Prior: I feel like public enemy No 1.
CARDIFF CITY defender Spencer Prior has told his pregnant wife and two children to keep away from the Bluebirds' home matches because of the abuse he is receiving from the Ninian Park boo-boys.
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The 31-year-old was even booed by a section of City supporters when he came on as a late substitute in last Friday's 1-1 draw against Plymouth Argyle at Ninian Park.
Prior admitted he "feels like public enemy No 1" and has stopped his wife, Clare - and their two daughters, seven-year-old Charlie and five-year-old Natasha - from attending City's home matches.
In a candid interview with The Western Mail, the man from Southend:
. PLEADED with City fans to stop booing the team and criticising individual players;
. DECLARED followers of the Bluebirds were more critical than Manchester City supporters;
. DUBBED the atmosphere at home matches as "hostile";
. INSISTED the City players were more relaxed playing away from Ninian Park;
. VOWED he will beat the bully boys and win back his first-team place.
Prior is currently sidelined with a neck injury but was dropped by City manager Lennie Lawrence after the crushing 1-0 defeat at crisis club Huddersfield Town at the end of last month.
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Gordon is so happy to hit woodwork
GAVIN GORDON has revealed the reason behind his Cardiff City renaissance - touching wood.
While finding woodwork would normally be a bad thing for a striker, Gordon can't get enough of the stuff.
"I keep touching wood at the moment to make sure the hamstring injury doesn't come back," said Gordon, who scored on his first City league start in more than a year at Port Vale on Tuesday.
"I didn't know where I was last season. I had the injury, then, just as I was coming back, the hamstring went again. When you see strikers coming to the club such as Peter Thorne and Andy Campbell, my situation did become a little frightening.
"It was worrying for me. My contract was ticking away and I needed to play games and show the club and the fans what I'm capable of.
"I've had a frustrating time since I joined Cardiff. It's been all stop-start. I couldn't get a run in the side and at the same time there was this big influx of players at Cardiff."
Manchester-born Gordon has missed most of the last two campaigns through injury, but the former Lincoln player announced his return with a headed goal in the LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Bournemouth last December.
He then netted twice in City's FAW Premier Cup win at TNS in January, but really staked a claim by heading a last-minute equaliser against Barnsley at Ninian Park.
The pressure was building on City manager Lennie Lawrence to hand him a start and Gordon repaid him in spades.
"My contract runs out at the end of next season, but I want to show everyone at Cardiff what I can do and earn myself a new deal," said Gordon, who moved to City in a £550,000 deal in December 2000.
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GOOD TO BE BACK
CARDIFF City midfielder Mark Bonner is hoping he has done enough to keep a place in the side for the Bluebirds' promotion push.
Bonner formed an impressive unit with captain Graham Kavanagh and Willie Boland in the 2-0 win at Port Vale on Tuesday night.
But he is taking nothing for granted despite his commanding display.
After impressing on his last recall in the 1-0 defeat against Huddersfield in January, Bonner was left out of the side for the following league game against Oldham.
Bonner signed for Cardiff in the summer of 1998 and has been a regular in the last couple of years, but he has struggled to break into the team this season.
"It was nice to get back in," he said. "Hopefully I can keep my shirt now, but we will have to wait and see."
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