Cardiff City 4 - 1 Andy Legg's Eleven

Last updated : 15 March 2006 By Michael Morris
A whole host of City players, past and present turned out at Ninian Park last night in honour of Andy Legg. The former City player last appeared in a City shirt at the 2003 play off final and last night was a final chance to thank him for the service he gave Cardiff City and a chance to raise money for local charity LATCH.

A donation from the proceeds goes to the charity as well as £700 raised by a raffle and £3000 raised from a sponsored walk up Snowden by the Rams and Supporters Club.

A healthy crowd of over 5,500 saw the current City squad beat the old timers 4 - 1. Goals from Nsungu, Mulryne (2) and Easter were countered by a Carl Dale penalty.

Keith Cooper refereed the game which of course wasn't take in total seriousness with some comedy moments. Many of City's 2003 promotion side were on show with Earnie, Thorne, Kavanagh, Legg, Croft and Whalley playing a part. Old favourites like Dave Bennett, Carl Dale, Mike Ford and Jimmy Gilligan were joined by Neville Southall in goal and Alan Cork was the manager of Legg's team.

Comments from NigelBlues
A good night enjoyed by Leggy and a far better than expected crowd. The official attendance wasn't announced but with Upper and Lower Grandstand full and the Family Stand around half full, I thought that amounted to more than the "over 5,500" quoted on the tannoy.
This was a benefit game for Andy Legg who has been good for the game and the game has been good to him. Playing until almost 40 with 7 permanent clubs behind him, his best time in football and his most iconic status was achieved with City.
Here for 5 years starting with bad times — relegation to the dungeon - and the best of times culminating with his final City appearance in that Championship-making play-off final win over QPR. Recent successful battles with cancer saw him awarded this benefit game with a
donation going to local charity, Latch.
Pre-game ticket sales were poor but nobody buys an advance ticket for a benefit game. Car parking was free and it was full but with The Echo as reliable as ever informing us we could pay at the turnstiles, we arrived to find several queues 100 yards+ long to get to the various ticket portakabins snaking out into Sloper Road and onto the road. Kick-off had to be delayed by 15 minutes to 8pm. Only at City, I tell you. The second-half was cut-short by the same time as we'd all seen enough by then and there was a party at Giovanni's for the players.. Only at City, I tell you.
Inside, the bars and catering kiosks were closed. The club missed out there. Thankfully, nobody chanted "we want beer" and started smashing on the shutters although I had a brief go.
Little point in reporting the game but those with a thirst to know, there were about 40-50 players used.
The only members of City's squad who didn't take to the park were Neil Ardley, Jason Koumas, Paul Parry, Martyn Margetson, Nicky Fish, Jon Kift, Anthony Taylor and the on-loan Danny Parslow and Byron Anthony but also appearing were youth players Scott Allison, Curtis McDonald, Jamal Easter, Joe Jacobson and also physio Sean Connolly.
Those who did play for Legg's XI included Gareth Ainsworth, Dave Bennett, Jason Bowen, Carl Dale, Earnie, Jeff Eckhardt, Mike Ford, Leo Fortune-West, Jason Fowler, Jimmy Gilligan, Cohen Griffith, Steve Jenkins, Graham Kavanagh, Lee Kendall (as an outfield player), Kevin Ratcliffe, Christian Roberts, Damon Searle, Peter Thorne, Mark Walton, Gareth Whalley and Scott Young. I may miss have missed a few more.
The first-half hour, Leggy's team were determined to put on a show. Neil Alexander had to save from Kav, Earnie was trying but it was generally a knockabout, none too serious. Once that was once and a whole raft of substitutions took place, the game turned in the current City side's favour. NSUNGU scored, ironically by turning Leggy inside out before beating Big Nev from close range. Leo made Neil Alexander save by sending a header where he meant it to go - how unusual?
The second half with mostly "retired" rather than current players for Leggy's team and younger players for City became a little more one-sided. Goals were added by Phil Mulryne (2)and Jamal Easter. In between Easter's and Mulryne's second goal, roly-poly ref Keith Cooper awarded a penalty to Leggy's team just to give them a shot just after Leggy went off, Carl Dale sent a good effort past Allison.
There were more than a few laughs. On the pitch, Neil Alexander dribbling around Earnie was entertaining. Some of the antics were too. Bigger laughs came from pitchside interviews conducted with several ex-players and Robbie Savage. Most of Legg's players wore different shirt numbers to those on the list which had Ali announce many of them incorrectly but it was all part of the fun. Good of Ali to play "I fought the law and the law won" for City fans who went to Wolves.
I can't get enthused about these games although I'm always there. A decent night for those who went, a great night for Leggy.