Like many of you reading, I have Loved this season and wanted to relive it. I did this by writing a write up of the season. ;) enjoy
Two Year, Russell Slade had left the club. Halving the wage budget and stabilising us, and narrowly missing out the playoffs by a few points. A hope of going up was far away. We appointed Paul Trollope, Russell Slade’s assistant who pulled us back on track when Russell Slade had a tough spell. We were happy and much anticipating starting the season but winning two from eleven. Selling our ever-present keeper David Marshall, we were potentially in a relegation scrap being 23rd in the league. Then we hire the star studded manager Neil Warnock
His first game was a week away and he signed 4 players on a free immediately; Sol Bamba, the Beckenbauer; Junior Hoilett, an experianced tricky winger; Marouane Chamakh, the well-known Tunisean attacker; Keiran Richardson, ex-Manchester United and England.
We played our old Severn rivals Bristol City. Sol Bamba, had the debut of the decade scoring a goal and making a 90th tackle (to steal the ball from an oncoming attacker who’d have an open goal) in a 2-1 win signalling the best is coming.
Being fairly inconsistent we scrape a couple wins together pulling us out put of the relegation zone.
Cardiff City finished 12th
The new season comes and Cardiff have made 10 signings for a total of £2 Million. The most prominent being Lee Tomlin, from rivals Bristol City, for £1.5 Million. Many teams spend big most notably, the youngest champions league captain, Ruben Neves gets brought in for £15 Million.
Cardiff City were predicted 13th off the BBC sports EFL Championship.
Neil Warnock says he is aiming for playoffs
Five wins in our first 5 games, with astonishing 3-0 wins against Villa and an away win against Wolves. Cardiff City were in the promotion places. We had an international break. Cardiff’s Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, claimed player of the month
We drew to Fulham 1-1 recovering with a Danny Ward header in the 82nd minute. We struggled. Then the next game, Cardiff had lost our first game: Preston 3-0 Cardiff. Neil Warnock walked out and claimed the blame.
A 90th minute free-kick saved a single point against Sheffield Wednesday, from Lee Tomlin. Cardiff beat Sunderland but then we had first place, Leeds.
This Leeds game showed us that we were able to compete as Cardiff beat 10 man Leeds 3-1, with Nathaniel Mendez-Laing sending Pontus Jansson for an early bath.
Cardiff then went on to pick up 8 out of 15 points, in a frustrating October. We dropped out of the top 2 after a poor game against Bristol (Bogle sent off for a two-footed tackle). Cardiff played 4 more games just before the international break, picking up 12 points, most notably a second half fightback against Norwich.
Cardiff City play Reading away, and two goals in the last ten minutes secures a last ditch point for the Bluebirds. We lost our leader, Sean Morrison, due to an inhury and he was out for the next 5 games. During these games, Cardiff beat Hull, but lost against struggling Bolton, Fulham (Kenneth Zohore’s goal), Preston and QPR. We were told we bottled it as we have lost four on the bounce. However, I feel we were played off the park by Fulham, who destroyed us 4-2.
January comes and Cardiff City made 5 signings (Gary Madine, Yanic Wilschut, Marko Grujic, Armand Traore and Jaime Ward) for a total of £2 Million (and £4 Million added on).
However, the first game back after injury, Sean Morrison was present for a 4-0 thrashing of Sunderland. Showing the worst had been and we were on the up.
Cardiff City then went on the gain 26 out of there next 30 points, should’ve been 28 but the referee disallowed a Sol Bamba goal for a Cardiff free-kick prevented a 90th minute winner. Snowgate came, Derby County had 13 injuries and only 9 professional players available. Snow came due to the beast from the east and Derby cancelled the game claiming “Their players and coaches couldn’t get to the game”, even though thousands of Cardiff fans travelled through the country roads and motorways for 3 hours turning up at the stadium. Sky Sports were apparently annoyed at Derby for cancelling as they were on TV. However, when enquiries were made The Championship sided with Derby calling their decision “correct”. ( In the end, this didn’t impact on our promotion however it has impacted on Preston North End’s as they finished 2 points behind them, if the game went ahead it was more than likely that Cardiff was going to beat them and therefore Preston would’ve finished in the playoffs and could’ve potentially gone up!)
There was 8 games remaining at this time. Cardiff were 7 points clear with a game in hand, however we had 3 of the top 6 and a tough Sheffield United side away.
Sheffield United was 1-0 up and were dominating but the “never say die attitude” of a Neil Warnock side shone through as super sub Anthony Pilkington fired a volley home in the 90th+2 volley grabbing us a point.
However, the stumble caused costly as our next games were against a champions elect Wolves and promotion contenders Aston Villa.
Cardiff played Wolves at the Cardiff City stadium. A sell-out crowd was there when first played second, and it was a cracking game for neutrals. Wolverhampton were the second of the two sides but at halftime, Nuno spoke to his players and they ran out with a vengeance. It was a huge game as Wolves were in free-fall and Cardiff City were munching up their lead, pulling them back into the promotion battle. But after the second half, Wolves got the upper hand as Diogo Jota rounds Neil Etheridge but with a tight angle he was only able to hit the post and send the ball past the six yard box. In the 67th minute, Sean Morrison slides in on Diogo Jota (MISSING HIM) and taking out Sol Bamba, Jota stumbles as he just dodged a tackle and the referee blows up. Ruben Neves had a 25 yard free-kick, which he bangs in the top bin.
In the dying minutes of the game a header is flicked onto Anthony Pilkington, a push in the back sends him flying to the floor and the referee blows up. Gary Madine steps up, with 30,000 people watching him and many more watching at home. He shoots, a low ball falling into the bottom right-hand corner but John Ruddy dives and saves the ball, palming it out to be cleared for a corner. The ball is cleared from the corner but the ball is fired back into the box and a game of head tennis results in unbeatable John Ruddy punching a ball out for another corner. The pressure in the pressure cooker that is Cardiff City turned up high and Wolves cracked. A long throw into box, the ball falls down to
Cardiff’s Aron Gunnarsson in the same position. Driving into the box, 2 Fulham players pull him down and the referee points to the spot. Junior Hoilett Cardiff’s best attacker steps up. On the ball, 30,000 people watching him and many more watching at home. He smashes it, John Ruddy dives the wrong way leaving him for dust. But the slams against the crossbar, rattling out. Breaking EVERY Cardiff heart in the stadium. Full time whistle is blown immediately and Nuno sprints and celebrates like he’s just won the Champions League. The ‘Neil Warnock issue’ occurred here. He told the jubilant Nuno, bouncing with delight to ‘**** off’. Many Warnock haters flagged this up and rinsed Warnock however this IS very smart. Neil Warnock steps up and takes most attention off his players choking at the end, and focussed it on his opposite number calling him out for being ‘unsportsmanlike’and mentions the fact that he celebrated excessively not shaking his hand or Tony Pulis’. Just remember this for the future, any time Warnock pulls a Warnock remember this. However I do firmly believe that Wolves weren’t that good, and are very beatable.
After Cardiff heartbreak, Cardiff had an away game as tough as Wolves against Villa. Callum Paterson had a ball cleared off the line, and a mix up on the line left the ball being cleared off it again. A brilliant double save by Johnstone denied a rampant Cardiff side from scoring. Both sides were even until an 85th minute freekick was cleared to the Grealish on the edge of the box. Unmarked, Grealish slammed a stunning volley crashing into the back of the Cardiff net. Cardiff weren’t able to convert any of their chances in the last 10 minutes, resulting in a second loss on the bounce. Fulham over took us with 4 games to go, but we do have a game in hand. Fulham had 81 points while Cardiff were on 80.
Cardiff then went to an inconsistent Norwich side who recently beat the likes of Villa but had recently lost against QPR, 4-1. An unnerving game, Cardiff City played decently but weren’t scoring. Time was running out for the Bluebirds. A ball was thrown into the box and headed out, but stabbed back in. Zohore gets a head on it flicking it into the palms of Gunn who only could palm it out wide. Zohore latches onto the ball and drives closer to the goal, Zohore pulls back his leg. Gunn tries to predict his pass but Zohore strikes it low into the near post of the committed keeper and the ball goes into the net. Norwich heads dropped but they pressed on to try and get a goal. A freekick hoofed up the field into Morrison’s path, he slips losing the header. Bryson jumps getting his head on it, going to Zohore. Outstrengthed, Bassong heads the ball to the centre of the Norwich box, setting up Cardiff left winger for his first goal in 13 games. He slams the ball into the top bin ensuring Cardiff don’t experience the late miseries they had experienced recently. Up to you, Fulham.
Fulham were facing their London rivals at home. Brentford and Fulham were playing some of the ‘nicest’ football in the league with their passing play-styles. Brentford were on top first half, but unable to convert their chances, Brentford fell behind to a Mitrovic strike. Pressing and pushing the unbeatable squad, Brentford pass it around the edge of the box. A searching ball to the back post, leaves Fulham open at the back resulting in a header back across goal for a Neil Maupay, lovely Neal Maupay (who missed this against the bluebirds!) scored a tap in from a few yards out breaking Fulham hearts everywhere! ( This proved vitally important as this was the last points Fulham dropped before the huge final day battle). They dropped to 3rd, one point behind Cardiff.
There were 4 cup finals leading to the end. Fulham played first against a play-off chasing Millwall. 19 games unbeaten played 23 games unbeaten. After a Millwall dominated first half, Fulham come out the blocks stunning the lions with a soft goal to concede to the clutches of Ryan Sessegnon. A second soft goal comes against Millwall, scored by McDonald. Then while the Millwall kitchen sink is being thrown at Fulham, a run from deep by Fulham centre back Tomos Kalas lays a ball to defence destroyer Mitrovic who seals the win with a cracking effort from the edge of the box. 3-0 Fulham, over to Cardiff.
Cardiff hosted a mid-table Nottingham Forest side. Having the chances, Cardiff finally convert one of the many set pieces when Sean Morrison heads home from 6 yards out (can I just point out how important Aron Gunnarson’s role was in this goal. He kept Forest’s keeper Kapino at home allowing a header from Captain Fantastic). A Bruno Ecuele Manga positional error allows Forest to get in behind Cardiff. Sol Bamba covered and lost out and Sean Morrison was pulled out but couldn’t prevent a ball across to an unmarked Adam Clayton who fires home his first goal in 7 years! Cardiff pushed and got their just rewards after a Yanic Wilschuts turn on his backline, sending the attacker to the shops he sees a Zohore run and the ball is played over. He is pulled to the ground. An overhit freekick from the edge of the box, Bamba knocks it back in for an Aron Gunnarsson scissor kick from 6 yards out. We held on to the lead sliding back into our automatic promotion spot. Man of the match was centre back Sean Morrison who had one of the games of the year, with these stats:
1 goal
7 shots
3 on target
18 touches inside the opposition box
25 aerial duels won
56 touches
Remember, from a Centre Back.
Cardiff went to then play Derby County on Tuesday, making up their games. However, it was almost cancelled again due to snow. Fans of Cardiff brought their snowman costumes and snow shovels to help out the Derby groundsmen if the game came into doubt. A first half Callum Paterson volley fired Cardiff into a 1-0 lead at half time. Second half got underway but after a corner headed out allowed a volley from the edge of the box, wide, but Etheridge came for it handling it then dropping it as he left the field of play. With Cameron Jerome behind him, Aron Gunnarsson panicked when he saw the ball and he sliced a hoof only getting out to the edge of the box. A game of head tennis where Cardiff couldn’t get the ball allowed Cameron Jerome free to run with Sean Morrison on his shoulder, getting the shot off he rolled the ball into the bottom corner as Bennett slides across (to point out, Jerome was behind Morrison with a slow to react Sol Bamba playing him onside). Cardiff and Derby make substitutions and this became the deciding factor in the game. Substitute Yanic Wildschut picks up the ball on the byline by the six yard box and thinks that he should nutmeg the oncoming Wisdom. Wisdom tackles him and plays a ball back to the goal scoring Vydra who slams it home sending Pride Park into chaos. Going all out, Cardiff couldn’t grab a late goal and a ball through to the marked Jerome who out manoeuvred Sean Morrison to tap it past the oncoming goalkeeper. Derby 3-1 Cardiff. The annoying thing is that we conceded 3 defensive errors, something which we didn’t see anymore.
We then had Hull City away. A team who drew 5-5 against a decent Bristol City team. At the Kcom stadium, no games are easy especially with the fact Cardiff weren’t allowed to stumble. Being told we had ‘choked’ and we ‘aren’t going up’ the team headed up to Hull. Fulham faced a relegated Sunderland side who were just not good enough on the Friday. Going 1-0 up from a youngster, the black cats should’ve been given a penalty when the Sunderland attacker was chopped down. Not given, Fulham take just 58 seconds to counter attack and score an equalising goal. Fulham took the lead when Mitrovic was found with a freekick at the back post heading it in unmarked. It would go to the final game of the season. Cardiff City played the Hull City side and weren’t favourites. Kicking off, Sean Morrison played the best game he had ever played. He scored another header from a beautiful corner in and sent the nervous Cardiff fans into raptures. After a good save from Etheridge, Cardiff were hanging onto the lead. They won a corner. The ball goes in and it’s cleared out. A ball out to Mendez-Laing, allowed the ex-Rochdale player to run half the pitch. He cut back and found a ball out to Sean Morrison (couldn’t have come at a worse time as he was having a nosebleed!). As he said, ‘there was space up the top and I decided to run up and see what happens. Mendez picked me out and I cut it inside and put it into the net’. He cruyff turned two professional footballers and popped it in the top bin. We held out and it went to the final game of the season. Captain Morrison lead by example and he showed up all doubters of the mighty Bluebirds.
We were now 1 win away from the Premier League
Final day is nearing. Two relegation threatened teams face two promotion punters. Cardiff is facing Reading, while Fulham is facing Birmingham. Two ex-Swansea managers would confirm fate for both Cardiff and Fulham; Paul Clement (Reading), Garry Monk (Birmingham).
Sunday comes and it is sold out in both respective locations. The game kicks off and it’s a brilliant atmosphere. Ten minutes in, cries go up. News goes about that Fulham are 1-0 down, but everyone knows that Fulham can go out and score 7 if they went full out. It’s hard to check the score as 30,000 people are on their phones checking the score. Another chance went begging when Callum Paterson miss kicks a ball at the edge of the box, falling to Hoilett he tries to put it across goal narrowly missing the target. Another cheer goes up as we hear that another Fulham have fallen two behind, though we didn’t believe that we were going up as Fulham come back from everything and their unbeaten streak shows this. More chances go begging, then Hull get a corner which they whip into the six yard box. Sol Bamba dives across his net and gets it away, out for another corner, to the tense Cardiff fans disbelief. Cardiff were all over Reading but we couldn’t convert the chances and it was all like Charlton. As if the footballing God’s were against them, word gets around that Fulham have scored. The tensest five minutes were ended with jubilant celebrations when we get news that Birmingham scored again. The ground is rocking as Cardiff realise we are getting promoted. The stadium is bouncing and rocking as both Reading are safe and Cardiff are promoted. Reading have the ball in their box but we aren’t pressuring so the last 5 minutes is just bouncing fans and Reading passing around the box. A few Cardiff fans storm the pitch too soon and we are delayed for two minutes. The game gets back underway as Cardiff don’t pressure. Referee blows up and 30,000 Cardiff fans storm the pitch carrying the bluebirds to victory.
Little old Cardiff City were promoted against all odds. Being called long ball merchants, we beat everything that came our way.... and we got our rewards.
Fulham took us to the edge, we almost choked but all the hope and sadness of the season that we faced all came through. All because of one man. Neil Warnock. You may call him lots of names, or worse but when he is managing your team it is brilliant. He makes your team win by hook or by crook and he does amazing things that no other manager could do. I don’t think frequent spenders Guardiola or Ferguson could’ve done what Warnock has done.
If we get relegated, we don’t care but it was all about the promotion.
If there is a spelling or a person/team error, please comment below as I will change this.
Thx
