MATCHWATCH : Cardiff City (h) sponsored by Jason Bowen

[Hound]

This week's Dave's i award goes to this post from URZZZZ. Printed in Saturday's i.

I'm just saying making 11 changes is too much against a fellow Championship side and whilst these players need game time, I'd rather swap a couple a game in the league rather than 11 on Saturday to keep them fresh

Top work

[Hound]

Statement from Cardiff City regarding the racist and homophobic language incident

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/cl ... ent-270120

Basically

It is understood that the four Cardiff City supporters arrested and subsequently released prior to investigation were cited during the fixture for using what would normally be considered as unwarranted or non-sensical language. This language could be heard taking place between fans of both clubs and was of an anti-Welsh/anti-English nature.

We are extremely disappointed that Reading Football Club chose to label the behaviour as racist and homophobic (of which there has been no evidence).

What evidence would they want ?
If it was reported then the club are duty bound to act. You don't wait until after the game to tell people to watch their language.
Is the reference to 'non sensical' language suggesting the 4 were speaking Welsh ?

What do you reckon the chances are of Cardiff doing the same back next week?

Seems a slightly inflammatory response from them tbh

[Zip]

Statement from Cardiff City regarding the racist and homophobic language incident

https://www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk/news/cl ... ent-270120

Basically

What evidence would they want ?
If it was reported then the club are duty bound to act. You don't wait until after the game to tell people to watch their language.
Is the reference to 'non sensical' language suggesting the 4 were speaking Welsh ?

What do you reckon the chances are of Cardiff doing the same back next week?

Seems a slightly inflammatory response from them tbh

Part of the problem is they don’t know what they are supposed to have said that resulted the tannoy announcement. The lack of clarity is a problem here.
What was said that was racist? What was said that was homophobic?

[Snowflake Royal]

What evidence would they want ?
If it was reported then the club are duty bound to act. You don't wait until after the game to tell people to watch their language.
Is the reference to 'non sensical' language suggesting the 4 were speaking Welsh ?

What do you reckon the chances are of Cardiff doing the same back next week?

Seems a slightly inflammatory response from them tbh

Part of the problem is they don’t know what they are supposed to have said that resulted the tannoy announcement. The lack of clarity is a problem here.
What was said that was racist? What was said that was homophobic?

I lean towards it being best not to make that public, but it should certainly be made available to Cardiff.

Someone has screwed up here. It could be a jobs worth steward or misunderstanding and not enough challenge before acting.

Or it could be that Cardiff are being partisan and dismissive of a genuine issue.

I hope if it's the former the club recognise it and issue an apology in a statement. If it's the latter there's a chance we never know, though I'd think it would be less likely for charges to be pressed, but you never know with the Police attitude to fans.

[tidus_mi2]

Cardiff fans on Twitter are coming across as proper twats, going onto Reading FC tweets and demanding an apology because they're convinced that nothing racist/homophobic has been said and we're smearing their name.

They might end up being right but wait until the investigation is over ffs.

[Snowball]

Could be the classic "Sheep-Shaggers" chant
(meaning themselves. Ditto Newport/Swansea, we/they all sing it)

A "sensitive soul" might've thought it was directed folks like Ian....?

I was impressed by the Cardiff singing (Spit! I'm from Newport)
and the anthem/Hymns and Arias put RFC to shame)

[Snowflake Royal]

Cardiff fans on Twitter are coming across as proper twats, going onto Reading FC tweets and demanding an apology because they're convinced that nothing racist/homophobic has been said and we're smearing their name.

They might end up being right but wait until the investigation is over ffs.

It does seem a bit unlikely that a steward would report people for anti-English songs leading to 4 arrests when there was inevitably plenty of that both ways. I can't recall anything like this coming up at the Mad Stad before, so it's not like we've got a hair trigger on this sort of thing.

[Zip]

Cardiff fans on Twitter are coming across as proper twats, going onto Reading FC tweets and demanding an apology because they're convinced that nothing racist/homophobic has been said and we're smearing their name.

They might end up being right but wait until the investigation is over ffs.

It does seem a bit unlikely that a steward would report people for anti-English songs leading to 4 arrests when there was inevitably plenty of that both ways. I can't recall anything like this coming up at the Mad Stad before, so it's not like we've got a hair trigger on this sort of thing.

Ken Choo’s statement is very strongly worded. He clearly expects the four supporters to be cleared. He is either going to look very foolish if there are prosecutions or knows considerably more than is in the public domain and is very confident the four are going to be cleared.

[Snowflake Royal]

Cardiff fans on Twitter are coming across as proper twats, going onto Reading FC tweets and demanding an apology because they're convinced that nothing racist/homophobic has been said and we're smearing their name.

They might end up being right but wait until the investigation is over ffs.

It does seem a bit unlikely that a steward would report people for anti-English songs leading to 4 arrests when there was inevitably plenty of that both ways. I can't recall anything like this coming up at the Mad Stad before, so it's not like we've got a hair trigger on this sort of thing.

Ken Choo’s statement is very strongly worded. He clearly expects the four supporters to be cleared. He is either going to look very foolish if there are prosecutions or knows considerably more than is in the public domain and is very confident the four are going to be cleared.

It's a bit concerning either way isn't it. I know Cardiff fans are perhaps sometimes thought of having a less than brilliant reputation, though certainly not the worst, and obviously every club has it's idiots, but it's not what I'd expect from Cardiff.

[Zip]

It does seem a bit unlikely that a steward would report people for anti-English songs leading to 4 arrests when there was inevitably plenty of that both ways. I can't recall anything like this coming up at the Mad Stad before, so it's not like we've got a hair trigger on this sort of thing.

Ken Choo’s statement is very strongly worded. He clearly expects the four supporters to be cleared. He is either going to look very foolish if there are prosecutions or knows considerably more than is in the public domain and is very confident the four are going to be cleared.

It's a bit concerning either way isn't it. I know Cardiff fans are perhaps sometimes thought of having a less than brilliant reputation, though certainly not the worst, and obviously every club has it's idiots, but it's not what I'd expect from Cardiff.

It’s not what I would expect either and I’ve been to the CCS many times for Wales games and there isn’t a hint of racism.

[sandman]

Not entirely sure what the club have to apologise for.

A steward reported something they heard and the club carried out the 3 step warning procedure that has been set out by the football authorities.

[Old Man Andrews]

Overzealous stewarding at the Madejski? Well I never.

[tidus_mi2]

So when we do the match thread for Cardiff (A) do we make 2 or keep the same one to be efficient?

[Elm Park Kid]

IMO, just as a fan.

FA Cup Final > Play Off Place

and

Winning FA CUP > Promotion

Obviously from a business side you have to take promotion opportunity every time, but I believe that there should be room for us to think about what is actually important in football. What are your good memories as a Reading fan? What are your favourite games? What really matters?

[Old Man Andrews]

IMO, just as a fan.

FA Cup Final > Play Off Place

and

Winning FA CUP > Promotion

Obviously from a business side you have to take promotion opportunity every time, but I believe that there should be room for us to think about what is actually important in football. What are your good memories as a Reading fan? What are your favourite games? What really matters?

Well said EPK. You are 100% correct.

[sandman]

IMO, just as a fan.

FA Cup Final > Play Off Place

and

Winning FA CUP > Promotion

Obviously from a business side you have to take promotion opportunity every time, but I believe that there should be room for us to think about what is actually important in football. What are your good memories as a Reading fan? What are your favourite games? What really matters?

You can't win the FA Cup without being a Premier League club and even then the squad players of the *"top clubs", can beat your first choice eleven.

I would much rather we finally won a play off final before winning an FA Cup.

*Spurs excluded.

[Whore Jackie]

New statement on the RFC website:

Two isolated incidents of discriminatory abuse in the South Stand were reported to our Safety Officer in the Control Room during the first half of our FA Cup Fourth Round match against Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.

As a result of a statement taken by the police that afternoon, it was deemed there was sufficient evidence to arrest four Cardiff City supporters for alleged racist chanting under the Football Spectators Act. To justify any arrest, there needs to be reasonable grounds.

The four individuals have all since been interviewed and released under investigation. These alleged incidents continue to be fully investigated by the Thames Valley Police and we will continue to assist the authorities with these investigations.

No further reports of discriminatory behaviour were received during the course of the tie.

As indicated on the day of the game, these incidents were isolated, restricted to a small number of individuals and affected only a minority of supporters attending the match. There was certainly no intention to tarnish the reputation of the travelling support on the day, Cardiff City Football Club nor its fanbase in general, who in the overwhelming majority behaved impeccably at the weekend.

We would like to apologise to all supporters of Cardiff City Football Club who played no part in any discriminatory abuse and feel that their character has been blemished unwarrantedly by the announcement which was made over the PA system at Madejski Stadium. Reading Football Club are liaising with the relevant football authorities to consider how football-wide protocol issued to us was implemented in this instance and we will review our procedure regarding public matchday announcements of this nature accordingly.

However, at both Reading Football Club and Cardiff City Football Club, we remain committed to ensuring that the matchday environment provides a positive experience for all.

Discrimination of any form is not ok and all supporters who visit Madejski Stadium are reminded that instances of discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated.

No further comment can be made by Reading Football Club or Thames Valley Police at this stage so not to compromise the ongoing investigation.

[Snowflake Royal]

IMO, just as a fan.

FA Cup Final > Play Off Place

and

Winning FA CUP > Promotion

Obviously from a business side you have to take promotion opportunity every time, but I believe that there should be room for us to think about what is actually important in football. What are your good memories as a Reading fan? What are your favourite games? What really matters?

Oh yes. Agree with that.

But no point going all out for it until the latter stages as the chances are so slim no matter what you do.

Finishing 8th is far more likely than an FA Cup Semi, so that's got to be the priority as it's the greater reward (IMO) and more likely outcome.

[Snowflake Royal]

New statement on the RFC website:

Two isolated incidents of discriminatory abuse in the South Stand were reported to our Safety Officer in the Control Room during the first half of our FA Cup Fourth Round match against Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.

As a result of a statement taken by the police that afternoon, it was deemed there was sufficient evidence to arrest four Cardiff City supporters for alleged racist chanting under the Football Spectators Act. To justify any arrest, there needs to be reasonable grounds.

The four individuals have all since been interviewed and released under investigation. These alleged incidents continue to be fully investigated by the Thames Valley Police and we will continue to assist the authorities with these investigations.

No further reports of discriminatory behaviour were received during the course of the tie.

As indicated on the day of the game, these incidents were isolated, restricted to a small number of individuals and affected only a minority of supporters attending the match. There was certainly no intention to tarnish the reputation of the travelling support on the day, Cardiff City Football Club nor its fanbase in general, who in the overwhelming majority behaved impeccably at the weekend.

We would like to apologise to all supporters of Cardiff City Football Club who played no part in any discriminatory abuse and feel that their character has been blemished unwarrantedly by the announcement which was made over the PA system at Madejski Stadium. Reading Football Club are liaising with the relevant football authorities to consider how football-wide protocol issued to us was implemented in this instance and we will review our procedure regarding public matchday announcements of this nature accordingly.

However, at both Reading Football Club and Cardiff City Football Club, we remain committed to ensuring that the matchday environment provides a positive experience for all.

Discrimination of any form is not ok and all supporters who visit Madejski Stadium are reminded that instances of discriminatory behaviour will not be tolerated.

No further comment can be made by Reading Football Club or Thames Valley Police at this stage so not to compromise the ongoing investigation.

I think that's a very good statement.

[Elm Park Kid]

IMO, just as a fan.

FA Cup Final > Play Off Place

and

Winning FA CUP > Promotion

Obviously from a business side you have to take promotion opportunity every time, but I believe that there should be room for us to think about what is actually important in football. What are your good memories as a Reading fan? What are your favourite games? What really matters?

Oh yes. Agree with that.

But no point going all out for it until the latter stages as the chances are so slim no matter what you do.

Finishing 8th is far more likely than an FA Cup Semi, so that's got to be the priority as it's the greater reward (IMO) and more likely outcome.

Is there a concrete benefit from finishing 8th that i'm not aware off - if the league place money that much?

Or are we really talking about the importance of building up confidence and winning mentality at the club ready for next season? Which I do completely agree with - but I think that winning FA cup games would add more to that then winning league games.

Obviously it's a balancing act - and if the fixtures are crazy (which, tbf, they are at the moment) we do have to consider resting players. But I also believe that playing a regular team is extremely important, especially when you're in the earlish stages of team development like we are.