WE DID IT!
What a great way to gain promotion back to the Premier League. A packed stadium in full voice on a sunny Sunday afternoon , nerves being settled by score updates coming through from Birmingham (thank you Brum) and the team , as always ,giving its all for the fans.
Now for the challenge, and it will be a difficult one, of the Premier League and going head to head again with some of the biggest (and richest) teams in Europe. The team will need strengthening to be able to compete, perhaps involving some popular players leaving the club to free up resources to help strengthen the squad in other areas. However, I have great faith in the management team on and off the field to do all they can to keep us up for at least a season and this should be helped greatly by the fact that the whole club - owner, management and fans - is now pulling in the same direction and is far more united than it was at the time of our previous promotion.
The Premier League brings with it great riches. Even finishing bottom of the league will guarantee broadcasting income of at least £97m on top of ticket sales, sponsorship, advertising and other commercial income. However, no-one will want a repeat of the previous experience of the club`s spending running out of control so that we still made a loss in our previous season at the top level. This time round, we should (and I have confidence we will) have greater management control and experience off the field to prevent that happening again.
We won`t be able to compete with bigger clubs in the league in terms of player recruitment costs but Neil Warnock has shown us his talent of recruiting players that suit our team and getting the most out of them. With the promised financial support of the owner and others, albeit carefully considered and controlled, we will have a fighting chance of doing far better than we did last time and avoid relegation.
The club will now be far more attractive to potential new investors to supplement the money already invested by Vincent Tan, Mehmet Dalman and others and this can only help the club in establishing itself as a Premier League regular.
It will be up to us fans to support the team and the club through thick and thin next season with loud and proud support even if things aren`t always going well on the pitch to help the team ground out results against higher quality opposition. The ground should be full for nearly all our home games and our supporters will, I am sure, continue their great support at away games.
On another note , don`t forget that the Trust has an AGM on 14 June at the Three Arches pub , Llanishen , Cardiff starting at 7 , followed by a chat of all things CCFC with the always excellent Rob Phillips and Jason Perry. All are welcome (non -members can sign up beforehand or on the night to gain attendance.)
Onwards and upwards fellow Bluebirds
Keith