Cardiff City news 02/12/00

Sat 2nd Dec 2000 - Torquay preview

Plainmoor has never been a happy hunting ground for City. The stats below show the harrowing tale of the history in this particular fixture. Added to that Alan Cork was handed the manager of the month award for November. A great achievement and well deserved for a 100% record in November but the award is sometimes considered a poisoned chalice. Poor Steve McMachon found that out when his Blackpool team were hammered 7 - 0 at Barnet after he was awarded the trophy.

But things are different these days. The team is on a roll, today we are seeking a 4th straight league win, so far since Alan Cork took over we have played 7 league games, 5 wins, two draws, a sackfull of goals scored averaging nearly 3 per game. We have been sloppy at the back but the never say die attitude had produced results when it seemed impossible to do so. In the last two games we have scored twice in injury time to win games.

Cork may have to make changes today, Andrew Jordan is struggling for fitness and his place may be taken by Scott McCulloch.

With upto 1,500 City fans going to Plainmoor today it will be a brilliant atmosphere. Lest hope we come with another 3 points and start to reverse the horrible history below.

Torquay stats courtesy of John Heyda.

* Does any living City fan recall the Bluebirds' last win at Torquay? Didn't think so. You've got to go all the way back to December 17, 1938 to find City winning there. The score that fine day: City 3, Torquay 1.

* Since that 1938 match, City's been to Torquay 12 times, winning none and drawing four. Now you could argue that City's never won at Plainmoor as they've only ever gone there when the club was a lower division side and basically crap. The thing is, though, that even when City's had quality lower division sides, they've gone winless at Torquay. The mighty 1946-47 Bluebirds, 30-6-6 on the campaign, could manage only a 0-0 draw there. The 1987-88 promotion winners lost there 2-0. The 1992-93 champions lost there 2-1. The 1998-99 promotion winners managed only a 0-0 draw.

* In eight of the twelve matches in this winless string, City failed to score. City hasn't scored in their last four visits to Plainmoor. City last scored there August 23, 1994 when Torquay won 4-2 in a League Cup affair (wiping out a one-goal edge the Bluebirds brought with them from a 1-0 first leg win).

* City's all-time mark at Plainmoor is a not very gaudy two wins, five draws, and 13 losses. The goals for and against is quite shocking as well -- 15 goals scored, 33 allowed. All but two of the 20 visits there came in City's three worst decades, the 30s, 80s, and 90s. That may help explain part of the problem. Then again, Torquay's been bad decade after decade, having spent all but a handful of their league existence in the dungeon. So, go figure.

Maybe it's just a matter of the home side dominating the series (for whatever reasons). City's home mark all-time versus Torquay stands at 13 wins, five draws, and but three losses, almost the exact opposite of the away record.

John Heyda in Middletown, Ohio USA.

Preview from TotalWales.
CARDIFF CITY must today lay their biggest bogey to continue their 10-match unbeaten run since Alan Cork took charge. City face Torquay at Plainmoor where they haven’t won for 62 years!

Of the 18 league and cup encounters there since then. Torquay have won 14 and drawn four.

“Thanks for telling me,” said Cork. “But records are there to be broken and we can set about the task with a lot of confidence.

“Torquay have been an up-and-down team this season. But they are a good side going forward. We’ll have to tighten up at the back if we are to keep a clean sheet.”

That responsibility is placed on a youthful back five in which Scott Young is the oldest at 24.

The centre-back has served under no fewer than nine managers during seven years with the club, with two promotions and two relegations.

Against Hartlepool last Saturday he made his 250th appearance for the club.

“The time has flown by. I can’t really believe it. It seems like only yesterday that I made my league debut,” said Young, presently captaining the side.

He has played under Eddie May, Terry Yorath, Kenny Hibbitt, Phil Neal, Russell Osman, Frank Burrows, Billy Ayre, Bobby Gould and Cork.

“It’s phenomenal really. I have tried to learn off all of them. But I hope Corky stays around for a while.

“The team has done well since he came in. We are unbeaten in 10 league and cup games and last month’s winning run was reflected by him getting the manager of the month award.

“Hopefully, we can help him win it again next month.

Young was an apprentice when City won the Third Division championship in 1992-93.

He played 33 times for the side that went up the season before last, skippering them a number of times.

“I enjoy being captain. It gives you more responsibility. It seems strange that at 24 I’m the oldest in the back five and the club’s longest serving player.”

The other four, Danny Gabbidon, Josh Low, Andy Jordan and Rhys Weston, are 21 or under.

“Torquay is a big game for us. Almost 1,500 Cardiff fans will be there to spur us on.

“They’ll be nice and loud. Hopefully, we can give them three points.”