Season review 2007–08 Cardiff City F.C. season

1 season review

1.1 events
1.2 pre-season
1.3 regular season

1.3.1 standings
1.3.2 league statistics


1.4 cups

1.4.1 fa cup
1.4.2 league cup
1.4.3 faw premier cup

season review
events

this section not list information match results or player transfers.

15 august 2007 – major financial backers of club langston announce have initiated legal proceedings against club on claims have not repaid £30 million loan.
7 september 2007 – chairman peter ridsdale reveals club s new ground had fallen behind schedule , not ready until may 2009.
29 october 2007 – ex-wales rugby union captain mike hall resigns club board on possible conflict of interest between company pmg associates , langston.
2 november 2007 – construction of cardiff s new stadium gets under way ceremonial cutting of turf ceremony between peter ridsdale , cardiff council leader rodney berman.
13 november 2007 – cardiff board members hold meeting , hand manager dave jones vote of confidence long results improve.
15 november 2007 – club creditors langston state should win court case against cardiff not put club administration.
12 december 2007 – club s court case langston postponed after company requested deferral.
12 march 2008 – club s court case creditors langston begins @ high court.
19 march 2008 – high court judge dismisses langston s call summary judgement. two-month wait further court action announced parties try agree terms.
24 may 2008 – cardiff blues rugby team sign agreement see them become tenants @ club s new ground period of 20 years.

pre-season

cardiff enjoyed successful pre-season winning 5 out of 6 friendlies. previous season s top scorer michael chopra began pre-season 2 goals in first match against near-by welsh side merthyr tydfil last participation in bluebirds season left club join newly promoted premiership side sunderland. manager dave jones had little resources on build side managed make several additions time cardiff travelled portugal two-game tour. winning both games new signings steve maclean , gavin rae impressing. during 2 games cardiff handed appearances 4 on trial players, cyprus international winger constantinos charalambidis, former greece under-21 international goalkeeper kleopas giannou, portuguese goalkeeper ricardo oliveira , portuguese defender marco almeida. none offered permanent deals @ club. returned home take 2–0 win on yeovil town before suffered loss during pre-season in 6–4 defeat stockport county. 1 more player arrived @ point, robbie fowler surprise signing unveiled @ ninian park , featured in 1–0 victory on dutch eredivisie side fc twente in final pre-season game.

regular season

cardiff began season @ home stoke city, first time had been given home tie open season in eleven years, falling 1–0 defeat after goal ryan shawcross. picked first win of season against queens park rangers following weekend bluebirds struggled live expectations laid on them @ start of year , end of october found hovering above relegation zone. several poor results saw manager dave jones come under intense pressure sacked on 15 november cardiff board voted keep jones in job on condition team s results improve in next few weeks. steadily results did begin improve on 4 december cardiff beaten 2–0 @ home charlton athletic , team s performance slammed critics. team responded negative response , came win 3 of next 4 games, against colchester united, blackpool , sheffield united, 3 teams near cardiff @ foot of table. continued spell of results new year wins against preston north end, plymouth argyle , sheffield wednesday. team s impressive form saw manager jones named championship manager of month , midfielder joe ledley named player of month january, cardiff lose next 2 games against stoke city , norwich city. after mixed results in february , march team began push promotion , 4 games remaining members of squad stated have win 4 remaining games make play-offs, them lose relegated scunthorpe united , play off hopefuls wolverhampton wanderers in next 2 games before finishing season 3–0 victory on barnsley.

standings

pld = matches played; w = matches won; d = matches drawn; l = matches lost; f = goals for; = goals against; gd = goal difference; pts = points

league statistics

last updated: end of season.

source: football league

cups
fa cup

cardiff s first match in fa cup away non-league chasetown became lowest ranked side ever reach third round of competition and, despite scare when kevin mcnaughton turned ball own net, came away 3–1 victory. fourth , fifth round ties saw bluebirds go through little trouble after wins on hereford united , wolverhampton wanderers. results, cardiff reached quarter-finals , rewarded trip premiership side middlesbrough. tough match predicted cardiff got off great start when peter whittingham found way through crowd of defenders score , roger johnson headed in meaning match on after 23 minutes. semi-final saw cardiff come against championship opposition second time in barnsley @ wembley stadium , joe ledley goal in opening 10 minutes thing separated 2 clubs @ final whistle sending cardiff first fa cup final since won trophy in 1927.

the final saw cardiff face portsmouth, advanced after beating west bromwich albion in semi-final. match played on 17 may @ wembley , crowd of on 89,000 saw portsmouth claim cup after goal nwankwo kanu in 37th minute.

league cup

a mixture of first team , reserve players saw cardiff come away 1–0 wins on football league 1 sides brighton , leyton orient in opening rounds before drawn against championship side west bromwich albion. match saw cardiff go 4–0 in 30 minutes goals veteran trio robbie fowler, jimmy floyd hasselbaink , trevor sinclair and, despite attempted comeback west brom, match finished 4–2.

the fourth round saw cardiff drawn against liverpool main focus of match being return of robbie fowler anfield. after falling behind goal nabil el zhar, cardiff managed equaliser when captain darren purse headed in cross, steven gerrard score winner minute later.

faw premier cup

cardiff drawn against welshpool town first match , team made of youth players handful of reserves came away 1–0 win after youngster jonathan brown scored on first team debut. newport county club s opponents in semi-final , despite adding several more of more experienced reserve players side beaten on penalties. match saw number of former cardiff players such lee jarman , damon searle return ninian park.