First they faced administration, then the debate began about a possible UEFA Cup place, now a new row looks set to start about the Welsh national anthem being sung at the FA Cup final. It has been a lively few weeks for Cardiff City, that’s for sure.
With their financial problems on the backburner for a while, Championship (second division) Cardiff reached the FA Cup final for the first time for 81 years when they beat Barnsley in the semi-final on April 6.
Almost immediately coach Dave Jones said Cardiff, a Welsh club, should be allowed to represent England in the UEFA Cup if they beat Portsmouth in the Cup final — or if Portsmouth qualify for the UEFA Cup through their position in the Premier League.
That issue is being debated by UEFA and the English FA later this month.
Now the Welsh sports minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas says the Welsh national anthem Land of My Fathers should be played alongside British national anthem God Save The Queen before the match at Wembley on May 17.
A similar row started before Cardiff played QPR in a playoff final at Cardiff in 2003 when it was decided that neither Land of My Fathers nor God Save the Queen would be played. The clubs chose their own songs with Cardiff opting for Men of Harlech. QPR picked Pigbag’s 1981 hit Papa’s Got a Brand New Pigbag.
Well it’s certainly catchier than Abide With Me, the Cup final “anthem” coincidentally played for the first time when Cardiff won the final in 1927.
Most people probably couldn’t care less — by the time the match starts they’re likely to have been defeaned by the ear-shattering decibel level of the pre-match entertainment at Wembley, which completely kills the atmosphere in the stadium anyway.
I think people should be worried about something far more creepy.
Cardiff are going to play in their “lucky” all-black kit because of a colour clash with Portsmouth, who won the toss to play in blue.
But I’m wondering how a Welsh team, even an association football one, can play in an all-black kit which should only ever be worn by the New Zealand rugby union team. Football teams look wrong in all-black kits.
Mike Collett, London
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4 comments so far
If Cardiff wear black what does the referee wear? I thought in Cup finals the officials normally stuck to the traditional black.
- Posted by Mark MeadowsOn the anthem question, why do we sing God save the Queen anyway? That is the British national anthem, the English national anthem is Land of Hope and Glory. It makes no sense when England stand to GSQ (which also doesnt go down well with atheists and republicans)
A row about nothing really, isn’t it? But if we’re going to go over it, I vote for Cardiff to come out to Motorcycle Emptiness by the Manics.
- Posted by LucI agree Mike, seeing a football team in an all black strip looks very out of place, it should be left for the officials to wear in good old traditional style!
- Posted by PeanutSpeaking of tradition, I must say it’s quite a spectacle to see about 40,000 Kiwis, all dressed from head to toe in black, fill the Westpac Stadium in Wellington any time their national rugby union team are playing!
If Cardiff are going to play in all black, I for one will be half expecting them to begin performing the Ka Mate Haka before the start of the match!!
As for the nonsensical row about what ‘anthems’ should be played, my votes are for anything by the Stereophonics and maybe Cool Banana! That should keep everyone happy!
Unfortunately, I firmly agree with most when they say that this topic shouldn’t even be a problem, as both sets of fans should be open minded enough to accept both national anthems - bear in mind that the last time Wales played England in football, both the anthems were booed, so no one side is likely to be better than the other.
However, Cardiff City were invited to play in the English league over 90 years ago, by the English FA. At the time, there was no League of Wales as the sport was nowhere near popular enough. To imply, Mr Collett, through your repeated stating of the different nationalities, that Cardiff should not be playing in the English pyramid, is to criticise your own FA.
Lord help us should the English press ever criticise their own FA!
As for the black kit, Portsmouth play in blue, as do Cardiff. Something had to give, and at the toss of a coin it was Cardiff who were forced to wear an away kit.
Their away kit is based on the flag of the patron saint of Wales, the St David Cross - a yellow cross on a black background.
As for saying that New Zealand’s rugby side should be the only team to play in black, please tell me where there is any hint of those colours in their national flag, which, as I understand it, is the most common pretext on which national kits are based.
- Posted by Dan Williams