[theo_luddite]

Cardiff City Stadium
Look you,
It's in Wales, isn't it!
Taffland-on-Sea
A bit of a walk from that other stadium
and the station.
Next door to where Ninian Park used to be.
CF11 8AZ

Kick-off 15:00 UK Time
Saturday 12/04/23

Welcome from a cool, wet and windy Toronto to my last match thread of the season, I have checked but apparently there's no wild cards available for the play-off's for gamest losers. Apparently Cardiff on Sunday will also be cool wet and windy, so if nowt else we'll all be getting the same weather. I'll be getting it with my eggs & bacon whilst you (or most of you) are cooking the Sunday Roast.

Play-off fever has hit Hogtown big time with the Maple bums, going into Thursday night's game leading 3-1 in the play-off's against 2x finalists in the last 2 season Tampa Bay. Yes that well known resort area in Florida where the Gulf of Mexico freezes over for at least 9 months of the year. Oh, such a joy to listen to the optimism of the Loaf's fans and who they face next. They now lead 3-2. Nuff said.

Town head down to Welsh Wales again (hoping for a better result than last time) to the Principality of Cardiff for Sunday's televised game, that SKY were hoping would be a 6 pointer, relegation shoot-out, but Cardiff's recent form has princely pooped on their parade. It's still an important 3 pointer for Town though (was it anything else?) who could be back in the bottom 3 before kick-off, if Saturdays results go against us.

On the tellybox

Live on Sky in the UK, iPlayer elsewhere if paid for, check here for your favourite over priced provider elsewhere in the world.
Dodgy TV sticks can pick feeds up from elsewhere, allegedly. 

Pies, pees and pints

To cut a long story short - these guys have already covered this and I'm not going to cut and paste it, unlike most of the rest of this. Don't blame me if you paid more for your ticket, I don't edit their site.

https://footballgroundguide.com/wp-conte...314373.jpg

Latest news

Last weekend decided bugger all, other than we hate Lancastrians even more than we did before. Results mainly just making things a bit tighter. Some dubious team selections (not that we've ever done that) meant some results were a tad more unexpected than usual. Yes I'm looking at you lot in Lancashire again in the main.

Midweek results meant that Burnley are Chumpions of the Chumpionship and The Blunts will finish 2nd. Luton and Boro are assured of a play-off place and the other two spots will go to anyone from 5th down to 12th place. Sorry Watford, but with your current form, just be happy you're not where we are.

Out Injured/Suspended/Isolating

No additional injuries to report, but Knockaert won't play again this season (quelle surprise) so I need to pick someone else for my PFP (should have done it weeks ago to be honest). I guess he's not going to make the "play x games and win a contract for next season" part of the deal he signed.

Back training but not oven ready/Back in the frame

Scott Nicholls played for the B team in midweek, Town won 2-3 at Stockport, so could be on the bench for this one.
Hoggy is still hobbled a bit, might be on the bench too.

Last time out

Town came away with a point from Blunderland in a game either side could have won. In fact, per Colin's presser, Town should have won as we had a goal chalked off that the EFL/Ref have now said should have stood. I don't think it was shown in the highlights.
So that's at least 3 points we've been robbed of if you include the phantom goal that wasn't allowed against Blackpool. Warnock in his presser hints at more.



Cardiff had the same result with a home draw v Stoke at the weekend



but they then went and won 1-2 at Rotherham in midweek to pretty much secure Chumpionship football next season.



Weekend results didn't all go Town's way, though some did. QPR won at Burnley and the EFL have asked Burnley for observations on the side they put out for the match against Reading after Town complained.    (Corrected from previous).
Blackpool and Wigan both won to close the gap on Town. Reading lost to a late goal at Coventry to keep them below the trap door too.







Music

Now here's a strange'un.
My first Google search threw up Busted, who when I Googled them, come from the well known Welsh town of Southend-on-Sea. Oooo'd a thunk eh?

So let's start with Dave Edmunds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pAFVUZHeoI

Who ever wins, both sets of fans will be Wide Eyed and Legless, for the most part.

Bonus track - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8MNV9VTHVM - not sure if the crowd or he is out of key to be honest.

Special mention to Mickey Gee (1944 - 2009) who played and toured with everyone that was anyone, including that bloke above.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Gee

So, do I go Cerys Matthews, Charlotte Church, Duffy or Super Furry Animals for the next one as I've already covered Amen Corner?
Pay attention at the back.

Well "The Voice of an Angel" has me begging for "Mercy" and whilst I don't mind folky stuff occasionally ,,,,,,, soooooo ...



and finally, you can't get away without one from the original tiger from Tiger Bay



OK two but apparently you can't watch this vid on here. Ho, hum.

The Sack Race

Well Spurs are still on track for the sack-a-coach-a-month award, but the Summer Sack Race was kicked off by the Wassall lads, of all places.
Mid-table mediocrity in League 2 doesn't cut it in the West Midlands. 



Spurs have promoted someone else that they don't want to give the full time job to, but he might last while May.

Tables, Form & Roller coaster

The win put Cardiff 3 places and 5 points above Town. Reading can catch them in theory but the goal difference will have to swing wildly.





Cardiff have just hit a run of form that we could have done without.



Cardiff have scored almost half of their points against teams in the bottom 3rd, whereas most of Town's points have come against teams above them. Like us they've been flirting with relegation for most of the season.



Innies and Outies

The guy who has helped most with the run of form is Sory Kaba who came in on loan in January from FC Midtylland in Denmark




Who's banging 'em in



They can't all lose

Blackpool play Millwall, who have now dropped out of the top 6, we could do with them returning to form.
Wigan go to Reading, it would be good if they could both lose. Rotherham play Boro and QPR go to Stoke, who have found some form when it least matters, but not at home.


Ignore that it says our game is still on Saturday, it isn't, as a bunch of cyclists can no doubt tell you.

We've played 'em before

Town are in front in the Head2Heads but this isn't a city where we do well. In our last 9 visits to Cardiff, we've drawn 1 and lost 8 in the League and you can throw in a League Cup defeat too back in 2011. Our last win was at Ninian Park in September 2001, a 1-2 victory in what was then Division 2 (now League 1). Both teams made the play-off that season, Cardiff losing to Stoke and Brentford beating Town. Stoke won the play-off final.



Next up?

The Blunts in the rearranged game on Thursday. Lets hope they put out a side like Burnley put out against QPR, or that performs like them.

Pressers

Warnock's wisdom



Helik's two half-groszy's worth on Radio Local

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0fkd0z6

The views from Tiger Bay

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot...i-26804065

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot...i-26802134

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9434BoGkNQ

[Lord Snooty]

Nice one theo.

Blackpool are now down due to us playing Reading and therefore can't catch both of us. For a similar reason, Cardiff are safe.

---

As for Colin's apology from the ref. Yes, it wasn't a foul but the whistle had gone long before Lees poked it home. The Sunderland lads had stopped playing. So I wouldn't count it as being robbed, but it was a poor decision to blow his whistle anyway.

[theo_luddite]

Cheers Snoots, I hadn't checked the Blackpool score before posting but having updated my stats screen grabs earlier in the day, I couldn't be arsed to wait for all of the sites to be updated again.

[theo_luddite]

Today's results puts us level and with a 1 goal advantage over Reading. What is it with us and Reading at the end of the season? Obviously that means we need at least a point from our next two games to stay above them before we meet a week on Monday.

QPR are now safe, Wigan are down for the same reason as Blackpool, they'll be cursing that late Reading equaliser, so it's down to one from Rotherham, Reading and us with Rotherham to play on Monday.

[Lord Snooty]

Lose tomorrow then, by any score and we go into the bottom three. If it's a 1-0 defeat, we'll be level on GD but Reading will have scored more goals. They currently have 46 to our 42. So a 5-4 loss would have us above them on alphabetical order.

A draw will mean we have to beat the Blunts on Thursday to relegate Reading.

A win will mean we need a point against Sheff Utd and depending on how many we win by at Cardiff may have a bearing at home to Reading, if we lose to the Blunts.

If we lose at Cardiff, no matter what we do against Sheffield, it's a winner takes all game on Monday. But then again, that could still come down to how big a win or loss we have against Cardiff/ Sheff Utd.

Just beat Cardiff and we'll take it from there.

Then we'll have to bring Rotherham into the equation. They have Middlesbrough at home on Monday, then are away at Wigan next Monday. If they lose at home to Boro, then we get three points fromour next two games, we could have another situation with the keeper kicking the ball to himself again if Reading are beating us on Monday and the Millers are losing at Wigan.

Let's just win the next two, please Town.

---

And judging by today's score at Brammal Lane, they haven't even packed a suitcase yet, never mind got to the beach.

[theo_luddite]

The Baggies winning today clears one thing up, Norwich aren't going to be in the play-offs, it's now down to 5th - 9th

[Lord Snooty]

[theo_luddite]

Thanks Snoots, I was late on parade this morning.

[themaclad]

Just lost 47 minutes of my life watching the first half I WANT A REFUND

[theo_luddite]

You volunteered to watch I take it themaclad? Some of your home performances over the last, ooooh, 3 seasons must rank easily alongside this.