Players unaffected by Cardiff chaos

Last updated : 30 January 2010 By BBC Sport

Jay Bothroyd has reassured supporters that Cardiff City players are focused on their Premier League promotion push.The captain scored a late winner to beat Doncaster Rovers 2-1 before insisting Cardiff's players will not be affected by the off-the-field turmoil.

Bluebirds fans protested at chairman Peter Ridsdale's handling of finances after Saturday's game as the cash-strapped club face a winding-up order.

"All we can do is concentrate on what happens on the pitch," Bothroyd said.

The Cardiff striker was their stand-in skipper as both Mark Hudson and Joe Ledley face long spells on the sidelines after undergoing ankle and hip surgery respectively.

But Bothroyd's ninth goal of the season to defeat Doncaster ensured Cardiff won their fourth successive match as Dave Jones' men consolidated their fourth-placed position in the Championship play-off zone.

Cardiff face a winding-up order in the High Court on 10 February over an unpaid £2.7m debt to Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs.

Now Ridsdale has apologised to fans after funds - an estimated £3m - raised from advance season tickets, which the chairman initially promised would be spent on buying new players in the January transfer window, will now be used to settle debts.

Around 200 Cardiff fans protested against Ridsdale's handing of club affairs outside the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday evening.

But supporters responded to Jones' pre-match plea of keeping out the boo-boys away from the game by roaring Cardiff to a gritty victory over a tough Rovers side.

"You can understand their disappointment as we're all disappointed," said Jones afterwards.

"But I thought the fans were superb for us against Doncaster. Our home support is vital to the team.

"Then after the game, they can do what they planned to do."

The Bluebirds, though, are on a good run and the division's second top-scorers have lost once in 12 games.

And despite an injury crisis, Cardiff are seven points behind the automatic promotion spots with a game in hand.

So Bothroyd said: "We can't do anything about what is going on upstairs, that is down to the chairman and the board.

"We have to concentrate and stay focused on what happens on the pitch."

Cardiff failed in their play-off bid last season as, despite being in the top six virtually all campaign, their final-day defeat at Sheffield Wednesday meant they missed out to Preston North End by one goal difference.

Jones had hoped for four new players in the transfer window to bolster his promotion-chasing squad this term to "nudge them over the line" but he has now been told Cardiff have no cash to spend in January.

But Bothroyd remains confident and says: "We're confident that this squad is good enough anyway to get to the play-offs at least.

"We were very close last year and missed out by a goal so I am definitely sure we can do it this year as we've learned from our mistakes.

"We have a great team-spirit. We showed great character and resilience against Doncaster and we will have to keep doing that."

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport