'I'll Be There' - New song for Keenor statue
Last updated : 17 July 2010 By Michael Morris
'Ill Be There' is a theme running through the club at the moment with the three words playing a major part of the official marketing ahead of the new season.
Actor Jonathan Owen (who made the touching video ahead of City's FA Cup final appearance), Super Furry Animals guitarist Guto Pryce, Owen Powell of Catatonia, and drummers Ryan Richards and Gareth Lawrence, from Welsh bands Funeral for a Friend and Blackout join together to record a new version of the song that City fans sing on the terraces. Stuart Cable was one of the main forces behind the project but died suddenly last month. His enthusiam will not be forgotten though
"It's a tragedy Stuart isn't here with us because he did so much to get it off the ground," said Jonathan Owen
"Initially we all spoke about it and within a few days Stuart was phoning us saying he'd arranged dates and times.
"That was the sort of bloke he was but we decided to plough on and we hope Stuart, who is so missed by all of us, would give his seal of approval to what we eventually come up with."
Click
here to see a video report from the BBC
Over £20,000 have already been raised by the
Cardiff City Supporters' Trust for the project and funds will be boosted by money raised from this record and the club themselves are donating £1 from every ticket sold for the home friendly with Deportivo on July 31st. Further fundraising events are planned.
Donations to the appeal fund can be made through the Co-operative Bank:
Account name: - Fred Keenor Statue Fund or FKSF
Account no 65392368
Sort Code 08-92-99
Cheques can also be sent c/o CCST to PO Box 4254, Cardiff, CF14 8FD. Please add the words "Fred Keenor Appeal" on the top of the envelope.
"We're all mad City fans and the Fred Keenor statue is something we all passionately believe needs to be put up as soon as possible," Owen continued.
"All great clubs celebrate their history and it gets forgotten that Cardiff City has a great history - not too many clubs have beaten Real Madrid for a start."
The new song - the full name of which is When the Coal Comes from the Rhondda - is not officially linked to the Bluebirds but the club have given it their support.
It's hoped the fans will take the new song on as a terrace chant. He added: "It would be great if that could happen because the song has been unique to City fans down the years.
"It was a miners' song, and coal was the link between the Valleys where it was dug out and Cardiff docks where it was shipped.
"One of the verses tells of the coal coming from the Rhondda on the Taff Vale railway line.
"It was therefore a song which linked people from the Valleys and the city and it has stuck ever since.
"It's no Bohemian Rhapsody, but we're having fun doing it and the help we've had from Monnow Valley Studios, which has given us free time, will ensure it is a proper professional job."
