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In between, add in a successful court action that could have seen the club collapse, a new stadium over the road that has risen dramatically, a state of the art training complex opened, the club incredibly reaching the F.A. Cup Final helping crowds flocking back to watch a side that, despite the usual rollercoaster ride, have given us a year to go down in history and never be forgotten. And if City continue this progress, 2009 may yet prove to be just as memorable too. For all its politics, personalities and traits (which apparently included ticket office staff refusing to sell Reading F.A. Cup tickets yesterday even though the Plymouth game was sold out by morning leaving them with no real work to do - only at Cardiff!), there has never been a better time to 'Follow The City'.
It was a glorious blue clear skied, low sun but oh so cold Sunday in keeping with the weather all through this Xmas but even with myself taking the rare step of wearing three layers, I was still feeling it by final whistle. For reasons best known to themselves, I never felt more grateful for a pee after a match, just so I could hold onto something warm. The game was a sell out for Cardiff City fans in a matchday crowd of 19,145. Plymouth who usually have a good crowd brought just 750 or so up the M5 this time, the rest apparently saving up as 9,000 Pilgrims head to the Emirates next weekend to play Arsenal in the Cup. City had all floodlights on long before kick-off and any sign of darkness. Who says we're short of money eh?
Knocks had to be dressed up and four players apparently had to pass fitness tests but, as expected, Dave Jones named the same side that heartbreakingly were denied a battling and deserved victory over-time with a goal by Reading's keeper 48 hours previously on Boxing Day while Darcy Blake replaced Miguel Comminges on the bench.
CITY: Enckleman; McNaughton-Johnson-Gypes-Kennedy; Routledge-Rae-Ledley-Parry; Bothroyd-Chopra. Subs were Heaton-Blake-Johnson Eddie, McPhail-Whittingham.
When Plymouth beat a Cardiff City side putting on the worst display of the season so far in a live Sky game last month, they went into a play-off spot but our low proved to be their high as they collected only 2 points from the following 6 games but arrested that slide with a comfortable 2-0 Boxing Day home victory over relegation-threatened Southampton. For this clash, Paul Sturrock's approach and tactics were as opposite to Dave Jones as they could be as he made 7 changes and played 5-4-1 that became either 4-1-4-1 (it was the right time of year for the Christmas Tree formation I guess) or, when adventureous, 4-5-1. Argyle's gameplan was to get behind the ball, stay there, seek to strangle City and make us pay on the counter-attack. It almost succeeded.
Of their City contingent, the worse than useless Simon Walton who hysterically became Plymouth's record signing for £750,000 has remained worse than useless and is now transfer listed after the craziest red card for kicking out in a pre-Xmas game (a sight familiar to Cardiff fans). Chris Barker was either rested or injured but Steve MacLean - who they bought off us for £500,000 a year ago in the sort of business deal that would have made Alan Sugar purr - was on the pitch but you did well to notice as he was that anonymous. No change there then. For tenuous marks, you could have claimed Luke Summerfield, son of former City forward Kevin.
PLYMOUTH: Larrieu; Doumbe-Timar-Seip-Cathcart-Sawyer; Puncheon-Summerfield-Folly-MacLean: Mackie.
Plymouth won a dangerous free-kick in the opening 10 seconds but that was the last we saw of them for some time as City pressed but failed to get the early breakthrough partly due to some overplay with nobody wanting to shoot and then missing the openings when they did arrive. Indeed, Chops could have claimed a first half hat-trick but fired wide with two chances you'd bet on him converting and getting caught as he broke through on another occasion. It's probably summed up his loan that he still works so hard, gets into the right places but his finishing and touch has let him down in a way that I don't recall last time he was here. Chops hopes to stay on at City and I hope he does too as fitness and illness problems haven't helped but he still scored 5 goals in 10 starts and 1 sub outing although, yes, three of them were penalties.
The key chance of the half came on 8 minutes as Routledge and Ledley linked on one side, the ball was swept to Parry on the other, he was superb getting around the back of his man and his low ball across the box was met by Chopra middle of goal 8 yards out. The keeper went the wrong way and I still haven't a clue how Chops put it wide of the post.
Parry was denied a penalty not long afterwards, he was held in the box on the burst. I didn't think it was but was in a minority of those around me but what would a City game be without a penalty or appeals these days? An edge of seat moment came midway through the half as Bothroyd threatened to 'do a Maradona' drifting past three challenges in the box with a drop of the shoulders each time but failed to get a shot off when the opening was there.
Having survived City's early blitz and with fans wondering why Routledge changed sides with Parry when he beat his man every time before it, Plymouth showed small signs of ambition. Enckleman saved from a weak MacLean header, then Summerfield's cross-cum-shot was narrowly over before he raced away scored and celebrated, not noticing the lino had flagged offside the moment a pass had sent him away.
It was a wake up call for City who had dropped their intensity, the Bob Bank terrace entertaining themselves by knocking a huge inflatable ball about. Chops again let them down as he was sent clear but fired wide wasting Bothroyd's classy flick then sent clear a second time got the ball caught around his feet and that chance went. He had the last say of the half with an edge of box free-kick but Larieu saved comfortably.
Half-time: CARDIFF 0 ARGYLE 0
If Reading was the Christmas Dinner, this was fast turning into the afternoon kip. City were looking jaded, no surprise considering that Plymouth fielded a fresh unit while Cardiff's men were now well into their 2nd game in 3 days and it was starting to show. Plymouth almost scored in the opening action as Gypes, again making some basic errors, miscontrolled a back pass which needed a superb Roger Johnson intervention in the box to stop Mackie firing at goal.
For all the territory and possession, City just weren't giving Larieu any work in the Plymouth goal while the visitors created mild panic in their rare forays up the other end. One header wide that should have been on target with another thankfully planted straight into Enckleman's arms. Enks looked solid and dependable but again was letting himself and City down with his kicking. How did we manage to have two keepers in Heaton and Enckleman who struggle to kick? In Enckleman's case, he can belt the ball end to end but with goal kicks, he is slicing is akin to a first time park golfer. Four times I counted him put it straight into touch and his poor kick indirectly led to Reading's last gasp corner and equaliser on Boxing Day. He has to sort it out.
Bothroyd gave the Grange End catching practise with his overhead kick before Jones replaced Parry, who had faded out of the game and was being controlled by the excellent Doumbe at right back, with Peter Whittingham for his first home show since Crystal Palace in the middle of last month. He managed to liven up proceedings and inject a bit more pace into the game just when City needed it.
The crowd reacted too. The football had become lifeless but the Bob Bnak. Grange End and Grandstand sang as on sensing City needed help. It is heartening that the crowd have become more patient and tolerant, in times past, there would have been expressions of disatisaction.
It needed a moment of magic or a mistake but you couldn't see either coming, there was more chance of getting a worthwhile Christmas Present off your Granny it seemed and when Chops again failed to control a through ball sending him away then Routledge after turning superbly to get free fired over from 18 yards, it was feeling like a game too far for the boys.
Credit to them however for managing to find another gear and never giving up. Without question, this would have finished 0-0 or eve defeat a year ago but this is a unit who grind it out and often find a way to win. 4 defeats all season so far is outstanding and testimony to their tenacity.
8 minutes remained when Enckleman managed to keep a goal kick on the pitch (hurrah!), Peter Whittingham brought it down and advanced then sent a perfect diagonal pass across the box finding the impressive Gavin Rae who, like Ledley, kept bursting forward in support of attacks and still kept on top of a crowded midfield in contrast to how it was with McPhail and Rae. Rae looked up and passed across the edge of the area where JAY BOTHROYD showed exemplary technique to size himself up and drill a low shot inside the corner of goal, such was his skill, technique and deception that he also sent Larrieu diving in the opposite direction.
Bothroyd had a tough afternoon receiving no help or protection from the fast-tracked 25 yr old ref Stuart Attwell known for awarding the 'phantom goal' this season and who showed that he really shouldn't be learning his trade at this level with a series of inconsistent decisions then booking Roger Johnson after allowing endless worse challenges go unpunished all afternoon. The ref even missed an elbow on Bothroyd, maybe justice was served.
It was a fantastic sight to see the crowd bouncing and singing City home and they played out the remaining minutes with 4 added ones as well without any difficulty until as, time was up, Plymouth won a corner. The collective groan of 18,000+ City fans seeing the Plymouth keeper charge forward thinking back to what happened against Reading must have sounded like rumbling thunder around Cardiff but City cleared it and found Chopra facing one defender on half way and then a clear run to an empty goal. The groan now turned to the roar of Chaaaaaarrrrgggee but as Chops skipped the last man, MacNamee, who crudely took him out for an instant red card. The game was lost anyway and he's now got a ban so can't play at Arsenal this weekend. Happy New Year you muppet!
That was there game's final action and as news filtered through that only City and Sheffield United emerged winners of the leading sides, it was a huge three points. For the first time in my life, I even felt positive about the Wurzles and Jacks as both did us a favour (drawing at Brum and beating Palace respectively).
City are up to 4th, now 7 points behind the automatic promotion spots (it was 12 points a couple of weeks ago). They're 3 points ahead of 7th but with a goal difference worth an extra point and 9 points ahead of 9th as, maybe just maybe, the number of runners for a play-off spot has reduced from half the league to a handful.
Eyes will now look at the Boardroom as City's destiny in now surely in the hands of Peter Ridsdale and his Merry Men. Keep this side together and we look set fair for the play-offs, maybe even better, and can have a real shot at the Premiership. Can we keep Ledley, Johnson (Roger not Eddie!) and co? Can we add Chopra and Routledge? If we lose anyone, will we replace with equal or better? City have been in good positions in three of the last four seasons but failed to show any ambition when it mattered in January. This time, we seem ready for a good go at it but will they?
2008 has been one fantastic year, 2009 has the potential right now to be even better. Happy New Year Bluebirds wherever you are.
Report from FootyMad
ay Bothroyd struck a late winner to maintain Cardiff's promotion charge against ten-man Plymouth Argyle.
Bothroyd fired home from Gavin Rae's pass to extend Cardiff's unbeaten run to eight games and end an afternoon of frustration.
Plymouth's misery was complete when David McNamee saw red for a lunge on Michael Chopra in injury-time.
Dave Jones opted to name the same side that was denied a win last time out by Reading's last-gasp equaliser.
Opposite number Paul Sturrock opted to make seven changes despite their Boxing Day win over Southampton.
On-loan striker Chopra almost made the most of the reshuffle as he sliced Paul Parry's cross wide in the eighth minute.
But the Pilgrims, with their wholesale changes, gradually got into their side and they came close to taking a 29th minute lead when Krisztian Timar's header from Jason Puncheon's corner was cleared off the line by Kevin McNaughton.
Jamie Mackie was denied an opener through a tight offside call as the game became an increasingly scrappy affair.
Bothroyd's long-range shot brought a flying save from goalkeeper Romain Larrieu as Cardiff struggled to impose themselves.
In fact, it was Plymouth who came close to breaking the deadlock when Puncheon's cross was inches away from sneaking inside the far post.
Chopra and Mackie were the next to blaze chances wide for either side before the break.
Yoann Folly headed a great chance wide for Plymouth midway through the second half even though Cardiff had gained the upper hand.
Despite the visitors retreating, striker Steve MacLean could have buried another opportunity against his former club moments later.
Wayne Routledge should have given Cardiff the lead with 12 minutes left but his left-foot strike was just off target.
The promotion-chasing hosts were running out of ideas when Bothroyd popped up with the 81st minute strike.
Rae's cross found him on the edge of the area and the striker crashed home his sixth goal of the season.
External Reports
Cardiff City Official Website
Greens on Screen
Western Mail