There are currently only two places between Cardiff City and Leeds United in the Football League, but nine years ago today, it was a lot different. Dan Walsh recalls his memories of an FA Cup tie between the two sides that would become the most memorable match he ever attended…
In terms of the times there was no bigger draw. Leeds Utd, Premier League contenders with a high budget line-up, including players such as Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler and a pre-injury ravaged Jonathan Woodgate.
They were coming to Ninian Park, the home of Cardiff City, a division two side with a potentially bright future following a takeover by ex-Wimbledon owner, Sam Hammam in 2000. The new owner had promised much, big games, big stadiums and a return to the big time. So, with fresh excitement in the South Wales air, this was a chance to see if the current squad including youngsters such as Robert Earnshaw and Daniel Gabbidon, were ready to live up to their employer’s expectations…
I’d had a feeling that something good was going to happen, when the draw was made, when I was queuing for tickets outside the ground at 6am and when I was walking to the ground on the day of the match.
My ticket was in the Grange End, an old stand behind the goal to the right of the main Grandstand, named after it’s positioning towards the Grangetown area of the city. It was the best place to absorb the atmosphere. The away fans occupied a block in the same end and the noise created by the home fans there was only drowned out by the rest of the crowd directing their passionate chants towards the away fans standing only a few yards away.
Before the match, both sets of fans showed a mutual appreciation for a legend, ex-Welsh international, Leeds Utd and Cardiff City player, John Charles. A giant among men, Charles would, sadly, only live for a further 18 months past this moment, yet his honour, at this moment, was to lead the two teams from the tunnel. It was the perfect support act for the 90 minutes that lay ahead.
Early on, Viduka opened the scoring, 12 minutes into the match and Cardiff are 1-0 down. My view of the goal was such, that had there been no net or fence in the way, then the ball would have flown straight at me. It was a great goal, a first-time shot from outside of the box, Cardiff goalkeeper Neil Alexander beaten by its pace. Here we go, we could be in for a wake-up call, one chance, one goal. How many more chances can you fit into the remaining 78 minutes? It was a scary thought.
But the onslaught didn’t happen, something else did. Almost immediately, Cardiff fought their way back. It wasn’t the most aesthetic match, but the teams, one at the top of the Premier League, the other in Divison Two, were competing, they were equals.
A seemingly clumsy challenge by Alan Smith in the 21st minute led to the moment that changed the game. Cardiff’s captain, Graham Kavanagh, a £1m signing from Stoke City, placed the ball 35 yards from goal. Less than a minute later, Nigel Martyn collected it from the back of the net, a strike of Premier League quality that had beaten him at his near post. It’s 1-1, how many more chances can you fit into the remaining 57 minutes? It was an interesting thought.
The precocious Smith found himself in more trouble when, in the 43rd minute, a tussle with Andy Legg led to a straight red for an elbow that didn’t exist. Harsh to say the least, but a decision that referee Andy D’urso felt justified to make. The incident was enough to send the home team into the dressing room feeling confident. If the second half was anything like the first then we were in for a treat.
The second half wasn’t anything like the first. My main recollections were of it being very tense and very tight. The only incidents that are worth mentioning were the famous Sam Hammam walkabout, which, following the match he was subsequently banned from doing and Andy D’Urso getting hit with an object on the head. Sadly, that coin incident was not the last time it happened at Ninian Park, but thankfully the move to the Cardiff City Stadium seems to have eradicated that kind of idiotic behaviour.
Yet, there was to be a twist in this match. With 5 minutes to go Cardiff City won a throw-in deep in Leeds Utd’s half, my half, the half with the goal that I was standing behind. The throw-in was taken by Andy Legg, a man with a long, direct throw that could cause havoc in a defensive area long before Rory Delap had started doing it to great effect. The throw-in led to a corner, the corner led to another corner, that corner led to another corner and that corner led to the winning goal. Drilled-in by Kavanagh, the ball met the head of substitute Leo Fortune-West who, in typical fashion nodded it downwards in no particular direction. After a ricochet from a Leeds defender, the ball fell into the path of Scott Young, a central defender who had been born only 15 miles from where he was standing at that moment. Young found the back of the net with a swing of his defensive boot. 2-1, the 30 seconds that followed were and still are a complete blur as I struggled to find my footing in the crowd of bodies. There were less than five minutes left. How many chances could you fit into the remaining time? It was an exciting thought, there were none.
Cardiff City had knocked out the Premier League stars and not only booked themselves a ticket to the FA Cup fourth round but also proved to their fans that they had what it took to beat the best.
However, the rise to success has not been so smooth and following a few near misses, the Bluebirds fans as always, live in hope that one day, days like the 6th of January 2002, the day when CCFC beat the one of the best, happen on a more regular basis.
One Match Ban 