Red alert, Red alert

Last updated : 08 May 2012 By Michael Morris

bluebirdI've heard some speculation over the past few days that this summer Vincent Tan has plans to take over full control of CCFC, settle historical debts (like Langston, PMG etc), and invest heavily in stadium, training facilities and playing squad.

Sounds great? Well there is a drawback. The identity of the club is to change from Blue to Red. From Bluebirds to Dragons.

As it was just rumour it wasn't worth giving it creedance, until soon after the final whistle against West Ham yesterday, a long post on CCMB spelt out the supposed plans. (see below).

As you can imagine that sent the messageboards and Twitter etc into a frenzy. Some claiming 'over my dead body', some actually thinking it's a good idea and some dismissing the ideas as total garbage and a hoax.

Well things have moved on today. The club has ended it's lease agreement with the Cardiff Blues and in their statement say the stadium can now 

allow significant branding to take place at Cardiff City Stadium during the same time as it now becomes home solely to the football club.

I admit it doesn't mention red but it's the start of what will be an interesting few days. A meeting has been hastily called by the club to explain matters to the Supporters Club, CCFC Trust and CCMB, other boards and the travel club. So we may get a definite answer this evening.

There are claims that a new badge and a new red home kit have already been registered with the Football league.

We needs some answers to these claims.

The full anonymous post that kicked it off read:

Apologies for the anonymous nature of this message, which will be my one and only post on this subject. Please be assured that the information contained herein is genuine and now this is out in the open, direct questions need to be asked of our club.

Now that the curtain has come down on Cardiff's season, there is some very important news that everyone needs to be made aware of. In recent weeks, deals have been agreed with Cardiff's largest creditors, which paves the way for the Malaysians to take full control of the club during the summer. Bankrolled by Vincent Tan, manager Malky Mackay will be provided with a war chest to take Cardiff to the Premier League, stadium expansion plans will go ahead and a multi-million pound training facility will be built. All this may sound like everything we have been waiting for, but there is one bitter pill to swallow. Cardiff City is about to be completely re-branded in a manner whuch goes against a century of our history.

Cardiff City will play in red next season. The dragon will become the major emblem on the club badge and the stadium will literally turn red. This change has been ordered by Vincent Tan and a red home kit and blue away kit have already been agreed for next season. The club intend to announce these changes over the next few days.

The investment into Cardiff City by the Malaysians over the last two years has been very welcome and almost certainly saved us from going into administration. It now seems that they are ready to take the next step and assume full control, but intend riding roughshod over our identity and changing our football club into something none of us will recognise or be able to identify with.

Cardiff City have played in blue since 1908. We won the FA Cup and competed in the top flight in those colours, we are the Bluebirds. A huge part of our identity, history and tradition are bound up in the colours, badge and nickname of the club. 

The Malysians MUST NOT be allowed to proceed with these plans and destroy decades of history and tradition. There may be some fans that say so what, it doesn't matter what colour we play in as long as the club is progressing. Well if that is the case, just why do they want to change our identity? It smacks of a lack of knowledge of what a football club consists of and begs the question of what other changes are planned?

What's next? A change of name? Will we become the Cardiff Dragons? Hasn't the example of the local rugby club changing its colours, badge, nickname and ground yet losing its identity and much of its fanbase taught us anything?

These plans have pressed ahead without any consultation. Mr Tan, we are glad to have you involved with our foootball club, but not at the expense of our history. Sam Hammam aired similar ideas but ultimately listened when the club's support objected en masse.

Steve Borley, as a man we can trust on the current board of directors, we need you to publically condemn these plans. Malky Mackay, you have united the fans behind you this season and as man who knows of the importance of tradition at football clubs, we need you to speak out and impress upon our investors that these plans need to be nipped in the bud before it's too late. To the local press, the new Labour led Cardiff Council and our local MP's and AM's, we need you to use whatever influence you can wield to ensure that the traditions of the City's football club are upheld.

Now is the time for the various supporters groups, rival messageboards and Cardiff fans from all walks of life to unite and ask the football club to come clean about their plans. They need to understand in no uncertain terms that we will not support a re-branded Cardiff City, no matter what the consequences may be. I would rather support my team playing in League Two rather than a team I no longer recognise as my own. Cardiff City play in blue, we are the Bluebirds.