21.4.2012
CCFC 1 v 1 LEEDS
Comedian Robin Williams reckons
‘if you remember the 60’s you weren’t there’, a reference to drug-fuelled
hedonism. I remember the 60’s (well,
some of the later bits). I was there, football coursing through my veins, high
on the only drug in town - a bitter little blue pill that left me with a
distorted sense of reality from which I was never to recover. Catch ‘em young
and they’re hooked for life.
I experienced the delirium of
(welsh) FA Cup victories, European Cup (Winners Cup) runs and a deluded belief
that we were on the verge of breaking through into the top tier. (Sound
familiar?). The psychosis continued into the 1970’s as we naively laboured
under the delusion that success was just round the corner. In 1971 cold turkey
came in the form of an end of season 1-5 reversal against Sheff Utd who were
promoted at our expense. The following season we avoided relegation by 1 point
and in 1973 we escaped by virtue of a slightly better goal average (0.74 to
Huddersfield’s 0.64). We were eventually relegated in 1975.
It pains me now to admit it but
during these difficult times coming down, I relapsed and went in search of a
juvenile quick fix. I was young, impressionable and I sought comfort in
something that I am now profoundly ashamed of. In search of a hit I fell in
with the wrong crowd. And this was to be no casual fling, no passing fancy.
This was the type of infatuation that only a 10 year old can experience. I
acquired all the paraphernalia required to feed my addiction. We’re talking full
first and reserve team kits, bedroom wall posters, scarves, rosettes and most shamefully
school desk and neighbourhood wall graffiti fanaticism. The object of my
devotion? None other than today’s opponents Leeds United. The 1970’s cheating, cynical,
disreputable, corrupt, downright nasty but spectacularly successful league and
cup winning version. May your god forgive me.
This week saw the start of a
series on BBC 2 taking a wistful look back at the 1970s. Which goes to prove
that nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. This was the decade remember that
brought us industrial strife, the Austin Allegro, the Disco Duck, Spangles,
Mary, Mungo, Midge & Maggie and the sight of your mum in a ‘trouser suit’. If
you can remember the 70’s it’s probably because you’re still struggling to make
sense of it all.
Fast forward four decades and
here we are again with the sobering prospect of another doomed attempt to throw
off the mantle of Plucky Losers. The signs are not good – despite a good run of
results we’re not playing consistently well. But it would be typically Darren
Perverse of our team of contrarians to prove the doom-mongers wrong. We must
keep the faith. As Robin Williams also said ‘You’re only given a little spark
of madness. You mustn’t lose it’.
The afternoon began with a long
and sincere tribute to Eddie May, the applause began well before Ali’s
announcement had finished and was acknowledged all round the near-capacity
stadium. The full extent of Eddie May’s contribution to the club was revealed
earlier this week by former chairman Rick Wright who as the then owner of the
Barry Island holiday camp had been asked to step in and balance the books. When
the manager’s position became available Eddie impressed him and his board so
much that they agreed to make funds available and to continue their involvement
with the club, saving it from going out of business. God bless you Eddie May.
We started well and looked ready
to put any lingering doubts about our play-offs qualification to rest. It was
Leeds however who missed the first real chance of the game, former Bluebirds favourite
Ross McCormack placing a header wide of the post with the goal at his mercy. It
had already been a disjointed affair with a couple of stoppages for head
injuries when Leeds defender Bromby fell awkwardly and had to be stretchered
off after half an hour. S
hortly afterwards City broke quickly out of defence
and got the ball to Whittingham, recently voted the best player outside the
Premier League and who today was playing with greater freedom than he has been
used to. He spotted Mason making a run and floated a superbly judged pass
beyond the central defence into the striker’s path. Mason controlled the ball
and turned in one movement, placing the ball beyond the advancing keeper. 1-0.
Mason and Miller were rampant in the first 45, their pace and ingenuity causing
panic amongst a plodding Leeds defence. Half time came and the mood was
relaxed. So much so that Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ floated across the stadium
as Ali made his half time announcements. Nice.
This time last year Neil Warnock
was masterminding QPR’s return to the Premier League. He hasn’t been able to
repeat the feat this year but his half time briefing inspired his current
charges as his team came out transformed. Leeds took to game to us as yet again
we sat on our lead. Warnock made a double substitution on the hour and Leeds
settled into a near 4-2-4 formation as they went in search of an equaliser.
After Lonergan had made one of the best saves seen at the stadium, diving low
to his left to turn a vicious Taylor volley round the post, Leeds got what they
deserved on 73 minutes when the impressive Becchio rose to head beyond
Marshall. 1-1.
Belatedly we were spurred into
action and played our best football of the afternoon producing wave after wave
of attacking football and were denied a couple of shouts for penalties. But we just
couldn’t find the finishing touch that would have settled the game.
So we finish the season with
another draw, our speciality, with 40% of all games producing a stalemate. The
lack of a cutting edge and the failure to invest in an experienced striker has ultimately
cost us dear. I hear a lot of people console themselves with ‘we’d have taken
that at the start of the season.’ Fair point and it’s great that we are
realistic contenders again but experience suggests that at some point
something’s gotta give. This might just be as good as it gets. And I haven’t
got another 40 years for our chance to come around again!
Post Script: Just watched Boro
grab an unlikely victory against Southampton. Play offs still not certain. We
may need to get a result at Palace next week after all. Sleep well my fellow
Bluebirds!
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