March
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Its a massive game for both teams. City have the threat of relegation over them if they lose (even if they win its still not a certainty we will stay up), and Stoke are looking at at a play of place but they must win their games in hand to do this.

The game has been moved to Sunday on police advice and with upto 2000 City fans travelling it will a great occasion.

Off the field I urge all City fans to take care on this trip and enjoy it. Support your team and lets show the world that we have fans to be proud of.

On the field I have no exact team news yet but Jason Fowler will miss out with his foot injury and its possible Winston Faerber will also be a casualty as he reported back to training yesterday with an injury. Apart from Jon Hallworth and Rob Earnshaw the rest of the squad are available for selection.

Stoke beat City at Ninian Park earlier in the season and ended a year long home unbeaten stretch for City. Stoke are the form team this time, unbeaten in their lat 11 games and have recently won the AutoWindscreen Trophy at Wembley Stadium. Tomorrow is their first home game since that win and I'm sure there will be a presentation of the Trophy at The Brittannia Stadium.

Billy Ayre has had success at Stoke before. His Blackpool team won at Stoke and with that victory stayed in Division 2. The scorer on that day in a 1 - 0 win was Trevor Sinclair who has since ended up at West Ham. He moved to Upton Park after a spell at Q.P.R. and is worth over £3m in transfer fees.

City though have performed well away from home unbeaten in the last 5 games. Draws at Blackpool, Chesterfield and leaders Preston along with valuable wins at Reading and Oldham.

It will not be easy for cardiff. Realistically a draw would be a good result. A win is probably a bit much to hope for but when players are scrapping to avoid relegation who knows what caould happen.

Stats courtesy of Carling Opta.

Report from local Potteries paper The Sentinel.
Cardiff City roll into town this weekend with a massive part to play in events at both ends of the Second Division table. Their own relegation battle takes them to Stoke on Sunday (2pm), to Gillingham next week and they wrap up their programme at home to Bristol Rovers a week tomorrow. One glance at the table reveals just how pivotal their role will be over the final eight days of the season. Stoke's heroic late charge towards the play-offs has left them within striking distance of Gillingham, Millwall and Bristol Rovers - with a game in hand on the last two and a goal difference that will be similar, if not identical, providing they win that game in hand (see table). City tackle Cardiff on the crest of a wave after winning at Wembley, extending their unbeaten sequence in all competitions to 14 and boasting a goalscorer in dreamland right now. Peter Thorne's winner at home to Bournemouth last Saturday - followed by his double at Scunthorpe two days later - puts him on 26 for the season and leaves him seeking a goal for a seventh successive game on Sunday. Stoke follow Cardiff's visit with their last home game of the League campaign against Bury on Wednesday before travelling to Reading on the final day of the season in eight days' time. Maximum points should seal a place in the play-offs and - mathematically at least - could even clinch the seemingly impossible prize of automatic promotion. Much more realistic, however, is the possibility of overhauling either Millwall or Bristol Rovers who are now casting worrying glances over their shoulders in the wake of Stoke's recent charge on the back of four successive League victories - and no goals conceded. Millwall travel to champions Preston tomorrow where their hosts will be an unknown quantity having lifted the title this week, while the precise difficulty of a final-day meeting with struggling Oxford at the New Den will depend on how much the visitors have to play for that afternoon. Bristol Rovers, the one team to show genuine signs of choking in recent weeks, will expect three points at home to Bournemouth tomorrow but won't relish the short journey to Cardiff on the last day - assuming the Welshmen are still fighting for their lives. Stoke fans should look out for the result of the Oxford v Scunthorpe game tomorrow because a draw or an away win keeps the pot boiling at the foot of the table and should mean both Oxford and Cardiff have plenty to play for in those crucial last games of the season against Millwall and Bristol Rovers respectively. Cardiff arrive in the Potteries this weekend with three wins and two draws from their last five away games and so no-one should anticipate anything other than a right old scrap on Sunday - on the field at least. Ex Coventry midfielder Willie Boland and 16-goal former Welsh international Jason Bowen provide the quality in a side currently run by caretaker manager Billy Ayre. Irish B international Seamus Kelly has stepped into the goalkeeper's jersey following a recent injury to Jon Hallworth and, though there are apparent question marks over his temperament, a volatile audience should not faze him having played Gaelic football in front of crowds of 40-50,000 in Ireland.  One-to-watch: Jason Bowen - experienced and slippery customer whether operating wide or through the middle.