August
Newsfile

Newsfile Archive

A few days before the start of the season Macari blasted out against Alan Cork and threatened to take him to the football league for illegal approaches to two Huddersfield players. Andy Booth and Chris Lucketti were in Macari's plans to start the first game of the season and City had been trying to buy them.

It turned out that Sam Hammam and the Huddersfield chairman Barry Rubery had agreed prices for both players and Rubery had not told his manager. Macari had to back down and as it was neither player came to Cardiff. Lucketti soon after went to Preston for £750,000 after City had offered over £1m for him.

Macari says

"There won't be any bad feeling on my part. Cardiff were trying to sign two players from us and it was my job to try and keep them at Huddersfield. These things happen between football clubs. On this occasion it was between Huddersfield and Cardiff City. But I like Sam Hammam very much. He's a real character and he's good for the game of football. All credit for what he's trying to do at Cardiff. Sam is bankrolling the club and he has spent an awful lot of money on players recently. But it doesn't mean we can't go to their ground and come away with some or all of the points."

Alan Cork, the innocent party in this is also saying he has no axe to grind, but of course like any football match you want your team to win and it will be a smile of satisfaction on the winning managers face at 4:50pm tomorrow.

Cork says of the sutuation

"Of course I'll shake hands with Lou. I shake hands with everybody who comes to the club. We tried to sign two of their players and we did it the right way. Lou was angry, but you can't blame us when his own club didn't tell him what was happening".

Macari is sure to get a very warm if not red hot reception from the City fans. Especially if things are not going his way.