9 or more goals conceded

[Eric the Half a Bee]

The last time Cardiff City conceded more than 9 goals within the space of two Football League matches was towards the end of the 1993/94 Second Division campaign, when the Bluebirds lost 7-2 at home to Cambridge United and were then beaten 3-1 at home by Port Vale a few days later.

As I recall, most of the players were practically out on their feet at the time, having been playing three games a week throughout that month due to a fixture pile-up caused by a combination of bad weather postponements earlier in the season, an FA Cup run (remember those?) and participation in the Welsh Cup (remember that?). The Cambridge game was a farce, with City trailing just 1-0 at half-time before an embarrassing second-half collapse.

The last time the Bluebirds conceded more than 9 goals within the space of two league games at Championship level was way back in the old Second Division in December 1977, when a 6-1 defeat at home to Sheffield United was followed by a 6-3 hammering at Bolton Wanderers. The latter match saw the late, not-so-great Robin Friday make his final appearance for the club.

During the last 50 years, City have conceded exactly 9 goals within the space of two league games on five occasions. They were as follows:

November 1985 in what is now League One - Brentford 3 Cardiff 0 followed by Walsall 6 Cardiff 3

February 1995 in what is now League One - Hull City 4 Cardiff 0 followed by Huddersfield 5 Cardiff 1

March 2014 in the Premier League - Cardiff 3 Liverpool 6 followed by West Brom 3 Cardiff 3

September 2018 in the Premier League - Chelsea 4 Cardiff 1 followed by Cardiff 0 Manchester City 5

September 2021 in the Championship - Blackburn 5 Cardiff 1 followed by Cardiff 0 West Brom 4

The bad news is that in each of the previous four seasons in which City have conceded exactly 9 goals within the space of two league games, the club has been relegated. Can't see that happening this season, but the way things are going lately I guess it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

The last time we did this badly in the second tier was December 1977, when Sheffield Utd and Bolton scored 6 against us in successive games. We finished 19th that season, only securing 2nd division status by winning the penultimate game of the season. Oddly enough, we won 3 games in a row right at the end of the season, beating both Sheffield Utd and Bolton 1-0, keeping clean sheets against both! We ended the season on 38 points, along with 6 other sides!

[The Lone Gunman]

The last time we did this badly in the second tier was December 1977, when Sheffield Utd and Bolton scored 6 against us in successive games.

Bizarrely, I remember that Sheffield United defeat quite well despite being just a ten year-old at the time. I'd been ill and off school all week with some kind of a bug, but insisted I was well enough to go to the game on the Saturday. We used to sit in Block C of the Ninian Park grandstand and I started throwing up again halfway through the first half. Nevertheless, we stayed for the whole game and I spent most of it sat with my father on the steps in Block F between trips to toilet. Sheffield legend Alan Woodward scored one of their goals and I can remember being fascinated by his mop of silver hair.

[cardiff55]

Bizarrely, I remember that Sheffield United defeat quite well despite being just a ten year-old at the time. I'd been ill and off school all week with some kind of a bug, but insisted I was well enough to go to the game on the Saturday. We used to sit in Block C of the Ninian Park grandstand and I started throwing up again halfway through the first half. Nevertheless, we stayed for the whole game and I spent most of it sat with my father on the steps in Block F between trips to toilet. Sheffield legend Alan Woodward scored one of their goals and I can remember being fascinated by his mop of silver hair.

I remember that game, I think John Buchanan scored for us, but every time Sheffield United attacked they scored. Even at 1-6 it was better than last night.