Blast from the Past - Cardiff City. Edited version.

[cj01]

Posted by cj01 on behalf of Owd Jim.




Town’s opponents – Cardiff City.

The overall League record is:

League	P	W	D	L	F	A	GD
Home	32	21	7	4	62	21	+41
Away	33	8	11	14	31	49	-18
Total	65	29	18	18	93	70	+23

Best and Worst Gates:

League	Best	Worst	Average
Home	1953/54 = 30,089*	1988/89 = 4,869	12,295
Away	1959/60 = 32,733	1989/90 = 2,628	14,713
League Cup
Home
Away	2011/12 = 6,829		6,829

*No record of home gate in 1921/22

Town has a long history of games against Cardiff City dating back to 1921/22. We have done the ‘double’ three times to City’s once. Town’s biggest win was in 1927/28 when they thumped City 8-2 on October 1st 1927 at Leeds Road in front of 12,975 fans. Bob Kelly, transferred from Sunderland earlier that year, scored 3, Jack Dent scored 2 and Jackson, Goodall and Billy Smith netted one each. Strangely the gate that day was the worst at home until 1954. Of note also is that the in the return match that season Town suffered their worst defeat by Cardiff, 0-4. Town has also won 5-1 twice, once each home and away. The away win, in 1989-90 drew the worst gate in the history of Town v City games, only 2,628 turning up to watch. City has twice scored 4 against Town in their best wins 4-0 and 4-1 both at Cardiff. The teams have not met since Town were last in Division 2 in 1994-95 prior to this season. City has won in Huddersfield only four times. The first meeting came in 1921-22 and saw City win 1-0. The next success came in 1955-56 when Town was relegated from Division 1. City won 2-1 at Leeds Road, yet Town won by the same score in Cardiff. The third win also 1-0 came in 1959-60 when City won their only double by beating Town in Cardiff 2-1. The last success came in 1989-90 when the score was 3-2. That season was, of course, the time when Town had their biggest win away by 5-1

Cardiff City drew Leeds United three years running in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup in the 1950s and yet has never been drawn against Town in any cup competition until 2011/12 when Town was drawn away and made the first ever visit to Cardiff City Stadium. Town gave up two soft goals on 16 and 17 minutes but came back in a pulsating second half to lead 3-2 (Rhodes, Ward, Rhodes) on 88 minutes. As usual, though Town gave away another last minute goal given away by a deflection off Peter Clarke. In extra time City scored on 96 minutes and again on 117 minutes to run out 5-3 winners.

In 2012/13 Town was back in Division 2 for the first time in 12 years and began at Cardiff on a televised Friday night game. Overall Town played well but was made to pay for several missed half chances when City scored in injury time to win 1-0. The new players acquitted themselves well, namely, Scannell, Norwood, Dixon, Lynch, Clayton and Southern. A cameo appearance by Gerrard did not go so well, on the field for less than 5 minutes he was booked playing against his old club. The return fixture was a close game but it ended 0-0 too earn Town a point which at the time left them sitting 18th.

Town’s first league away game could not be much harder visiting the Bluebirds (currently playing in red much to the disgust of the fans!). Just relegated from the Greedy League, City is expected to be there or thereabouts this season in the top 6. Town, now without a permanent manager has already conceded 7 goals in two games with 3 let in against third division opposition. The only positive so far was the effort put in in the League Cup after being 2 goals down twice. The Bluebirds will be a much sterner test and with only 8 wins from 33 games on City turf I cannot see anything but another defeat for Town. Wells may get a goal but the result is likely to be 3-1 to City