Over the tannoy it was announced sheepishly that there were 20,000 odd fans at the game but we all know this is down to the club counting season tickets sold which hadn't turned up. Looking around you though you could guestimate there were as little as 13,000 in the stadium. The crowd were sparse and so was the atmosphere but is it surprising when there's nothing to play for and the supporters have just had a guts full of the season - put it in books now and let us have a break.
Anyway, making the effort to join that pitful flat crowd was myself, walking like a cross between a cowboy, Liam Gallagher and a man who'd just had a vasectomy. This is because I'd just had a vasectomy which is a whole other blog entry - perhaps more suited to somewhere else online.
Accompanying me and stopping me falling down was my man J.A.P, who was treating himself to his first taste of Russell Slade's 'TOTAL FOOTBALL' :)
Being so appreciative of my first post 'surgery' outing, even the prospect of Slade's football was exciting to me. Note, I was also on a pain-killer cocktail while declaring this.
After a first half that was so ugly it's mama slapped it when it was born, City upped their game after the break, mainly (perhaps only) due to the introduction of Matt Kennedy and Eoin Doyle from the bench.
Young Kennedy (below) has been a breath of fresh air since joining from Everton in the January window. A young fearless winger who hasn't been coached into playing safe and slow like many others in the team. Kennedy can bring life to a game and he changed this one making both goals and getting us out of our seats.
I couldn't sit down anyway, but still... the concept was there.
Irish dude Eoin Doyle (below), another half time substitute also took his chance and bagged his first goal since joining the club with a neat finish. With Cardiff's other strikers, particularly Kenwynne Jones, looking more lifeless and unlikely to score with each passing game, Doyle looks like the best option at the moment and deserves a run of games.
Kenwynne Jones (he of the excessive wage) is an embarrassment in the stands and pushes the team to play in a direct and predictable style - the kind fans have given Slade stick for. With Doyle showing promise now it's time to ditch the carthorse and give Doyle a partner with more movement and a bigger brain.
Joe Mason would be the fit for me once he's had his new hamstring installed.
Most supporters have lost any idea of what the future holds for Cardiff City. Some have lost any idea of why they bother with the club. A new badge and playing in blue is one thing but the club needs to sell its vision, the fans need to see a path leading to a brighter future.
On that note, I did see Russell Slade at the Cardiff Devils game on Sunday - presumably utterly perplexed by the speed and excitement of the game :)
There's many gag opportunities here which I will leave to you.
#SladeOut
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