December
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

Press Release From Cardiff City F.C.

19th January 2001

A Joint Statement

David Temme the C.E.O of Cardiff City F.C. and Grahame Lloyd the respected freelance journalists have met privately and the discussion was very frank and the outcome very positive.

David Temme was directly and personally responsible for the “baptism”/ drenching of Grahame Lloyd at Ninian Park on Monday the 1st of January 2001 and he apologises if any offence was caused by the incident.

Mr Temme explained that the “baptism” was done in a jocular manner and Grahame accepts that it was not in any way intended to be malicious or harmful to him personally.

What particularly annoyed Mr Lloyd and what he took exception to, was that the Club, the fans and the general public perceived him to be the author of the “Sweeper” article in the Independent newspaper on Saturday the 30th of December – which he was not. He further thought that because the Club drenched him they did not believe him when he told David Temme personally that he did not write the article and therefore his credibility and standing had been questioned.

Mr Temme confirms that he accepts that the author was Mr Nick Harris who obtained the information from some source and is sorry for any misunderstanding in this matter. Mr Temme still considers that the article in the Independent was offensive to the Club, unbalanced, poorly researched and contained inaccurate information.

In anger and because the matter was not being resolved Grahame Lloyd contacted the police authorities, the football authorities in England and Wales and the press. With the publication of the this joint statement Mr Lloyd confirms that no further action will be taken against the Club nor will any further adverse publicity be generated by him in respect of this event either now or in the future.

Mr Lloyd totally refutes having been involved in any reports or promotion of any stories regarding the burning of Club shirts as part of the shirt exchange programme and in fact applauds the efforts being made to promote Cardiff City as a Welsh Club within the UK.

David Temme confirms that the Club and its Owner Sam Hammam has never and would never suggest burning shirts and the story is a fabrication created by the media. The idea is abhorrent to Cardiff City F.C.

It may be that Cardiff City may undertake further “baptisms” in the future and that if they wish to organise events and their operations in a particular way they can.

Cardiff City is a unique and independent Club that will preserve and express itself in any way it wishes in the future and this will include further baptisms and if Sam, Corky, Terry Phillips and Grahame Lloyd have been drenched to date – more will undoubtedly follow.

“I am pleased that an amicable solution has been found,” said Grahame Lloyd. “I wish Cardiff City every success in their efforts to gain promotion into Division 2 this year.”


Issued jointly by David Temme & Grahame Lloyd.