if I end up getting a bit emotional when we start singing this on Saturday. I never believed that I would see Cardiff City in an FA Cup Final, and while of course sport isn't the only or most important thing in life, its the shared memories and achievements (and failures too) with friends, family, fellow fans, and even total strangers, that can make the most unlikely events seem that much more special.



abide with me


abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.


Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.


Not a brief glance I beg, a passing word;
But as Thou dwell’st with Thy disciples, Lord,
Familiar, condescending, patient, free.
Come not to sojourn, but abide with me.


Come not in terrors, as the King of kings,
But kind and good, with healing in Thy wings,
Tears for all woes, a heart for every plea—
Come, Friend of sinners, and thus bide with me.


Thou on my head in early youth didst smile;
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, oft as I left Thee,
On to the close, O Lord, abide with me.


I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.


I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.


Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.


Henry F. Lyte

Hockeytown.... USA

Last weekend Amanda and I took a trip down to Southwestern Ontario to visit her sister Kim. This trip included a journey across the border and down to Detroit for the day to see the Red Wings Stanley Cup playoff game against the Colorado Avalanche. (Go on, you knew there was going to be a game in there somewhere!)

This was Kim's first NHL game (being a Canadian, its one of the 100 things she "had to see"), and so living next to the border, the Red Wings are closer to her, and have a decent team (actually, as much as it pains me to say it being a Leafs fan, they have an excellent team) but the recession south of the border is really biting in Michigan, so tickets are easier to come by.




This is an example of one of the strangest rituals in the whole of the sporting world. Its a long standing tradition which according to Wikipedia originates from 1952. You can read the whole background and explanation there, but suffice to say, it brings the crowd to its feet, and really helps build the atmosphere in "The Joe".




Here, however is the more sanitised version that the NHL wishes would be the only memory of this unique ritual. This is the inflatable version of "Rally Al" that hangs from the roof above the ice during the game, having made his entrance with the team.



And here we see another example of the wildlife found in Joe Louis Arena: Ursus maritimus Isadore.... other wise known as Izzy the Polar Bear!
Yes, Izzy had her first trip across the border (but don't tell immigration, she's not been vaccinated!) and enjoyed the game immensely.
To be honest, I think alot of it went over her head, but she was particularly elated when Kim and Amanda had some "Dipping Dots" ice cream between periods. Yes, the idea of diving around covered in lots of cold balls of ice cream was music to her ears. Fortunately both Amanda and Kim were willing to share!



Incidentally the Red Wings won the game by a commanding 5-1, and went on to a 4-0 best-of-seven series sweep, winning the final game in Denver 8-2. OUCH!
They are now facing the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference finals, and are 2-0 up in that series, having won the first two games in Detroit.

Some practice for me: Marlies v Crunch match report

Most of you will hopefully know that for a very long time now, I've had my heart set on becoming a sports journalist. So, as I'm now in the process of applying for Universities to attend this autumn for my Post Grad training course, I feel the need to pracitce some of my "journalistic writing skills". As always, any constructive comments about my writing would be very welcome, as I really want to improve and practice as much as possible. Either leave a comment here on the blog, or you can email me at: owaint@hotmail.com.

So to start off, we have a match report from the Toronto Marlies game tonight, against the Syracuse Crunch (don't laugh at the back there!.... yes it is their name!), the first game of seven in the second round of the AHL playoffs.


AHL Calder Cup playoffs
North Division Final: Game 1
Toronto Marlies 1 Syracuse Crunch 5

Netminder Karl Goehring backstopped the Syracuse Crunch with a 31 save performance and Defenceman Clay Wilson added a goal and two assists to a comfortable road win at Ricoh Coliseum over a distinctly below-par Toronto Marlies side. Syracuse scored three unanswered goals, including two in the opening 12 minutes, before the Marlies woke from their game one slumber.

Derek MacKenzie took Gilbert Brule's reverse, back-handed pass from the slot to put the puck past Scott Clemmensen close in with just 1.40 on the clock, and Wilson doubled the advantage, to add to his earlier helper, as he roofed a slapshot over Clemmensen from between the circles. On both occassions the Marlies had chances to clear the puck from their defensive zone, but poor defensive decisions and miscued passes turned possession back over to the Crunch, who made Toronto pay.

It was a pattern that was to repeat itself throughout the game, as too often Syracuse forwards were given time and space, and able to attack with odd-man rushes and lone breakaway chances on the Toronto goal. With David Ling in the penalty box serving a two minute minor for tripping, Nate DiCasmirro was given the freedom of the ice infront of Clemmensen's net as he tipped in MacKenzie's shot from the point 10.06 into the second period.

Mark Rycroft and Derek Brassard, completed the scoring in the third period, quickly ending any hopes of a comeback by the hometeam. The first of those from a two-on-one counter-attack as the Marlies pushed forward, while Brassard was on hand to tap-in after MacKenzie's high long-range shot was inadvertantly blocked into his path by Jaime Sifers. While Clemmensen was not directly at fault for any of the five goals conceded, he did appear to be shaky and fighting the puck at times, and it seems likely that the calls for Head Coach Greg Gilbert to start young goaltender Justin Pogge will now grow louder.

The Marlies forward line of Kris Newberry, flanked by Bates Battaglia and Ling were the most effective for the homeside, battling, creating chances and causing turnovers, and so it proved that the trio were all involved in the lone Toronto reply that finally brought the crowd of 2931 to life. This time it was the Marlies powerplay that finally took advantage, as Ling squeezed a shot from the boards past Goehring and into the far corner with Newberry and Battaglia providing the screen infront, pulling one back from the three-goal deficit.

The tough, physical tone for the series was set from the opening face-off, as it took just three second for Toronto's Colin Murphy and Syracuse's Zenon Konopka to drop the gloves, following a conference between the pair as the teams lined up. Konopka also scuffled with Marlies enforcer Phil Oreskovic late in the third period, while Kyle Rogers and Derek Dorsett had to be seperated by the linesmen after the former's big open-ice hit on Dorsett's Syracuse colleague, Duvie Westcott. Game two is back at Ricoh Coliseum on Sunday at 4pm.


by Owain Thomas at Ricoh Coliseum


You can find some other reports and highlights of the game HERE.

More Wembley Photos

I hope you're enjoying these photos, because there's going to be ALOT more of them come mid-May.

I have to admit I had a good feeling about the whole weekend right from the start of it. First of all the flights leaving Toronto, and then my connection at Montreal were in beautiful clear, bright blue skies, that gave wonderful afternoon and early evening views of both cities from the air.
Then, as we came in to land at Heathrow in the early morning sunlight, the route took us over Central London. And what was the first thing that I saw right below me as I looked out of the window when we broke through the blanket of high cloud covering the city?
That's right..... Wembley Stadium with its brand new arch.

At that moment, my mind start to wander to the possibility that maybe, just maybe, this was going to be a very special weekend that would see us reach the FA Cup final for the first time since 1927, the last and only (so far) time the Cup was taken out of England.


Steven & I proudly display the Pontypridd Bluebirds flag at one of the bases of the now famous Wembley Arch.


Most of the Pontypridd/Pontyclun Bluebirds crew pre-match in our hotel.


In the stadium. Pre-match. The tension builds!


Post-match celebrations. Nice little story this, honest!
After the game we headed back to our hotel, and "retired to the bar" for a quiet celebration pint.... or 12.
A couple of hours after the game, talk around the bar suddenly spreads that the players might be putting an appearance in. And sure enough, first Dave Jones (the manager) appears accompanied by Peter Ridsdale (Chairman), and then the players who quickly head off to one of the suites to celebrate with family and friends before the drive back to South Wales. At this point Steve & I grabbed the opportunity to congratulate Mr Ridsdale, and of course the cheesy photo.

A nice point here as most of the players came out of their private reception to mingle with the fans, which gave us a chance to congratulate them ourselves, shake hands, and say "Thank You" for one of the most amazing days of my football supporting life.
I had the chance to speak with midfielder Stephen McPhail, central defenders Roger Johnson & Glenn Loovens (who were the best players on the pitch that day... and I told them so!), Darren Purse, Dutch striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, and goal-scoring hero, local boy Joe Ledley.
Unfortunately by this time Steven had left, so no photos of us with the players this time......
......
......
...... but maybe, just maybe!

Take the weather with you....

So, on Sunday 6th April, I woke up, opened the curtains and THIS is the sight that met my eyes!


Snow in Canada in April is not uncommon, however, there was one slight problem with this.... I wasn't in Canada anymore. Its was FA Cup semi-final day, and Wembley Stadium was waking up to a covering of about an inch of snow. It was cold, and the wind was biting, but somehow the unusual weather seemed fitting for the start of an unusual day!


And this is what we were all there for!


The famous Wembley Way starts to get busy as City fans arrive in the morning and enjoy the pre-match atmosphere.

The Bobby Moore memorial statue stands proudly at the top of Wembley way, welcoming everyone to the stadium. A fitting tribute to a fine player, and a fine gentleman.

More sporty fun!

So this week we took a quick trip up to Ottawa for Game 3 of the Senators first round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sadly not all has gone well for the Sens since the game against Detroit earlier in the season, and so being 2-0 down in games became 3-0 down as, after a very spirited first two periods, the Penguins went on and blitzed Ottawa in the third period, and ran out 4-1 winners.

Along with this disappointment, but a great although too brief trip, I forgot to take my camera to the game.... so no shots of Amanda, Mr Brian, Yvon and Izzy (yes, Izzy was there again!) in the stands enjoying the atmosphere.

However, let us brush over this and return to far happier matters......
.....




All of which means that I will now be returning BACK to London, AGAIN for a weekend in the middle of May, for THE FA CUP FINAL!
I still can't believe that I have seen Cardiff City in (and WIN) an FA Cup semi-final!

I refer you to my previous statement!

Yes I've had a few days to come back down to Earth and regain my senses......... and I've totally and utterly failed!
I still don't think I've even processed that we were in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley to begin with, let alone the fact that I was actually at the game, with all the greatest fans in the world, AND that we WON the game, and are now in THE FA CUP FINAL!

To those of you not familiar with British football, the FA Cup is a knockout tournament that basically means, along with the luck of the draw, any team in the country can win the trophy, simply by winning their match and progressing to the next round, and so on. Until there are just TWO teams left.... and this year, from the 731 teams to start the tournament, CARDIFF CITY and Portsmouth are those two remaining.

Over the past few years, the Cup has become rather stale, bland and dry as its become dominated by the so called "big four" teams in English football: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool & Manchester United. This year has seen shock after shock as smaller teams have beaten the bigger richer ones, and brought the romance back into this competition.

Now, after 81 years since our last appearance in the Final, when we became the only team to take the FA Cup out of England, the 2008 version of the Bluebirds are once again flying high into the final.

Here are just a few of the wonderful memories from the semi-final against Barnsley on Sunday afternoon. There's plenty more to follow!













Hope you enjoy these small samples of the build up to the big game!

YYEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

YYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

I have a love-hate relationship with it but....

... I hear LONDON CALLING!

Yes, thanks to the magic of the FA Cup, and the lure of Cardiff's first visit to Wembley in 81 years, I am coming back to "Blighty" for a brief, but sure to be exciting weekend.
This really was an opportunity I couldn't miss, and despite the obvious costs involved, and whatever the result maybe, its going to be worth every penny.
And it seems I'm not alone in feeling this way, with Bluebird fans from Alabama, Arizona and Bangkok even coming back for this one.

So, on Thursday April 4th Air Chaos (Air Canada to most people) will be chauffering me to Heathrow, and after a hectic weekend of family, friends, fun AND FOOTBALL, I will be returning to Toronto on Monday 7th.

And dangling at the end of all this excitement, is the potential for a place in the FA Cup final, and another Wembley appearence in May.
See you all SOON!

"WEM-BER-LEY, WEM-BER-LEY....

.....WE'RE THE FAMOUS CARDIFF CITY AND WE'RE GOING TO WEM-BER-LEY!"

It's a good job I wasn't watching the Middlesbrough v Cardiff FA Cup quarter-final in a public place on Sunday morning, otherwise there would have been a lot of people thinking something very strange was going on with the welsh boy jumping up and down singing songs and tapping his hands on his head in a very strange way.

All this in response to the mighty mighty BLOOOOOOOOOOBIRDS winning up in the northeast of England quite emphatically 2-0.

So now we face Barnsley in the semi-final at WEM-BER-LEY in what has been quite a fantastic FA Cup competition this season. Shock, after shock, after shock, and this weekend was probably THE most shock filled of all.

The magic of the FA Cup is alive, well, and kicking back irresistibly this year!
LONG LIVE THE CUP!