Cardiff City news 02/11/99

Tues 2nd Nov 1999 - Blackpool preview

Nows the time to start a good run of form. We have let ourselves slip into a relegation position. It might be early days but we are in a downward spiral and we must get out. Blackpool are below us in the table but defeat for the Bluebirds tonight would see the Seasiders climb above us and with a full league program tonight its possible we could drop into the bottom four. The ultimate responsibility falls on the shoulders of the players and the manager. But we must all get behind the club and support them through this drop in form. 3 points tonight will be the ideal starting point, we have a home cup tie coming up next week so we need to improve our form and get the good times back again. Steve Borley is doing his damndest to improve the club and it does not help when the fans start to turn on the Chairman. Show your support, the only way has got to be up.

City have a full strength sqaud to chose from tonight, loan signing Josh Low has recovered from an ankle injury and Tony Vaughan is back in the team after being cup tied at Orient.

There are no further developments on the potential full time signings of Josh Low from Orient and Tony Vaughan from Man City. No striker has yet been signed but Frank continues to look.

Previews from this mornings press

TotalWales.
CARDIFF CITY manager Frank Burrows yesterday moved to sign Josh Low when Leyton Orient released him. He has put the 20-year-old striker on stand-by to make his debut in tonight’s crucial Second Division clash with fellow strugglers Black-pool at Ninian Park (7.45pm).

“Josh has been with us on a month’s loan. I haven’t signed him yet but he has the physical attributes needed,” said Burrows. “He has recovered from an ankle injury and is in the squad. We’ll continue to work with him to see how he develops.”

Wales Under-21 international Low made 22 league appearances for Bristol Rovers before joining Orient, where he failed to establish a first-team place.

Burrows, though, will continue his search for a proven striker. “It’s obvious to everybody that we are not doing it. I could sign four forwards today but there’s no point bringing in someone on senior money who is no better than we have already.

“I want people who would enhance the team. That’s why I would love to sign Tony Vaughan if we could put a financial package together.”

Manchester City have transfer-listed the classy left-back they bought from Ipswich for Ł1.3m. Vaughan was ineligible for Saturday’s l-l FA Cup draw at Brisbane Road but returns for the visit of Blackpool.

“I’ve been getting grief from people for saying we are in a relegation battle in October,” said Burrows. “But the league is littered with teams who thought they were too good to be relegated and ended up going down. Such talk makes me angry. It’s a load of rubbish. You have to prove it every week on the pitch. That’s where a player does his talking.”

Burrows wants his team to treat every game as a cup-tie. “The wind and rain made it difficult at Brisbane Road. It turned into a battle and we rolled up our sleeves and showed lots of spirit to gain a deserved draw.

“We have to show the same commitment in every game to prove we are capable of staying in this division.

“I can’t say the players haven’t given 100 per cent but we aren’t doing enough in both boxes.

“We have to supply better quality ball and take greater responsibility in the box if we are to start collecting points on a regular basis.”

Burrows has released Welsh international John Cornforth. “I’m grateful to John for helping us out when we were short of midfielders. At one stage we had five on the injured list. But now they are all fit I was able to let him go.”

Daily Mirror.
FRANK BURROWS issued a stark warning to his Cardiff City players in the countdown to tonight's clash with fellow Second Division strugglers Blackpool.

"We are in a relegation battle - and the sooner everybody realises that the better," said Cardiff boss Burrows. "It is the reality of our situation."

With a third of the season gone City are a point above the bottom four after a run of seven League games without a win.

Burrows added: "I hear people saying there's still a long time to go and we are too good to go down. Such talk makes me scoff. Football is littered with teams who thought they were too good to be relegated - and ended up going down. The only way you can prove those words is on the pitch.

"I want to see the same kind of spirit the players showed in the FA Cup tie at Leyton Orient at the weekend.

"That's what we need in the league. When you're struggling for points every game becomes like a cup tie. That's how we have to approach Blackpool."

Burrows is on the brink of breaking the club's record transfer fee to sign classy defender Tony Vaughan, who is in the second month of a loan spell from Manchester City and returns to the side tonight.

Vaughan has been a hit at Ninian Park and Maine Road boss Joe Royle has now put him up for sale at pounds 400,000.

Cardiff chairman Steve Borley has insisted he will back Burrows's attempts to strengthen his squad but the board may be reluctant to spend big on a defender with the Bluebirds in the middle of a goal famine.

Burrows said: "I'm wearing my car out driving to watch players and trying to find a player who we can afford to enhance our squad."