Too soft to go to Leeds: massed Cardiff fans safe and well-guarded at home
Prior to this weekend, it had been thought that the seasonal award for “Scarediest Fans in the Championship” would have gone to the stalwarts of Millwall FC, after their entire away following for the recent defeat at Elland Road turned up on a skateboard and spent the match, pale of face and quivering silently, high up in the West Stand.
However, it has now emerged that the followers of Cardiff City have somehow contrived to out-chicken even those tragically faint-of-heart Millwall “supporters”, by bringing a grand total of zero fans to their away fixture at Leeds United. The trip to LS11 is generally accepted as the acid test by which other Championship clubs can measure their fan’s moral courage or lack thereof. Millwall achieved a rating of “lily-livered“, which was expected to see their supporters crowned “Most Frit 2014/15“. But the Cardiff score has taken them into the realm of the spineless, with a provisional rating of “Soft as an embryo jellyfish“.
A spokesman for the Bluebirds Travel Club, Dai Arrear, confirmed that there had been absolutely no appetite at all for a tough trip North. “The guys are staying in the Valleys, isn’t it,” he quavered, nervously. “They didn’t fancy it, see. So they’re stayin’ yer, boyo, where it’s a bit more peaceful, like.”
The response at Leeds was one of frank puzzlement. United’s away allocation is invariably over-subscribed and the club take a vociferous following with them, even for a midweek “bubble” match. “We thought that clubs like Millwall and Cardiff would return the compliment,” said one baffled Leeds “Barmy Army” regular. “It’s most upsetting and really a bit rude. We always plan a warm welcome for our visitors, as we invariably receive around the country ourselves. To have not one single fan representing you at an away match – it’s ridiculous. Shameful.”
Millwall fans will be relieved to have avoided the unwanted title of “Softest Cissies in the League” in what is expected to be their last season at this level for some time. But the fact remains that both of these clubs trade on what seems now to be an entirely unmerited reputation for exuberant feistiness. It is to be hoped that both will do better in their respective leagues next time around. Millwall are expected to be in League One for the 2015/16 season, and it may well be that trips to Barnsley and Sheffield United will be easier on their jumpy nerves than the Elland Road ordeal.
Cardiff should have the chance to redeem themselves next time around and may well be encouraged by the thought that, having achieved a zero away following for this weekend, at least things can’t get any more embarrassingly shameful than that, next year.
For now, though, they will remain objects of ridicule, laughed at for being “as scared as David Camoron bottling a live debate with Ed Miliband“. Whether that rather severe judgement seems a little harsh is open to some doubt. But the once-notorious “soul crew” – long prefixed with the letter R in and around Leeds – do seem to be bang to rights on a charge of moral cowardice – and that’s not something they’d be proud to sing about in the Valleys this week.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
As scared as a Hedgehog crossing the A64 when a Reliant Robin is approaching.
Quick word for the late Mr Richie Benaud… The soundtrack to my sporting childhood was his completely unbiased voice. Up there with Bill McLaren, Harry Carpenter, Cliff Morgan, Dan Maskell, David Coleman, Ron Pickering and a few more Legends. Thanks for the memories Mr Benaud.
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Completely agree – in both respects. Gutted to wake up this morning to hear of Mr Benaud’s death. Another legend gone. RIP
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Alan Weeks too of course.
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The thing that annoys me Rob is , the last time baaardiff came they brought four hundred and odd . They get offered 1000 this time , with restrictions but they complain that they shouldn’t have to pick tickets up from the services , which we’ve had to do numerous times before , granted not last time , ok it’s not ideal but that’s down to wy police not leeds . So then we offer them 500 without the bubble trip which they still refuse but which is still more than they brought last time ! So please tell me somebodyif I’m being thick but what exactly is their problem ? It just wouldn’t happen with Leeds fans , no matter what circumstances , we will be there to watch our team through hell and high water. Be ashamed baaardiff , be very ashamed ! M.O.T
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I agree. I’ve now got Cardiff chavs having a tantrum on here and fondly imagining they have a right of reply. They don’t, of course, so they could have saved their energy. But they’re suggesting the offer of “only” 500 tickets (and as you say, they brought less than that last time) is cowardly. I say that bollocks and a poor excuse. They’ve bottled following and supporting their team with little justification that I can see.
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The above editorial is completely factless and does not represent the real reason for Boycoting the Leeds match by the Bluebirds. We are supposed to be entitled (according to FA legislation) to an allocation of 200 tickets. We were offered a derisory allocation of 500 tickets and they weren’t even proper tickets, they were tokens, to be exchanged in a service station. There was no response from Leeds FC as to why they were not adhering to the proper FA allocation.. It would seem that it is Leeds that are too scared to entertain a full allocation of Bluebird supporters to Elland Rd. I rest my case and football is the loser for Leeds FC”s decision to ration our allocation.
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But you only took four ‘undred or so last year, boyo, isn’t it??
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460 last time taff, and if you really wanted to support your team you would do it no matter what the restrictions. other supporters including us have constraints, support your team and stop moaning. having said that, whats the south stand gunna do all afternoon ?
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Could pretend that the Board and all are Cardiff fans cos they’re defo not Leeds, and have a banter at them…MOT/YRA
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DX we would have like to have issued proper tickets but we knew that if yer mam knew yous were planning to come to Leeds she wouldn’t ev let yer lake out, so that is why we tried to disguise them as tokens in the hope that some ev your lot would turn up…MOT/YRA..
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Cardiff have changed their strip, and back again.
Now they are going to change their badge to a Yellow Chicken wearing Trainers and eating a bowl of Custard.
Cluck Cluck.
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As always Rob your’e spot on! I love it when these ‘fans’ with reputations to uphold show their true colours – now was that Blue or Red?
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Whichever it is, there’s a broad streak of sickly yellow 😀
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Please stop having a go at the poor Cardiff fans, quite a big deal for the ‘Hard of Thinking’ to make it to a game so far away from their institutions.
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We are lead to believe that only 500 tickets were offered and that this contravenes F A rules which require a minimum of 2000 tickets to be offered. Travelling Cardiff fans therefore decided not to travel at all. A loss of a day out for Cardiff fans, and a loss of revenue for Leeds. Surely the clubs could have resolved this, but who knows the motives of those who decided to ignore the F a rules?
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slightly off-topic but have you seen the names on the score sheet at tonight’s encounter between Fulham and Wigan?
Fulham
Ross McCormack 4
Matt Smith 35
Wigan
Jermaine Pennant 22
Jason Pearce 69
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Yep, noticed that. A good night for Leeds rejects!!
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Jeez, I read somewhere that Matthieu and Ross knocked in 42 between them last season. FORTY TWO!!!!! We can’t even dream of that sort of return from any combination of our current forwards, and possibly all of them put together. And Beckford from limited opportunities is still banging them in for Simon at PNE. Good luck to them all, i say.
And yeah. RIP Richie, the papers and telly are full of it over here today.
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Hope pie/boy don’t have to make his own sarnies…MOT/YRA
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I admire your writing – made me chuckle – but, as a Cardiff City fan, you guys are the real losers – particularly financially.
Leeds FC knew what they were doing, in making Cardiff jump through ticket-related hoops and who is to say we wouldn’t have sold the full 2,000 allocation, were it given. Certainly not unacheivable.
I am proud of our stance on this. We don’t have any pressure to win the game, you guys do, and you will have considerably less in the bank because of LFC’s petty games.
Best Wishes,
Benny
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Benny blanco….. what world do you live in ? Leeds are the real losers ? What by not having 500 sheep shaggers attending the game . We’ll probably save that in policing the game and I’d be the first to say you’d never sell the full 2.000 cos you never have at our place for a normal league game. Support your club you instead of bleeting out excuses . We’ve had restrictions put on us for years , we still support our team . Pressure to win the game ? There’s as much riding on it for us as there is for you. Probably the real reason you can’t be arsed turning up. M.O.T
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Benny is clearly getting all muddled he thinks where called LEEDS FC & LFC (er, isn’t that Liverpool?) later in his little speech! He reckons 2000 is achievable by them when they brought sub 500 last time! Hardly think we will lament the loss of such a paltry following or the revenue it would bring!
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Good stuff Rob. Apparently the initial uptake was down because there is a big choirboys do on in Cardiff. Also some of the Taff’s had heard that Jones the Steam had had an accident so they were worried that the train might be cancelled. Heyup Royston. Can yous give my regards to Bulldog, Prem, Google, Merky, T and the others on YEP. Keep at those WUMs but I,m sticking with Rob to keep me blood pressure down….MOT/YRA muckers
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rob, I was lead to believe that this restriction was down to the police. there again nothing would have stopped the leeds fans from travelling.
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It wasn’t a factual piece, just a chance to take the piss out of two clubs I don’t like 👍
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Another reason given is that Idris the Dragon is ill and that a few pretty sheep have been spotted inthe valley…MOT/YRA
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Also do Cardiff have to pay extra for an away membership card on top of ticket prices like leeds? Them and millwall what a joke can see their lads now playing it big in their local pubs meanwhile probably cringing in their heads that they ain’t turned up at biggest venue of the season hahaha (cowards).
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Restrictions have nothing to do with the club, are down to WYP. I guess that’s what happens when “hardmen” chuck milk bottles full of piss at women and kids.
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But isn’t that just standard Welsh hospitality…?
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Disappointing result lads…blame the scummy owners and board. Can’t fault the fans. Oh, that’s something Cardiff seem to lack. great to see our lad Kalvin get his first at home. Defence and offf the field rubbish let us down again…MOT/YRA muckers…we don’t want to go up…we don’t want to go up!.
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Tell yer what lads. This blog is so much better than YEP. Same old rubbish with some posting as four or five different people. Another bright spot other than Kalvin’s goal is getting off that depressing bullshit blog that is YEP. Real lads, let’s move to Rob’s blog as long as that is alright with you Gaffer Rob least you always make us laugh and moderate properly…MOT/YRA
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You and the YEP – it’s complicated, isn’t it 😉
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I know mate, want to bite but can’t handle the crap that comes back. Also do now believe that a lot of the posts are false flags…what do yer reckon our lad…MOT/YRA
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