Cardiff City

Cardiff line up midfielder Miller
Ex-Rangers midfielder Charlie Miller is set for a week's trial at Cardiff from Norwegian side Brann Bergen. \"I'm looking forward to getting the opportunity to prove myself in Cardiff,\" Miller, 30, is quoted as saying in a Norwegian newspaper. The Glaswegian's Bergen contract runs until next summer, but the club are believed to be willing to negotiate an early release for around £50,000. Miller has played 20 of 26 games in the league this season, scoring six goals. He also featured for Bergen in the preliminary stages of the Uefa Cup. Miller, who has one Scotland cap to his name, started his career at Rangers and was at the club from 1992-9, when he moved to Leicester. He moved to Watford then Dundee United in 2000, staying at the club for four years before his move to Norway.

Cardiff monitoring Flood fitness
Cardiff are sweating on the fitness of midfielder Willo Flood for Saturday's Championship clash at Hull City. Flood has not played since November because of a thigh strain, but suffered a reaction in his comeback playing for the reserves in midweek. Cardiff boss Dave Jones said: \"He played 70 minutes for the reserves and was chomping at the bit. \"Unfortunately he picked up a thigh strain, but if he gets through training on Friday he'll be in contention.\"

Cardiff boss makes exit warning
Cardiff City manager Dave Jones has warned he could walk away from the club if the proposed takeover deal fails. Former chairman and major shareholder Sam Hammam has not yet sold his controlling stake, despite agreeing in October to relinquish control. The deal would wipe out Cardiff's £24m debt and provide Jones with funds for new players in the transfer window. And when asked if he would consider his future at Cardiff if the takeover failed, he said: \"Of course I would.\" Hammam reluctantly agreed to sell his 82.5% stake in the club after acknowledging he had taken the club as far as he could. The Lebanese-born businessman's dream was to build a new 30,000-seater stadium for the club, but he failed to convince Cardiff Council he could finance the project. Since Hammam's decision to sell, the stadium project has made significant strides forward with council backing a plan put together by the consortium hoping to buy the club. More importantly in the short term, the new investors - led by Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale - have promised to release significant funds for Jones to strengthen his threadbare squad. But negotiations between the club and Hammam appear to have hit a hitch, although neither side are commenting publicly. Jones said the promise of a cash injection in January and a new stadium to follow were crucial in his decision to commit himself to Cardiff, and he admitted the delay was cause for concern. \"Peter persuaded me to stay at this football club not so long ago,\" said Jones. \"He sold me the dream and he's promised me that everything is in place - it just needs the final tick in the box. \"I was sold the dream and I'm sure one or two of the players were also sold the dream so they must be concerned as well with what's going on. \"I don't know the full story so it's very difficult for me to talk about it, but the one thing I'll categorically say is that I'm 100% behind what Peter's done and what he hopefully will do.\" Neither the club or Hammam are commenting publicly on the current situation, but BBC Wales Sport understands there are intense negotiations going on to try to reach an agreement. The proposed deal will put before shareholders at an EGM on 12 January for approval. There have been suggestions that the club would go into administration if the takeover is rejected.

Cardiff debt deal ends Hammam era
A takeover deal to secure the future of Cardiff City FC has been signed just minutes before the deadline. There were fears that the club could have been put into administration if a deal was not done by noon on Friday. But director Steve Borley confirmed the agreement was struck at 1145 GMT on Friday to sell former chairman Sam Hammam's controlling stake. It is crucial to a new ground and manager Dave Jones had warned he could have walked away without the deal. The £27m buyout of Hammam's majority shareholding is set to clear the Bluebirds' debts and leave Jones with a budget to strengthen the team, which has undergone a slump in form after weeks at the top of the Championship. Former Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale was brought in by Hammam to find a way of stemming the club's losses. He found new investors in the club for the takeover deal - needed to build the planned 30,000-seater new stadium as part of a 60-acre retail development - but the people with the new money wanted Hammam to cut his ties with the club. 'Sense' Ridsdale, who is determined to restore his football reputation following his departure from Leeds United, is likely to be credited as the man who finally delivered the stadium. Manager Dave Jones was worried by the delay in the takeover deal In a statement, Ridsdale apologised to fans for the \"uncertainty that has surrounded the future of the club and its stadium project\". He added: \" has allowed the council to today sign off the planning consents for the new stadium project and to enter into the 90-day judicial review period, at the end of which building can start. \"Following the EGM the club will have the money to support it financially and to build the new stadium.\" Cardiff Council had been reluctant to give its go-ahead to the retail scheme until it received assurances over the viability of the plans. Failing to sign the takeover deal by noon on Friday would have put the skids under the takeover and, consequently, the stadium bid. Borley told BBC Radio Wales: \"A deal has been done - we got everybody to see sense and we got an agreement right at the 11th hour and it's sorted and can go forward. \"The uncertainty surrounding the club has disappeared and the manager can get on with his job and the players can not worry about whether they're going to get paid at the end of the month.\" Work on the £38m stadium in Leckwith, near the club's current Ninian Park ground, is due to begin in March next year.

Leicester 0-0 Cardiff
Cardiff City's run without a win stretched to seven games after being held to a stalemate at Leicester City. Bluebirds striker Michael Chopra missed a golden opportunity to snatch the victory when he failed to connect from six yards out in the closing stages. Leicester enjoyed the best first-half chances as Iain Hume and Elvis Hammond were denied in quick succession. And Matty Fryatt's goal was ruled out for offside on 78 minutes after he diverted Alan Maybury's shot home. Cardiff midfielder Riccardo Scimeca was taken to hospital after complaining of chest pains at half-time. Leicester: Henderson, Maybury, McAuley, Kisnorbo, Johansson, Low (Welsh 46), Tiatto (Wesolowski 84), Williams, Porter, Hume, Hammond (Fryatt 67). Subs Not Used: Logan, McCarthy. Booked: Kisnorbo. Cardiff: Alexander, Gilbert (Wright 56), Loovens, Purse, McNaughton, Parry, McPhail, Scimeca (Blake 46), Ledley, Thompson, Chopra. Subs Not Used: Howard, Johnson, Campbell. Booked: McPhail. Att: 22,274 Ref: A Bates (Staffordshire).

Cardiff 2-2 Plymouth
A brace for David Norris sandwiched between two Steve Thompson strikes saw honours shared at Ninian Park. Norris ended three goal-less months in the 34th minute with a low shot after Barry Hayles slid the ball to him. After the break Thompson seized on Ricky Scimeca's pass to drive in a low shot, then got a second on 52 minutes. Kevin McNaughton crossed from the right after a superb run and Thompson powered in a header, but Hayles and Norris again combined to force the equaliser. Hayles and then Cardiff centre-back Roger Johnson both missed excellent late chances to claim all three points for their respective teams, leaving the Bluebirds without a Championship win in eight games. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cardiff manager Dave Jones: \"The first half was a non-event and we were never going to create anything. \"I gave them a rocket at the interval and in the second half we picked up and played the game more at our tempo. \"The players are low on confidence at the moment and the side needs help so hopefully we can bring in some fresh faces to liven up the squad.\" Plymouth manager Ian Holloway: \"I don't think a draw was a fair result. \"We would have taken two draws from the games against Cardiff at the start of the season but they have been on a poor run of form and it showed in their edgy first half performance - I'm disappointed we have not won the game. \"Credit to them for coming out after the break and scoring two quick goals and it must have been because of what the manager said to them in the dressing room. \"I still believe that football should close down over the Christmas period as everyone out there looked as though they wanted to be at home with their families.\" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cardiff: Alexander, McNaughton, Purse, Johnson, Wright (Flood 64), Parry (Blake 80), McPhail, Scimeca, Ledley, Chopra, Thompson. Subs Not Used: Howard, Campbell, Gunter. Booked: Purse, Flood. Goals: Thompson 47, 52. Plymouth: Larrieu, Connolly (Samba 63), Aljofree, Doumbe, Seip, Capaldi, Norris, Nalis, Buzsaky, Ebanks-Blake, Hayles. Subs Not Used: McCormick, Sawyer, Dickson, Summerfield. Booked: Hayles, Ebanks-Blake, Doumbe, Aljofree. Goals: Norris 34, 59. Att: 17,299 Ref: P Walton (Northamptonshire).

Call for Cardiff fans' ban U-turn
Football supporters have united to call for a lifting of a ban on Cardiff City fans from next month's Championship match at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The ban on 20 January follows crowd trouble which marred two previous games between the sides at Wolves' ground. The official supporters' clubs at both clubs say the ban should be scrapped. Wolves said their decision had been ratified by the Football League but the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) said it set a \"dangerous precedent\". The FSF, which represents more than 140,000 football fans in England and Wales, said the decision to ban Cardiff fans from the match represented a surrender to violence. It said it hopes, even at this late stage, the decision will be reversed, and it plans to write to the league on behalf of fans everywhere. 'Dividing line' Wolves have indicated that the decision was taken \"owing to problems with visiting supporters over the past two seasons\". Seats will only be sold to home fans with a history of buying tickets. Two police officers were taken to hospital and 17 people arrested by West Midlands Police for disturbances inside and outside Molineux at the last match in March. Cardiff City FC was later charged by the Football Association of Wales for failing to control their fans at the game The FSF fears the move to ban fans could lead to similar bans elsewhere. Chairman Malcolm Clarke said:\"I think it's an extremely unfortunate and very short sighted move. \"It draws a dividing line between the vast majority of Cardiff supporters on one side and the police and authorities on the other.\" Mr Clarke said the FSF had been \"very disappointed\" in the attitude taken by Wolves and the police. He said he understood the main reason for the blanket ban was the \"considerable disturbance\" at the last Wolves-Cardiff match but the federation knows that some of the Cardiff fans' behaviour was \"exacerbated by heavy-handedness\" by police. The FSF protest was welcomed by the Cardiff City Supporters' Club, which also opposes the ban. Spokesman Vince Alm said: \"For the tradition of the game both sets of fans should be allowed to all matches.\" Mr Alm also said he knew of Cardiff fans who have already joined supporters clubs in the West Midlands just to get tickets for the January game. \"They will go in and they will just sit on their hands and watch the game.\"

Jones eyes January reinforcements
Manager Dave Jones hopes that the January transfer window will help boost Cardiff's ailing promotion bid. \"We hope to strengthen, but a lot of other managers are looking at the same players as us, so it depends if I have the financial clout,\" he said. \"We have a lot of things going for us as a club, but also a lot of things against us. \"There are other big clubs after the same players and - at the moment - they have superior facilities to us.\" Saturday's 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace at Ninian Park took the Bluebirds' win-less Championship run to nine games. \"We've had nowhere to train through the bad weather,\" Jones told BBC Sport Wales. \"The players are doing fantastically for me, but it has an effect - just like it did last year.\" Jones' threadbare squad could be without leading strikers Steve Thompson and Michael Chopra at Luton on Monday. \"I've got six kids on standby to play,\" said Jones. Cardiff are believed to be keen to sign a central midfield player and two strikers when the transfer window opens in January. Goalkeeper David Forde will complete his move to the Bluebirds, meaning that Mark Howard could be on his way out. Jeff Whitley is also expected to complete a permanent switch from the Welsh side, while Chris Barker has agreed to stay on loan at Colchester for the rest of the season.

Cardiff v Tottenham
Cardiff City expect Kevin McNaughton (hamstring) and Willo Flood (thigh) to be fit for Sunday's FA Cup third round game at Ninian Park. Paul Parry (thigh) is set to remain sidelined, while Alan Wright is unavailable after his loan deal ended. Tottenham duo Robbie Keane and Aaron Lennon are available after recovering from knee problems. Hossam Ghaly will be subject to a late fitness test following the facial injury he picked up at Portsmouth.

Cardiff takeover ends Hammam era
Cardiff City has been taken over by new investors who have pumped £6.5m into the Championship club. The takeover was approved on Monday by shareholders after voting unanimously to accept a financial restructuring that brings an end to Sam Hammam's era. Hammam agreed to sell his 82.5% share last month after six years in charge. Peter Ridsdale has been confirmed as the new chairman of a board of directors that includes Mike Hall, Alan Whiteley and Steve Borley. Former Wales rugby captain Hall is a director of the company planning to build Cardiff's new stadium; Whiteley has worked as the club's legal adviser, while Borley is a former Cardiff chairman. Ridsdale said the club will now go be run by the board in a "totally open and transparent" way, and he would be the public face of the board. But the former Leeds United chairman said he was unable to reveal the identity of the new investors at this time. "The majority of the new investors are happy for their names to be known, but there are a couple who want to remain private," said Ridsdale. "Apart from one exception, they are locally based, high-net worth individuals who have invested. "All Cardiff City supporters can be assured that the majority of the club is now in local hands and with people who have got a particular commitment to Cardiff City succeeding." The takeover was crucial to Cardiff's hopes of building a new 30,000-capacity stadium and retail park on ground adjacent to their current Ninian Park home. The project stalled under Hammam's leadership and failed to gain planning approval from Cardiff Council. But the council gave the green light last month after Hammam agreed to give up control of the club. Cardiff manager Dave Jones is also likely to be given funds to strengthen his squad in the January transfer window once the new financial structure comes into force. Ridsdale confirmed they had a reported £1m-bid rejected by Luton for striker Rowan Vine, before he went to join Birmingham for £2.5m. "We will continue to do our best to satisfy Dave in his transfer requirements as long as we can afford it and we don't over-pay." When Cardiff first announced plans in October to restructure the club, Ridsdale said the new money would be raised from institutional investments through hedge-funds. He said that plan fell through because of concerns over how the club's £24m debt would be handled. "We had to change tact because they felt the debt we had to the loan notes holder and our ability to negotiate that debt down made the investment less attractive," Ridsdale added. "Clearly the loan note debt has been one of the key issues that we faced in being able to restructure the football club. "So we've changed tact and gone for individual investors. We have addressed the loan note debt in a different way but without diverting income stream from the club. "It's a far better solution to the loan note debt. We're in a position now where there is money coming into the football club." Cardiff had originally suggested Hammam would be given a role as life vice-president under the takeover deal. But Ridsdale, who was brought to the club by Hammam to help push through the new stadium project, said the former chairman had no direct role in the club. He added: "I think there are times in life where you have to get on a move on. I think that applies us and to Sam. "I've suggested it would be easier for him to forge a new life if he would not come here. That clearly is up to him. "I'm not one of these people who gets into banning people and I'm sure if he wants to buy a season ticket or sit in the stands he would be as welcome as anyone else."

Cardiff sign Chelsea midfielder
Cardiff City have signed Chelsea youngster James Simmonds on loan for the rest of the season. The midfielder was part of the same England youth international side that contained Kerrea Gilbert, the Arsenal full-back on-loan at Cardiff. But the 19-year-old, a product of the Chelsea academy, has opted to play for the Republic of Ireland Under-19s. Simmonds is able to play anywhere in midfield and also up front, but is happier along the left-hand side.

Bluebirds secure front-man Byrne
Cardiff City have completed the transfer of prolific striker Jason Byrne from Irish champions Shelbourne. The 28-year-old Republic of Ireland international impressed after a short trial and finalised his move after passing a medical on Wednesday. Byrne has been the top scorer in the Eircom League for the past four seasons, amassing 83 goals for Shels. "He's been training with us, but his season ended in November so he needs to get fit," said Cardiff boss Dave Jones. "He needs a few weeks hard training under his belt and then we'll give him an opportunity. "He loves it here, he wants to do well and he wants to come across the water to see if he can apply his trade. "He's scored a lot of goals at the level he's played, can he do it at this level? We'll find out soon." Cardiff's promotion push has faltered over recent weeks as the goals have dried up for their strikers, managing to find the net just three times between them in the last 13 games. The Bluebirds had a £1m offer rejected last week by Luton for striker Rowan Vine before he joined Birmingham for £2.5m. "We're still looking around for more signings," Jones told BBC Sport Wales after the 4-0 FA Cup replay loss at Tottenham, the Bluebirds' 13th game without a win. "The lads need help and one or two need to come out of the team - but we need to put in better players than we take out. "The legacy left to this club was rubbish and now we're trying to put it right. "It may take a little longer than we thought at one stage, but we're a wounded animal now - and they are often the most dangerous."

Cardiff 3-2 Leicester
Michael Chopra put his goal drought behind him to push Cardiff back into the play-off places with a hat-trick. The 23-year-old opened his account by floating a free-kick over Leicester's wall into the top corner of the net. Joe Ledley's slide-rule pass picked out Chopra for his second, then strike partner Steve Thompson squared the ball for Chopra to roll home an easy third. Patrick Kisnorbo headed in a corner to give Leicester hope, but a second Foxes goal from Elvis Hammond came too late. The win was the perfect way for Cardiff boss Dave Jones to celebrate his 500th senior professional game as a manager. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cardiff manager Dave Jones: "We make life difficult for ourselves, maybe it's the youth of the back four, but sometimes we tie ourselves in knots. "But the three goals that Chops (Michael Chopra) has scored are fantastic and that eases a little bit of the nerves. "But you learn how to be winners, some of them have not been at this stage at a football club ever." Leicester manager Rob Kelly: "When you come to somewhere like Cardiff and score two goals you expect to get something out of the game - but we shot ourselves in the foot. "I know all three of Cardiff's goals were good finishes but we should have done better with them. "We know we must do better. We have got good players but we are inconsistent and we have to find out why." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cardiff: Alexander, Gilbert, Loovens, Johnson, Ledley, Whittingham (Flood 75), McPhail, Parry, Scimeca (McNaughton 35), Chopra, Thompson (Byrne 90). Subs Not Used: Forde, Campbell. Booked: Johnson. Goals: Chopra 21, 57, 69. Leicester: Henderson, Maybury, Kisnorbo, McCarthy, McAuley, Hughes, Williams, Wesolowski (Johnson 46), Porter (Cadamarteri 79), Hume, Fryatt (Hammond 44). Subs Not Used: Logan, Stearman. Booked: Kisnorbo, Hume. Goals: Kisnorbo 71, Hammond 89. Att: 12,057 Ref: K Stroud (Hampshire).

Cardiff fret over missing Whitley
Cardiff officials have admitted they are unable to locate Northern Ireland midfielder Jeff Whitley. The former Manchester City man recently ended an unsuccessful loan spell with Championship rivals Stoke. The 31-year-old was told he did not need to train with Cardiff, but must keep in touch as the Bluebirds tried to help him find a new club. "We don't know where he is, we want to speak to him urgently," Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale said. "We've called Jeff Whitley's mobile and left messages but he hasn't called back." Whitley has been made available for transfer, but failed to take up offers of talks with League One sides Millwall and Rotherham. He joined Cardiff in July 2005 and has since made 42 league and cup appearances for the Ninian Park outfit.

Alexander given Cardiff ultimatum
Cardiff City boss Dave Jones has told goalkeeper Neil Alexander he will not received an improved contract offer. Alexander made crucial saves to give the Bluebirds victory on Saturday, but the Scottish international could be on his way out in the summer. "We've made the offer to the agent and by what we've heard it's not acceptable," said Jones. "We have to cut our cloth accordingly and the days have gone at this club where players are on big money." Jones added: "I hope he signs the new contract but if he doesn't I'll just get on with it. I don't worry about player who don't want to play for me." Alexander, who has won three Scotland caps, joined Cardiff in May 2001 and has made over 200 appearances for the club. Contract talks have been on-going since December, when the 28-year-old first rejected Cardiff's offer.

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