Thank you all for your comments. They are listed below. Names have been changed to initials but other than that the actual comments of the correspondents. I'm over-whelmed at the response to my request. I have not organised or manipulated the comments in any way. They are your words, for and against, Blue or Red. In the order they were received.
Please forgive, spelling, grammar and punctuation. They are comments from the heart.
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Seems to me that people have quickly forgotten the fact that we are losing £1m a month, we have only a limited amount of local money coming in and something had to be done. The consequences of NOT dealing with our debt could have led to Cardiff City going into administration, which in the Championship could easily turn into disastrous relegation (like Portsmouth who were a ‘much bigger club’ when they beat us at Wembley not so long ago).I’ll still be in my season ticket seat supporting the boys. **** it, it might even change our luck. I’m gutted to see the changes but I pay good money to see the best quality of football possible played at my local club and this could bring premiership status that we all want to see
MG
I am one in favour of a change although it will be strange at first.
Don't forget, Sam Hammam changed the badge a few years ago without all this fuss and without a Bluebird!!
Although this is slightly different with a colour change, like all rebranding these things tend to go around in circles and we eventually end up reverting to the original colour and badge.
I have been impressed so far with the Malysian investors as they have stabillised things the past two years and at first looked like reluctant investors. If Vincent Tan is prepared to clear all our historical debt then he is entitled to look at ways of bringing in revenue to support his investment. Don't forget, the kit and badge change is also a risk to VT as it will be down to the fans as to whether they purchase the kit or not. At least supporters will have a chance to purchase the blue kit.
As you know nothing is ever straight forward as a Bluebirds fan and this just adds to the drama that is CCFC.
For the first time it appears that we can hold onto our manager as well as hopefully our best players. This is down to the faith that Malky must have with the board that 'things are about to happen'?
Let's give it a go and see where it takes us!! It can't be as bad most of my previous 50 years........I am sure the banter (as always) will be interesting and the signings over the next few weeks will show where we are going.
HE
I've followed this club since 1966 when I was 8 years old.The reds can win the European Cup for all I care, I will never step foot in that stadium again.I will never forgive the Malaysians for this - EVER!I feel physically sick, I've lost something very precious to me today.
SO
At the moment for me it is Blue or I will ask for a refund on my season ticket of 22 years. I would want to know why we have to play in red first, (not some cobblers about rebrand etc), I would want to know the exact reason why. And what the club expect to gain from it before I would consider going down the City again. Even with a reasonable answer I would probably not go again, but would like to be able to make an informed decision before turning my back for good.
DB
Having watched CCFC for nearly 50 years since I first stood on a box on the Bob Bank I fully understand the importance of tradition. However, personally I don't care if we play in sky blue pink so long as the club is put on a firm financial footing. The madness of the way that most football clubs are run and the obscene wages paid to many players must end somewhere and, having shown commitment and common sense since they first invested, I am inclined to trust our Malaysian partners and sincerely hope that the racist nonsense that some spouted after the strip change was leaked in May isn't repeated this time.
MT
My feeling on the proposals is one of bewilderment to the level of outrage on this board. Despite having watched City for 55 years I have absolutely no objections to the proposals and simply look on it as City playing in a different colour. Strange as it may seem to the antagonists, this is not apathy as it seems to be concluded that anyone who doesn't object doesn't care - not the case.I should add that I play for a skittles team with a lot of City supporters, none of whom have any objections. My other friends of similar age to myself and who are ST holders are also supportive of the proposals.I think it's inevitable that on a site such as this one which contains a lot of supporters who live and breathe Cardiff City that there will be strong reactions but the reality is that the reaction, I believe, of the overwhelming majority will be acquiesence.Finally, none of the people I have spoken to have been hysterically excited about the Premier League. They believe, as I do, that it might be nice to get there but that the continued existence of the Club is far more important.
CH
I am disappointed by the change of kit colour, but I could live with it if I thought it was essential. I am not convinced it is though. I have certainly not seen any evidence to prove that is the case. Is a multi millionaire seriously suggesting that selling shirts in Asia is at the heart of his business plan? Really? It sounds like a business plan built on sand to me. Unfortunately modern football has a long history of rich owners coming in, taking over, radically changing a club but the club not actually benefiting in the long term. You only have to look at our own Sam Hamman and the Wimbledon saga. Chelsea may well be competing in Europe , but at what price? Traditional fans priced out of being able to attend games. I am stunned that the threat of withdrawing investment got so many to bow down and beg forgiveness, without any evidence that that the change of colour was necessary. Otherwise rational people seem to have accepted the rebranding as necessary because they want to believe it will bring glory. As far as I am concerned, it was pure blackmail. Some seem to have it in their head that we are now guaranteed promotion next season. Football just does not work like that. It is not the change of kit colour that has got me angry, it is the thought of our club now being in the hands of another bunch from the Glazier school of owners. I don’t trust them, it is now up to them to prove me wrong. If they can bring us success and not shaft all the long standing fans in the process, I will gladly eat humble pie; I am not holding my breath though. The way this rebranding has been handled, looks Machiavellian in the extreme to me and has made me less trusting of them than I was when it was first announced.
CI
I would prefer to stay playing in blue. However, I can accept a change in strip colour ifthis means we can safeguard the future of the club and move the club forward to hopefullycompete in the top division.
PT
It's hard, yes very hard to accept this change but accept it we have to. Unfortunately we all as fans like to think we 'own' our club and that a football club is some sort of democratic institution. It's not and actually never has been. Whether it's Vincent Tan, Sam Hammam, Rickie Wright or Fred Dewey we have always been at the mercy of those people's choices and those people's agendas. Clubs such as Swansea, Norwich and Stoke have been very lucky in having local business people with the wealth and wisdom to run their clubs properly and prudently. We have had no such luck. The predicament we find ourselves in is the result of mismanagement over many years prior to the Malaysians coming on board and in our current financial state there really is no alternative but to go along with what seems an illogical notion to me but to our owners is clearly a change of significant importance.I've supported City for over 50 years and my dad had for 30 years before that. The blue shirt did seem to unify our past and present. In my imagination it was the same shirt worn by Clark and Toshack in my youth and by Keenor and Sherwood in days before I was born but in reality it's the here and now of 2012 that matters and wanting my team to succeed in the harsh world of football today.If it has to be red then it has to be red. Who knows ? - we may just get to like it.!
RH
Whilst we have always played in blue, the actual blue has altered a good bit down the years. We didn't have a badge until I think the 1980's.I certainly cannot remember "Bluebirds" chants back when I first went to Ninian Park. It was always "City", going "down the City", not are you watching the "Bluebirds". So, things have changed over the years, albeit not to the extent that the Malaysians are now introducing.Personally, I am fed up with the constant threat of debt, Sam Hamman, Langston, etc. If this means we can move on from that uncertainty then so be it and I will accept the change of badge & kit. However, at the end of the day what will count is how well we do in 2012/13; if we do not progress then there could be a big groundswell against the owners.My only reservation with the red kit is that to me the black trim & shorts makes it look dull. Could they not have had a blue trim & shorts with the reverse on the away kit - surely more appealing to most fans.There were some excellent kits posted on your site when the idea was initially mentioned. I recall an innovative red going into blue, with a blue dragon - reversed for away kit. I assume it is too late for them to alter anything for the coming season, but perhaps something to think about in future.
IK
Ok right or wrong we've gone down a path which hopefully will lead to success and prosperity. We've compromised our kit and badge for some serious investment which will delight possibly the majority of fans BUT the quality of the designs are poor!I know this might sound petty but it seems that little thought has gone into the kit even considering the compromises. If £100m can be invested in our precious club then why can't the same be done with our kit? It might have been a nice touch if the fans could have had a say in its design similar to what happened some seasons back. In some ways that possibly would have 'swayed' some fans or at least the design may have been a more digestible compromise. How about a competition?? Not trying to be funny, but hopefully you see the point I'm trying to make. The same could be said with the badge. "fire and passion" where did they get that from and why? Why not bluebirds?? Again it would have been a great PR exercise if they had created a forum of consultation with the fans. Anyway sorry to have rambled on when I said I would be brief... And don't get me going on the new 'away' kit!
MM
I am 43 years old. I have been following the City home and away for 37 years - some years more than others. Together with 2 of my children we travel down from Worcestershire for every home game and have started taking my 13 year old lad to away games. He loves it. We all do. We love our club, our football team, and always support any player that represents them - although clearly we prefer some to others! We would never have actively chosen to change our colour from blue or our badge from the current one - never liked Hamman's effort. But in all of this the most important thing for us is that we can go to our stadium and watch our team - Cardiff City - play every week. The colour of the shirt that they are playing in does not bother my 2 children, and, almost surprisingly, does not really bother me. The badge upsets me a little more - but ultimately, for me it starts and stops with the name. Cardiff City. If ever that was not being read out on a Saturday afternoon on radio and on TV, or not in black and white in our Sunday morning papers then that would change everything. But as long as Cardiff City remains and I can keep believing and hoping, along with my kids, then we will keep supporting them in exactly the same way - red or blue.
SO
I would love the bluebirds to stay as the bluebirds - blue and everything. But....we've got to stop being a provincial backwater in footballing terms. Let's face it, ownership of a football club is a very rich man's toy.....it's theirs and if by doing this we can actually start winning things, then let's go with it. We can't just cling onto traditions. We'll still be the same club - as long as the supporters support their club. Some might argue that it's 'our club' and they have no right to mess with history and tradition. That's fine. If we want to stay being the chokers, the nearly-theres and perennial under-achievers. I don't. I want Cardiff (and Wales) to win. We've not been a Premier League team.....Swansea are there!We can't afford to miss this opportunity....as long as the team and club are invested in and everything goes towards making us the best club in the English Premier League.....that should be our aim. Not holding onto a blue kit.... We've got to stop being closed-minded....we've got to open up our mentality and show that Cardiffians and Welsh people can embrace change that will hopefully bring us better times. We're too insular and 'proud' sometimes. We haven't got the money. Some guys in Malaysia have. Bring it on. But make sure you (CCFC owners) do it properly....no gimmicks, no tricks....just pure honest proper investment that will build us a team to be envied and that are....winners. Full on winners.... Premier League, Europe....the lot. If you can't dream, then what's the point. Or we can go back to playing Division Four (old school I know) style football with the bottom league cups. It's not romantic, it's not good football....lots of us have been there and watched it for years.....I know which I would choose..... We'll still be Cardiff City....and we'll always be the Bluebirds, the only non-English side to have won the FA Cup. No-one can take away our achievements. But I'd like a lot more 'achievements' in future rather than selling our best players to nearly-but-not-quite-top teams to balance the books every now and then. Bluebirds, Red Dragons....we'll always be the greatest team in football the world has ever seen.....(if our Malaysian guys pump in the money).
MB
I have been following City since 1969. I think I am a loyal supporter.I don't care if we change to Red. In fact the picys I have seen look rather good.We have never seen potential investment of this size. I think it is amazing that people are complaining when the possibility for our future development is massive, given the support the Malayans are giving us. Short memories some people have!!Very few football clubs are having the potential investment that these people are going to give us.I also think that somehow a Bluebird emblem actually is more significant on a red shirt, it sort of stands out, not visually but in a different sort of way.We will still be the bluebirds, we always will. I cannot think of other teams that don't have their identity on their shirts but I am sure there are some.Whether the idea will sell in the far East is a different matter, but that is the decision of the Malayans. I hope it will since in reality the income streams from gate money etc in todays game is not sufficient to keep clubs going, there has to be others this is where Man U get theirs.Support the Malayans is what I say, without them we will not exist, there are very few money people out there that would be prepared to support us, History has proven that.I am excited about the future.
CT
I am in favour of the rebranding,whilst I respect other opinions I can't see the problem with a Welsh Dragon on a red shirt,it's not as if their moving us to another town it's just a colour change and if some people have a problem with the red don't buy it,get the away shirt.Our history can never be taken away what ever happens,and anything that can be done to ensure finacial stability especialy the Langston (Sam) debt is ok by me.I trust the Malaysians,I think they are the best owners we've ever had and I've been supporting City since Trevor Ford was playing for us,it's like a cloud has lifted from us since they've been here.the world is changing and so is football we should change too,or sink.
DP
I make a 200 mile round trip with a friend to support our hometown club.So long as there is a team in Cardiff that represents and plays in city we will always be supporters.Riverside F.C. chocolate & amber, mauve & yellow are all part of our history and so are these proposed changes.If it was a simple choice of blue or red, I would choose blue but life is never that simple.Looking forward to next season.
ME
I wish I could be so creative as the team that designed the badge. – May be I need to take a course in how to Cut and Paste from ClipArt? Call me cynical; ( as a City Supporter this is a given,) but would any vaunted change due on the grounds of major rebranding not involve a major creative effort in defining the keystone of that Brand? Look no further than the WRU and how they varied a national symbol that has become synonymous with the brand ( Welsh Rugby) and is thus no longer confused with any generic connotation of what the three feathers are I hope this is not stage one of a game plan calculated to deliver a Red Bull FC clone or such like - queue cynical thoughts
AH
i'm running the bluebirds bulgaria - an online platform, which unite few dozen followers of the team in my country.i support city till the end of the 00's and i have always been proud with the history and traditions of the club. i'm proud with the team's fans, which love leads to all that 20k+ home games, sold out away games and sold out wembley trips in the past few years. i've been always after the traditions in football and i'm sure the big teams are not big because of messi - they are big, because of their history, origins and mainly their proud supporters. i woke up with one of the worst nightmares in my life. it was crucial watching the new nonsense badge and the face of gunnar wearing the kit, which colour was not even part of our last campaign. it's a hard day definately. it will never be the same. the way the owners do it to us was not the way i want to see my club talking to it's fans. we're not manchester united and we'll never be. that's why i think the way they make the step wasn't the way we all expected. all the saga with the incognito forum message last month, the following official statement which says that they will prevent the rebranding and the way they announced it today is all but the way to communicate with a fanbase like ours.i'm against the rebranding putting all the history in the trash and the way the club communicates with it's followers. go bluebirds!!
VI
I was so glad to read Dave Sugarmans article on the website. It was a sensible and considered account, and I think he raised some excellent points. This is not a sound long term investment for the benefit of the club, this is a high risk strategy that could badly backfire, leaving Cardiff even more debt-ravaged than before. The idea that there has been a credible 'poll' of the opinion of fans is utterly ridiculous. How can anyone make an informed decision when there has been almost no reliable information out there? This situation has been engineered from the beginning, with the announcement made days after the last game we played. No chance for any of us to come together, discuss, debate or organise against a decision that will fundamentally change, if not fatally damage, the club we have followed, supported and invested our money in for so many years. From the beginning this has been presented as an ultimatum - take the red or we take our money away. It is not good business practice, or even common decency, to treat your customer base in this way. He may have the money, but this is still OUR club, and he should treat fans with more respect. If we matter this little to him, how does this bode for the future? We are the people who will be picking up the pieces when he gets bored and buggers off leaving us with ungovernable debt. In actual fact, hard as it sounds, we may be better off if he does go now, even if that means we have to tighten purse strings and set less ambitious targets. A big meeting for discussion is an absolute must now. Its no good leaving it to discussions on the forums, something that many of us have little time to indulge in. Personally, I'd like to see some thinking about how we can kickstart a campaign to get our club back. I have a good few years experience of campaigning work in a professional capacity, and would be very pleased to lend a hand. Please let me know if there is anyone who might want to take me up on that.
VS
I've supported the City for nearly 45 years, and never have I been so disgusted and disillusioned than by the events of the past few weeks, which culminated in the announcement today. What we are seeing is nothing other than the beginning of the destruction of the club and its history. The change in kit and badge has nothing whatsoever to do with commerce, but everything to do with a show of power as to who the club now belongs to. That the board could have let things come to this is a disgrace, and if they had any honour thay would simply resign. I am also absolutely disgusted by the craven attitude of, it seems, a good number of my fellow fans, who appear to be willing to accept anything in the name of possible short-term success. If we had all held together, the announcement today would not have happened. There are many things more important than money and success. Cardiff City is now under the control of people who not only have a flagrant contempt for the club, its supporters and its history, but who, as recent events have proved, simply cannot be trusted.I'm sorry if this is a little intemperate, but I am - to use an old Rhondda Valley expression - absolutely tamping. Where I personally go from here, I don't know. It's a big thing to give up something that has been such a large part of one's life, but it may well be that the club has left me no alternative.
LG
I don't think the colour of the shirts really matters that much, certainly not to my wife and I. We are supportive of anything that ensures the survival of Cardiff City FC, having been season ticket holders for many years, but now only spectators from afar as we live in the South of France. This investment not only ensures survival but puts the club on a sound financial footing for the future. The discharging of the historical debt, plans for the new training facility and possibility of enlarging the stadium ready for Premiership football shows the commitment of the investors to the future of the club, the history belongs to us the fans who have worn all types and colour of shirts in the past. The world of commerce is full of examples of companies that didn't change for the future and went bust, so better RED than DEAD.
DW
I have followed CCFC for many years. Despite my attempts to view all of this realistically and commercially (I work very much in the commercial world) I cannot get my head around the change. I feel - and it is all about feeling - that this is not the club that I once knew. Having left Wales many years ago I feel no tie anymore. Strangely, I feel almost as if I would rather the old club was wound up and a new club established. Having said that, I cannot see that I would support the new club. It seems to me that we have allowed someone to establish 'Malaysia Utd' at our expense!
RP
This is a good day for our club! New investment, historic debt gone, increased seating capacity,new training facilities and money to strengthen the squad - I REALLY DON'T CARE IF WE HAVE TO PLAY IN RED!!We are still Cardiff City. I like the new badge. The proud Welsh dragon proves we are the number 1 team in Wales,the proud Bluebird by which we will always be known and the "Fire and Passion" that all Cardiff City fans show when at games. I think the Malaysians have come up with the ultimate compromise.Lets face it with out this investment it would have been administration and probably relegation, we have been in the lower divisionsfor to long, and certainly don't want to follow Swansea City into administration!We still have our history, and will now make some more. I really do hope that those against the red change do go over the top.Insults and threats are not the way. Lets all move forward together and welcome and embrace the change - who knows, maybe this time next year we will be preparing for the Premiership, and if that happens will anyone REALLY CARE what colour we are playing in???
IP
Supporter since 1946/47. Am not in favour of this colour change. Chelsea and Man City seem to do pretty well with blue !Superstitious nonsense ?!
DC
I'm pleased that there is some investment promised and it would APPEAR that the future of Cardiff City is reasoanbly secure and finances stable. I am grateful to the Malaysians for that. However, I am against the whole re-branding and as far as I am concerned although it doesn't change the club's history (not possible) the Malaysians have displayed disregard and contempt for the club's tradition and identity.The whole rebranding issue has been poorly managed from start to finish, and to top it all the new badge and kit look awful (it could have been done so much better - even by Bakerlogos.) The statements put out by the club/chairman are full of impressive sounding big words, but little of substance. In fact, the chairman had previously released a statement saying that the rebranding was being reconsidered and we would definitely be playing in blue the coming season. I see that he has now gone back on his word, so I no longer trust him. It would seem that the essence of Cardiff City is different things to different people, but as far as I am concerned the blue home kit and bluebird badge are part of the core identity of cardiff City FC. I feel like the club that I support(ed) has disappeared and been replaced with a different one, an artificial one that has no soul and is just a commercial creation. I'm not sure I want to be part of it. I appreciate that my opinion counts no more or less than anyone elses, but for the record I am a season ticket holder and have missed few home games since I started supporting City 21 seasons ago. I have already bought my ST for the coming season so I will probably go along to the first game and see how i feel. Maybe in time I will come around to the idea of playing in red, but I doubt it. If I feel like an outsider in my blue shirt/scarf and there are no "bluebird" songs being sung, then I'll probably pack it in altogether. I live in the vain hope that somehow and sometime, we revert back to blue bluebirds, but I honestly don't think that will happen. If there is any organised and lawful demonstration against. or display of disagreement with, the rebranding then I will support it. Cardiff City appears to be a laughing stock. (Example of one comment from a work colleague "you might as well call yourselves "Wrexham South" ".) My overall feeling is one of disappointment and disillusionment.
NP
I would like to take this opportunity to go on record to tell how devastated, sad and disappointed I am about the change of colour to red and the new dragon badge.I just can't grasp why on earth the owners feel the need to impose this radical change on our beloved Bluebirds as a condition for further investment. I do not buy any of their arguments!Money talks, loyalty walks...
JJ
A city fan for over 50 years now. Could be the best news ever! Red,blue,green,yellow with pink spots.....who cares? The future and prosperity of Cardiff City FC is more important than the colour of the shirt
BW
My thoughts are we support the club not the colour, without the investors we could go straight into administration, our future looks bright for once.
PM
Initially I was against the change for the sake of tradition but after I thought for it for about a day or so I thought I could be an exciting new (another) chapter for Cardiff City. I certainly am not precious about the colour Blue, the most important thing is that we remain in the same stadium and are called Cardiff City FC. History is history and that cannot be changed and will always follow us about so there’s nothing to be worried about there. Worst case scenario, we change to Red for a few years and then we change back to Blue if it doesn’t work out. If the re-branding of the clubs badge and colour change create and attract new fans from Malaysian and beyond and in-turn create extra revenue and further investment for the club then it can only be a good thing!! I think our nickname will always be the Bluebirds, certainly for me anyway; However some people might adapt the new Red Dragons nickname of which I’m partial too then that’s fine also. We could even have two nicknames…. Why not! We all live in changing times and sometimes you need to embrace these changes or get left behind in the dark ages! A positive and ambitious move!
PG
In favour of the change if all the promises materialise.However, I note in the club statement certain phrases that give a slight unease. 'Subject to resolution of the Langstone debt'. If not resolved do all the rest of the plans fall by the wayside? But of course the kit will have already been changed. There will be a viable and prudent budget for the manager. No promise of £millions there.There will be a feasibility study for expansion of the ground. Yet I seem to remember when it was being built that such an eventuality had been catered for.All these qualifications provide escape hatches from the agreement.Still there we are,. Leeds didn't suffer from implementing a kit change. My only regret is that chocolate and gold aren't the lucky Malaysian colours.Finally how many more games will City have played in blue if the kits didn't change than they actually will next season i.e. how often will they be unable to play in their proposed away kit?
GW
I think its wonderful change and needed , its a fresh start and I think its time. I have spoken to 30 plus people today some very vocal about their views on the change ,only one has expressed disappointment , all of them are long term season ticket holders who back the move if it means investment and long term security and success . I hope the benefit it will bring is not once again high - jacked by the noisy few , feel free to share my views with the club .
RR
Over the years our football club has changed dramatically. Gone are the days of crowds of 3,500 to 5,000 at the run down Ninian Park where football hooliganism was a mainstay of our club and the week in week out drudgery of watching City get beat by clubs which were deemed smaller than us are gladly gone.I think we all shed a tear watching Jonathan Owens tribute to Ninian Park the atmosphere was always fantastic and I have fond memories of looking forward to away trips seeing familiar faces and even a very happy memory of a long trip to Scarborough to hear on the road at 2pm as we got near to the ground that the game had been called off.Then on the brink again of bankruptcy we were saved by Sam Hamman and the clubs outlook changed. Yes we have still had ups and downs but that's Cardiff City.The point I want to make is this football club has changed if we took a vote from any game of 25,000 plus crowd I would guarantee that 20,000 would vote for the change. What I can hear and read is the ones against are quoting history and tradition and this I whole heartedly agree - But history is history and lets be honest that's not so great is it? Lets be brutally honest for the size of this football club and the 50 and 60,000 crowds we were getting in the 50s and 60s we have dramatically under-achieved. How many times we have mentioned the 1927 FA Cup Final? Brian Clarks goal against Real Madrid and Scott Young against Leeds?? Although they were great moments we should have had a lot more and this club has fantastically under-achieved. However this is all history. THE FUTURE IS NOW WHATS IMPORTANT. The voting majority for the future of the club belongs to the 20k supporters who have started to follow Cardiff City based upon the relevant success we have achieved in the last 5 years. (Yes we have been successful if you have been to Barnet or Carlisle away you will understand how I am measuring that success). These new breed of supporters are hungry for success and passionately want to see Cardiff City in the Premier League regardless what colour the shirt. And if you give me a choice of going to Wembley and the Premier League or Barnet (with respect) away I know my decision and if all of us think deeply regarding the alternative I think you have to agree. I make no apology for the cliché but football is a business albeit a crazy business (which other business pays 90% of its turnover as salaries? - Not mine or any of yours that's for sure) but to be successful or even to survive you have to have investment then both in the past and present I have never seen a long line of investors fighting with each other to lose a million a month owning Cardiff City. (The stadium is an example of this its still the Cardiff City Stadium - anyone want to invest?). So why would a group of Malaysians want to put their money into it? Fortunately through my job I have travelled to Malaysia and South East Asia on many occasions they are both passionate and knowledgeable about the Premier League every time I go there I am always impressed by how much they know about it and European football in general - and Cardiff City are becoming more popular- I have lived and worked in Barcelona for the last 6 years and I can tell you they have a far better understanding regarding football than 90% of the Barcelona supporters that I know who outside of FC Barcelona have no idea of other countries or teams.So as business men they need a return on the investment or they walk away and if they believe that Cardiff City can be successful in Malaysia then who am I to argue? What I do know is that there are 30 million people in Malaysia and if we can capture a small percentage of that and it convinces our owners to keep the investment then go ahead.To change the shirt will certainly not guarantee they will recoup their loss and who says its long term?? - I remember a lot of anger during Sam Hammans reign when he changed the badge from Cardiff City to "Bluebirds" only for a new chairman to change it back again. So lets not be Drama Queens and say we will never go to Cardiff home games or start supporting Merthyr one day we will be back in blue but for the time being if we can pay our debts, improve the training facilities, increase the stadium capacity and give Malky a budget for new players with a club that's losing a million a month then lets go ahead. One final point lets not forget our 2nd kit last season, the shirt colour was white and there are no prizes for answering who else plays in White around 40 miles west of Cardiff!!)So changing the shirt colour and the badge really is a small price to pay and our future is whats important not our past.
AE
I understand the traditionalists views fully, but we have to understand that like it or not Football is now big business. The new owners are investing heavily in a Company that happens to play football.I've done some research on them and their connections..they are very very good at what they do, they have around 350 retail outlets to push the CCFC kit through just for starters, but they're not in the kit business it's the whole package, The fact that they're swapping debt for stock says a great deal, they're looking long term and that obviously meansThe P.L. Cardiff City FC is a sleeping giant, with massive potential, PL rules TV around the world, especially in the Far East. In the USA there's talk of pay for view live PL games, pick your game every Saturday, pay a few $$ and enjoy...Sam knew this but screwed it up, these guys won't. I can't see UK football surviving in it's present form, too many teams in a relatively small area, in the US there are only 32 NFL teams, they equally share all revenue, TV etc..EXCEPT team gear..shirts etc..think how many NFL shirts,hoodies etc you see all over the UK, a good portion of the price paid went back to the club, these guys want CCFC all over Malaysia and the Far East,.apparantly Red and a Dragon will sell better than Blue with a Bluebird, I'm pretty sure that the owners didn't change the kit to just piss people off..it was a business decision, just like selling Toshack all those years ago.It's a pity that changes have to be made but at the end of the day will anyone really care if we're challenging for a Champions League spot? I for one won't,and when they do play in the PL I'll certainly be up for a lot more visits than the 4 or 5 I make now, probably a lot of others will do the same, visitors from all over, Malaysia included, great for hotels,restaurants etc and the overall image of Cardiff in particular and Wales in general..who play in Red..coincidence?
BS
Personally I don’t care what colour we play in next season, the choice between investment and stagnation is no choice at all. But unless there is investment we will have the best ground in the Welsh league. Red works for me………
DG
I have been a CCFC fan for 45 years. I have many happy memories during that time, but not as many as I would have hoped. I am on the board of honour at the main entrance. Cardiff have been technically bankrupt for many years. The Langston debt is merely Sam’s legacy for all the excellent work he did in effectively delivering us the new stadium. The new owners have allegedly sunk 40 million in getting us to where we are today, but clearly something has to change if we are to move forward. Nobody in their right minds can continue to fund a million pound loss every month indefinitely without an additional source of revenue. Ironically in one of the latter programmes last year, the story was told of how our supporters cheered on the home team just after the war as the opposition were in blue! The planet is 4 billion years old, and should last at least the same again. Mankind is somewhat younger, and football a mere millisecond in comparison. Yes, my memories are important, but hopefully CCFC will be supported by our loyal supporters for the next 4 billion years as football is here to stay. Unfortunately, this costs lots of money, and whoever funds our future dreams for CCFC has my full support. CCFC is bigger than any of our individual desires. Whilst I personally will have difficulty with the colour change, I am already wanting to ram our national emblem down oppositions throats, and indeed it has already invoked a passion I never thought I would feel for CCFC again! Once our squad is strengthened and the goals are flying in, I will never forget our heritage and memories, but we will always be CCFC until the day we and all our future generations die! Remember Sam himself tried to market us as the team of Wales. So, let’s get behind the boys and continue making our noise. Whilst I care passionately about our heritage, I care even more about a viable future, and if that means making ourselves more marketable to a larger audience so be it. I know anybody who abandons the Club now will regret it as we will always be CCFC, and unless Langston forego their debt and promise to put 100 million into our future, please see this as our only viable future, and what a future it should be. This is only the start. A lot more money will have to be pumped in if we are ever going to compete with teams such as the top four who already have annual revenues in excess of 300 million – most of which is from a World audience, which is where the Malaysians are trying to take us.
SS
I am this evening writing to the "club" to ask for a refund on my recently purchased season ticket and will explain that I have desided that I do not want to attend matches in future. My first game was a 5-2 home win over Peterborough in December 1975 - my last league game was a 1-1 draw with Leeds United in April. I feel ver cross and very disappointed about the whole affair, not least the way it has been handled. The final products the home shirt and the badge with the motto "Fire and Passion" simply put the final nail in my coffin. I have had many years of happiness watching the team. The infancy of the web site and the message board and mailing lists were good times, but this is a bridge too far. I will drive ten miles down the road to watch Conference football from now on, or spend more time in front of Jeff Stelling!
RB
As long as we remain in business as a going concern then the colour of our kit is immaterial.I am an Ambassador and have been watching City, mainly at home, since 1964. You know what ups and downs we have had in that period!The team wear so many different strips each season now that to fixate on the blue strip seems daft at a time when we have a benefactor who can keep the club solvent and moving forward.Do we really want to cling to our blue strip, force the Malaysians away and end up in Administtration in a few weeks - ask Luton and Portsmouth fans their opinion!!And we will still wear our traditional blue strip at away games anyway..... what is all the fuss about!
PH
Given the size of the stadium and average attendance additional revenue from uniform sales is needed. Also, the Blue Bird is a North American species.
BD
I’m e-mailing in response to your request on cardiffcity-mad.co.uk. I’m 29, living in Portsmouth nowadays – was always a season ticket holder in the Bob Bank and Grange end up until I left Caerdydd to join the army 7 years ago. Personally I feel that there has not been enough fan consultation with regard to the change of kit colour, admittedly I’m not as plugged in to things as I once was but I have seen very little signs of engagement with the fans. Having seen the new kit, the main thing that strikes me (apart from the obvious change in shade!) is the fact that the bluebird is barely even noticeable on our badge and almost seems out of place! It is barely commemorative of 110+ years of history and an FA cup.. a minor blue smudge under the dragon.. most disappointing. Do we still chant ‘Bluebirds’ when the lads head out of the tunnel next year? Clearly, we are in need of substantial investment not least to clear the historic Langston debt – after getting over my initial stubborn stance on the potential colour change when it was first leaked I still feel that the whole management of the proposals and communication of the situation has been very poor. Such a significant change cannot have been thought up overnight and implemented so soon – this will have been years in the making and could have been gradually introduced without such disregard for the Bluebird. Have we sold our soul?
MW
TG and VT have vision that's why they are where they are. We are in the back woods of the World. This is our chance to rise to the top table.Better this than another 100 years of regret. Go for it.
JN
Firstly, may I thank you for the opportunity to give my views on the current changes taking place at Cardiff City Football Club. I am a City supporter of 45 years+ standing having followed them since the Toshack / Clark era. I currently live in Austria but view your Website almost daily since having first discovered it in 1999 and consider it to be, along with Mauve and Yellow Army, two of the most measured and informative CCFC sites available. Let me firstly state my position on current developments. I would never have countenanced for one moment a change in our kit colour and club emblem without there being sufficient reasons to think the changes beneficial for the future of the club. Essentially, we have to view the whole package of investment, something the hot heads seemed unprepared to do a few weeks back - thankfully calmer heads seemed to have since prevailed. We have found people from the other side of the world prepared to invest significantly in our club, something that many big money people at home have always seemed unprepared to do - I can even remember talk of Julian Hodge getting involved in the late 60s, again something that never happened. In turn, our current investors have to be allowed to manage. Supporters representatives talk of consultation or the lack of it but a £1m a month loss calls for something more decisive than endless talking shops. Heritage and branding are the foundation of any football club. I am instinctively proud of our history but then often find I am questioning myself as to precisely why. What have we actually achieved in my life time? A barely remembered flirtation with promotion to the top flight during the Schoular era followed by a shabby decline of some thirty years in which we over celebrated a couple of lower division promotions. Was I the only one who felt slightly embarrassed that a club our size could make such a palaver about winning promotion from the Fourth to the Third Division? Is it only me that cringes at hearing an average basement division defender like Jason Perry being described as a club legend? I was based in Birmingham for most of my working life and need not tell you about the thrill of visiting away grounds in the Midlands like Mansfield, Rotherham, Northampton and Oxford. Since them things have of course improved both on and off the field - but at the cost of enormous debt as we embarked upon a decade long journey of relative respectability but with a lack of team investment at crucial times in the season meaning that, ultimately, failure has too often been snatched from the jaws of success. Off the field, I have simply lost track over these many years how often the club I love has been threatened with Administration, Closure, Extinction, or indeed all of these things. This may be the opportunity to put all that behind us. Of the many ways in which I have heard the current changes characterized I would suggest the following to be most apt: Faced with a stark but realistic choice of seeing our club play in the Premiership in red or Leagues One and Two in blue which would we prefer? Nobody will ever be able to take our history away from us. It is not even certain as to whether these changes will stand the test of time - Re-brandings can of course be re-branded if not successful. However, for the present at least LET'S SEIZE THIS ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO PUT MEDIOCRITY BEHIND US! Once again, thank you Mike for allowing me the opportunity to vent my feelings from a thousand miles away.
CG
I can only hope that the investment really is there (shades of Sam H ?)I first went to Ninian Pk in 1947 but this business of the shirt colour change alienates me - seems to be superstitious nonsense
DC
I would just like to re-iterate that the change of shirt colour is a step too far. Of course we all want investment and for Cardiff City to be in the premiership but not at absolutely any cost. I have been watching the 'Bluebirds' for over 25 years and identify with the team playing in blue. For me the soul of the club has been sold. In modern history no other British club that I am aware of has had to change their shirt colour on the 'promise' of gaining investment, so why Cardiff? I would not have a problem with the red shirt and even the badge change (if needs be) as an away strip - but not as a home strip.It feels like little more than contempt by the owners (and I include the South Wales directors in that as well as the Malaysians) for the fans who don't agree with the shirt colour change. The owners are aware of the opposition to their proposals by a considerable number of fans and yet they still feel the need to go ahead with their plans?!I just wish I had known of the owners plans before I renewed my season ticket!
SJ
I am a fan of over 45 years, season ticket ambassador, shareholder, trust member and academy member - yes disappointed to lose the blue colour at home but the reality is this:
- We will still play in blue away.
- The badge has changed several times over the years.
- The colour has also changed although admittedly a long time ago.
- Other teams have changed colour and accepted it.
- The history and heritage will never go away - hopefully this change will enrich both.
- Financial safety is paramount including removal of the Langstone debt.
- Financial investment is important and unless we are extremely lucky we will not go up to the premiership unless we get that investment - Leicester, Leeds et al are all securing investment that will make them stronger than us unless we do the same.
- I know many, many fans who are loyal to the City and true bluebirds but to a man they all agree that this opportunity should be taken and this gives us the best chance for the future. The vocal minority are just that, the vocal minority, and with all due respect Mike I think you need to consider the potential damage that some divisive and abusive (verging on racist) posts are doing to the reputation of club and invigilate with care. This is the first such re-branding in the 'twitter' media age and we have seen before how much damage can be done by an irresponsible few.
PO
I'm not convinced the re brand is going to generate any extra cash. Any decent money comes from tv and promotion. So is it all really necessary. What are the forecasts for overseas revenues?
I think Mr Tan fancies a red football club to match his nice Rolls Royce.
A lot was said about respecting the business customs of our investors. Have they shown the clubs history and fans the same respect? I'm not sure.
I would not mind betting we'll have new owners before too long and with any luck the old logo back too.
PS
I am digusted and have voted with my feet. I hope many more follow because if there are no Home Crowd on a match day it will make them realise the Error of there ways. 42 years a fan and my support seems to go down the Pan. I am glad it has happened before I buy a new Kit because my next Season Kit will be a SCFC kit. It will cost me some money to buy the Swansea Replacement cups DVDS's and has for my old programmes when the likes of Robbie James played with Cardiff all removed from my view, A welsh Club still with soul and Heart. Wait till the stadium is read then it will hit home to some fans.
DB