Being a bank holiday the M5 was full of caravans, I decided to take the M50 on a sunny morning on my way to Cardiff . I was meeting a work mate in Dempsey’s bar in Cardiff, at his recommendation, as he is a Cardiff boyo, it was a typical pretend Irish bar, a few blues fans were in there at 11.30 as I strolled in for a beer with my mate and his brother. There were four bluenoses and four Cardiff in our group and we had a few beers and chatted about footie and work etc, one lad who had flown in from Dubai was telling us the delights of working part-time in Iran,
where apparently the Islamic Bavarian beer was great! Non of us believed him,by the way!! The eight of us jumped in a minicab and soon we were at the ground and it only cost £6 between us (I think I owe someone, as I didn’t pay!).
Walking to the ground among Cardiff supporters, we could hear how excited they all were about meeting the blues in a ‘top of the table clash’, I hoped the blues were up for it as my Cardiff mate Steve, told me that the whole of Cardiff had been revving up for this all week and they were expecting a full house for the first time in years and having
a record number of away fans.

The PA bloke at the ground was really getting the crowd worked up (are you listening blues new PA bloke) The Cardiff fans confirmed that they were indeed revved up, singing ‘Men of Horlicks’, well that’s what it sounded like! (apparently, ‘a la the vile’ someone printed out the words and distributed them in a pub) blues fans responded with KRO and some chants about the fabled occupation that Welshmen have with Sheep! The Zulu chant went up a couple of times during men of Horlicks, which I though was funny remembering the famous battle in the Zulu war. I bumped
in to a Welsh bluenose Slammer, who travels up to brum to watch games, so this was a 'home' game for him!

The players were announced and I listened out for booing for ‘jonty’, I didn’t hear any and I didn’t hear much applause for him either, so I think the blues fans are waiting and watching to see how he reacts. Ninnian park is an old ground and we were in an old shed, part of the stand, next to the away end is obscured by a black screen, to stop those closest seeing (and more importantly throwing things at the home fans), but it was great to stand up.

I parked my self at the front of the terracing in the sunshine, I was speaking to some bluenoses who came on the early train that arrived about 10.30ish, they were wrapped up by loads of police and walked around Cardiff for 20minutes before being put in the ground!! Can you believe that? Herded into a shed of a ground, hours before kick off! Some asked to get out of the escort and it depended what you looked like or which copper you asked, whether one was able to slip out for a more civilised couple of hours in the Welsh capital. The game started at a 100 miles an hour, let me change that, Cardiff started at a 100 miles an hour, blues were second to every ball and nervous back passes to Doyle by both full backs made him nervous and most of his clearances went in to touch or straight to a blue shirt (unfortunately we were playing in Black). From giving away a silly corner, the bluebirds scored and their fans got behind their team urging them to press blues back, blues didn’t help by having no width and seemingly unable to string two passes together. The main body of Zulu’s arrived just after we went behind, they had a
prearranged meeting with the Soul Crew in Newport and as they strolled in they were a pretty intimidating sight, well over 200 of them and lots of old faces, the riot Police that came in with them and those who were outside had some sort of ‘to do’ outside the Cardiff end. Camera’s and video’s were aimed at us (I say ‘us’ as most of them stood
by me on the far left of our section) a helicopter was buzzing overhead and mounted bobbies trotted about outside the gates.

A couple of stewards tried to move some of the ‘lads’ away from the steps, next to me, but they soon gave up and some of the Zulu’s chatted about whatever was going to happen later and paid scant attention to the game. A bloke with a camera was taking pictures (what else would he do, with a camera?) of the crowd, nothing wrong with that I suppose, except he was wearing a pink high visibility jacket, needless to say he came in for some stick from the blues fans.

At half time the 3rd world toilet facilities were given a hammering by the blues fans and the beer shed also was seeing record attendances, a bit of fine rain didn’t deter me from my open air spot, the blues subs were at our end during the half time and Forsell gave us the funniest moment by tripping over himself in the penalty box.

The second half got under way, still at 100 mile an hour by the bluebirds, blues had a couple of golden opportunities to equalise, first DJC hit the goalie and then Jerome did the same, it wasn’t looking like it was going to be our day.

The sun was now blazing and the bluebirds fans were giving full support to their team, our support was good, however when most of your support are ‘lads’ waiting for the end of the game… I don’t singing is their strong point!
There seemed to be some sort of a ‘to do’ further in to the blues section, near the home fans as I was so far away I couldn’t tell you what it was, I did see large groups of riot police slipping in through the gates by the 3rd world toilets and also appear from the shed/stand next to us, just as Cardiff got their second and some blues headed for
the exit, the police were keeping us all back for our safety! In the middle of the biggest group of Zulu's I have seen for a long time, let me tell you I was not afraid for my safety!!

The riot police started to push blues fans from the open area back in to the stand, some riot police were enjoying the situation far too much and some blues fans were getting a bit up tight, especially a few who had already been in the ground for hours. Something was happening in the section between the home and away fans, again I couldn’t see and I was‘ushered’ forcibly back by a nice man in riot gear and body armour, there was a lot of pushing and shoving The home fans loved it, singing away as you would expect, the ‘banter’ between those that I could see was getting more aggressive and as the whistle went things appeared to kick off in the seated section. Some Cardiff fans appeared from behind the screen (and behind a load of police with camera’s) and a bit of a rush and minor aggravation with the police, blues fans with WAGs and kids, older people etc were getting a bit upset and were trying to get out by speaking to the Police.By now batons were being used by the Police and seats being thrown and things looked as if they would get totally out of hand,all of this happened under the glare of police cameramen.

Then the Soul Crew appeared outside with their Police escort, this got the Zulu’s going and more pushing and shoving and a few things thrown, most blues fans of course just sat down, chatted to each other or watched the goings on. After about half an hour or so the police started to let some blues fans out starting with the one’s with kids, couples
and older fans, this caused a commotion out side and the gate was closed again. I felt sorry for those who had got out, it reminded me of the time we took 15,000 to spurs in the cup and about 200 of us were outside, while the rest were locked in and we took the full force of attacks and abuse from thousands of spurs fans, with about 20 police
trying to keep the sides apart.

My plan was to slip away quietly and get back to the pub for a quick one, the police were not having any of it and a huge police escort was being assembled outside, my Welsh mate was already in the pub and texted me every time he went to the bar! I was getting a bit frustrated (and thirsty) and eventually the gates were opened, an hour in a shed is not my idea of a visit to Wales, there was lots of snarling going on from inside the police escort and I managed to slip away telling a copper ‘my car was parked over the way’, it was in fact parked by the museum and I had a 20 minute walk back.

I decided that I’d had enough of Cardiff and jumped in the car and headed up to the midlands, the M5 was at a standstill from below Worcester so, I went home via the scenic route, across country, not wishing to waste any more drinking time stuck on the motorway. I received loads of texts asking me about the aggro, to be honest it
wasn’t all that and I understand the Zulus and the Soul Crew had planned to meet later, a Welsh mate told me that blues had brought one of the biggest mobs ever to Cardiff.

As you know I tend to concentrate on the fans’ experience, mine was great before the game a beer, football chat etc, the blues were not at the races and didn’t deserve to win with finishing like that and the hospitality of South Wales’ Police totally under whelmed me and many others in the blues’ travelling support. I have had a number of blues fans tell me of how they tried to escape the escort and were told to 'stay put' and others of a bit of trouble at
the station,but the worst is from a few ordinary blokes who were threatened by Cardiff fans, because they couldn't get near the Zulu's.

KRO
Murph