Another season ends for Cardiff City in what seems to be the norm, faltering in the play-offs. However, when the change of manager and the summer exodus are taken into account, praise for Malky Mackay's achievements in his first season cannot be understated. As with most clubs, Cardiff City has an active and vocal fan base online, where one can find insight into the day-to-day running of the club, rumour and conjecture.

By Alan Duffy

Cardiff City 0-2 West Ham United Championship Play-Off Semi-Final First Leg 3rd May 2012

He may have inexplicably missed out on the Barcelona job in recent weeks, but Big Sam is closing in a return to the Premier League with West Ham after his side comfortably beat Cardiff City on their own turf on Thursday evening.

Cardiff defender Mark Hudson scored a spectacular goal in his side's victory over Derby County last night. The centre-back was in his own half some 68 yards from goal when he sent the ball sailing over the head of Rams keeper Frankie Fielding. Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay said: "It was a real good [.

The Reds Collected their first piece for silverware in six years after a nerve wracking penalty shootout win over the Bluebirds on Sunday.Cardiff took the early lead when Joe Mason found the net beating Pepe Reina with a low shot, but the Reds managed to equalize when Martin Skrtel slotted home near the hour mark.

It was an amazing scene: just after watching his cousin robbed by one of the great saves in Carling Cup history, Cardiff City midfielder Anthony Gerrard stepped up in a crucial situation to extend the Bluebirds' hopes of silverware. It has to be one of the most nerve-racking appointments in sports, akin to the 4 foot putt to force a playoff in a major golf tournament.

Liverpool defeated Cardiff City 3-2 on penalties, after a 2-2 post-extra time score, to lift their eighth Carling Cup title and end a six-year trophy drought in the process.

Joe Mason had given a surprise lead to a brave Cardiff side in the 19th minute, applying severe pressure on the Reds to respond.

szólj hozzá: Liverpool Cardiff GOALS & PENS

Full marks to Cardiff. Battered, bruised, and buckling at the knees after the Dirk Kuyt goal in extra time with what looked like the winner for Liverpool, they willed themselves back into the game earning three corners in the last few minutes and pulled back from the brink through Ben Turner's goal following a goalmouth melee.

Last season's Carling Cup final was seen as a formality for Arsenal, who were pitted against a spirited yet pedestrian Birmingham City outfit. However, the men from the Midlands came away with a 2-1 win and, most importantly, the trophy, despite the Gunners' relentless pressure.
The news that goalkeeper Tom Heaton, defender Mark Hudson and midfielder Stephen McPhail are winning their respective battles against injury suggests that Cardiff may be significantly strengthened come Sunday.

Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush believes the pressure of being favourites could undermine his old side's efforts of beating Cardiff in the Carling Cup final.
The Reds make their first trip to Wembley since 1996 on Sunday bidding to win their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 2005.
Boss Kenny Dalglish is desperate to win a first trophy since returning to the club last January and openly admits he had targeted the league cup at the start of the season.

Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush believes the pressure of being favourites could undermine his old side's efforts of beating Cardiff in the Carling Cup final.
The Reds make their first trip to Wembley since 1996 on Sunday bidding to win their first major trophy since the FA Cup in 2005.
Boss Kenny Dalglish is desperate to win a first trophy since returning to the club last January and openly admits he had targeted the league cup at the start of the season.

After Liverpool's demolition of Brighton in the FA Cup at Anfield on Sunday, all eyes are now firmly fixed on Wembley Stadium and the Carling Cup Final against Cardiff City next weekend.
Liverpool Tickets available for all Premiership games this season at Liverpool Tickets
Both teams will feel they have a realistic chance of claiming the Trophy having done it the hard way in the qualifying rounds.

Cardiff City keeper Tom Heaton was the hero for the Bluebirds as they edged out Crystal Palace in an absorbing cup clash at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Heaton saved two penalties in the shoot-out to send Cardiff to the Carling Cup Final at the expense of Dougie Freedman's spirited Palace side.

Turn the Heaton szólj hozzá: CCCPhighlite www.1Goals.com Cardiff goalkeeper Tom Heaton booked his side's place in the Carling Cup Final with two penalty shootout saves against Crystal Palace. The Bluebirds progress to Wembley despite Eagles defender Anthony Gardner being the only player to find the net during the two-legged tie.

Video: Carling Cup: Cardiff/Crystal Palace

Anthony Gardner's own goal gave Cardiff the best possible start as the Bluebirds drew level on aggregate after losing in the first leg to a goal, ironically, scored by the aforementioned Gardner. Cardiff had five very good looks at goal (three by Kenny Miller) but could not convert those chances.

Crystal Palace are one of two Championship sides that remain in the 2011/12 League Cup. Out of the two Championship sides, Crystal Palace remain to be the team that have performed at a lower level than their Championship counterpart and League Cup semi-final opposition Cardiff City.
In the Championship Cardiff are in 5th position with 38 points, whereas Palace currently reside in 8th position with 33 points.

Carling Cup draw guarantees a Championship team will be in the final

• Crystal Palace v Cardiff City • Manchester City v Liverpool The Carling Cup final will feature a Championship team after the semi-final draw pitched Crystal Palace and Cardiff against each other.

Tweet my Goal! The best gags from Tuesday night's Carling Cup games

Manchester City sealed a place in the Carling Cup semi-finals with a 1-0 win at Arsenal, with Sergio Aguero coming off the bench to grab a late winner. Arsenal 0-1 Manchester City: Super-sub Aguero seals City win Liverpool piled the pressure on Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas with a 2-0 win at Stamford bridge.

Ahead of Saturday's game at the Cardiff City Stadium, Bluebirds fan Joe Harrison tell us what to expect from the home side... What has changed since last season? Almost everything. There's a new man in the dug-out with Malky Mackay replacing Dave Jones after last year's failure to earn promotion. Jones' departure was followed by [.

In 2009, Cardiff City moved into their new home, Cardiff City stadium. One reminder of their former home is pictured above, the gates of Ninian Park, home for Cardiff City from 1910 until the ground's demolition in 2009. We looked at Ninian Park's demolition in pictures a couple of years ago.

Football League blog: Freedman's got the Eagles soaring but will the Bluebirds bring them down to earth again?

For the new season, MirrorFootball is teaming up with some of the blogosphere's best new writers to bring you even more great football reads every single day.

In some respects it was inevitable that a group of fans would collectively reach a breaking point, and take a stand at the way supporters are treated by many professional clubs. However the fact that it happened at Elland Road yesterday, and the Cardiff City fans concerned ended up boycotting the end of a game where they had already paid was still a surprise.

Cardiff City will have to wait and see whether or not they will have Kenny Miller available to them for this week's Carling Cup clash against Burnley. The Scottish striker was forced from the field during his side's 5-3 thrilling victory against Barnsley at the weekend with a head injury, following an unfortunate collision with team-mate Ben Turner.

The FA Cup hasn't even reached the second qualifying round yet but already a second club in the South West has been kicked out of the competition. Mangotsfield United, who play in the Southern League Division One South and West, are already out thanks to player ruled ineligible due to a a fine from a previous club, a fine which the club were not made aware of by either the player or the Gloucestershire FA.

English Football League Championship side Cardiff City FC has launched its PUMA 2011/12 third kit. The release of the limited edition shirt in the black & yellow colours of St. David follows those of the Bluebirds' 11/12 home and away kits this summer. Cardiff City in currently in 6th position in the Championship table after eight [.

Aaron Ramsey feels Arsenal can make a "fresh start" to their Barclays Premier League campaign with victory over new-boys Swansea at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

The Gunners have suffered a nightmare opening to the domestic campaign, which followed the sale of key men Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri - with Arsene Wenger's squad left reeling from their 8-2 humiliation by Manchester United at Old Trafford before the international break.

Cardiff City have payed tribute to the Welsh fan who was murdered before England's 1-0 win against Wales in last nights Group G Euro 2012 qualifier at Wembley.

The Welsh fan named as Mike Dye (44) was a life-long Bluebirds fan and was found at 7.20pm outside the Wembley turnstiles with head injuries.

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has revealed the Bluebirds tried in vain to keep Craig Bellamy from the clutches of Liverpool on deadline day.
The 31-year-old spent last season on loan at his hometown club from Manchester City, but was unable to help them secure a passage into the Barclays Premier League.

Bluebirds launched Bellamy bid

Championship outfit Cardiff failed in a late bid to bring Craig Bellamy back to his hometown club.

View the full story here: Sky Sports

A news article on 2011-09-01 23:25:57 from: Sky Sports

This news item has been reproduced from today's media.

Jordan Lussey struck a magnificent equalizer as Liverpool U18s came from behind to claim a creditable 1-1 draw against Cardiff City on Saturday afternoon.
The versatile youngster finished off a positive run with a rasping 25 yarder on 74 minutes to cancel out Joe Ralls's opener from the penalty spot.

In our latest column from the Academy, U18 coach Mike Marsh looks ahead to Saturday's league opener against Cardiff City.
The big kick off is almost upon us and everyone involved in the U18 set up can't wait to get started.
We feel we have made some good strides in the past few weeks and our final pre-season encounter against Watford last weekend gave us a better idea of where we are as a side.

Cardiff City Midfielder Peter Whittingham has backed young attacking midfielder Joe Mason to force his way into the Bluebirds' starting XI after his stunning display against Bristol City.
Mason's mix of direct running and vision inspired the home side to a 3-1 win after coming off the bench to replace the injured Aron Gunnarsson at the Cardiff City Stadium.

Miller celebrates his decisive goal
Whilst Cardiff's 1-0 win at Upton Park against West Ham last Sunday was overshadowed by the events in Tottenham, crowd trouble of a different kind is aggravating Cardiff Fans. Arriva Trains Wales have decided to stop trains calling at Ninian Park station for Bluebirds' home games during a 3 hour period.

Q. Which English Championship team's fans were chanting 'USA, USA' yesterday...? A. Cardiff City's, in tribute to West Ham's former England goalkeeper Robert Green, whose side lost 0-1 to the Bluebirds at Upton Park in their first match under Sam Allardyce. As an England fan who watched Green's butter fingers from behind the goal in Rustenburg, even I found that funny, although on that chilly

Doncaster Manager Sean O' Driscoll may be the only man save from the chop.

The Championship season got under way Friday night with Ian Holloway's Blackpool beating Hull City 1-0 the the seasons opener, but how many managers will be given their P45′s before the end of the season?

Though failing to earn promotion to the English Premier League via the English Football League Championship playoffs for the last two years, Cardiff City FC remains a force in England's second tier of soccer. With an eye another promotion run next season, Cardiff City has unveiled its PUMA 2011/12 away kit.

By Chris Wright

"He's not turned into a decent manager overnight Gary"

Saints be praised! Dr Alan Shearer will still be proffering forth his studious Alan-alysis to the nation from the Match of the Day settee next season after holding what he described as 'unsuccessful' talks (despite somehow becoming the bookies' favourite to land the job) with Cardiff about taking over as manager of the Welsh club.

By Chris Wright

Wait...what? Says here in the Guardian that Craig Bellamy (yes, that Craig Bellamy) has been installed as the bookies' favourite to take over at Cardiff after Dave Jones was axed yesterday for failing to navigate the play-off quagmire for the second year running.

Dave Jones has emerged as West Ham's preferred choice to lead them out of the Championship, writes Sami Mokbel in today's Mail. Jones – whose future as Cardiff manager is under review following the Bluebirds' failure to win promotion to the Premier League – has been linked with the post in the past and the odds on him taking the job were dramatically slashed last night.

Reading's comprehensive 3-0 victory at the Cardiff City Stadium last night left the home side's supporters with a distinct feeling of deja vu. Even if last season's play-off defeat in a spanking brand new stadium came in the final at Wembley, the pain of missing out on a promotion decider with arch rivals Swansea City in a fortnight's time will be felt just as intensely in the Welsh capital.

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Cardiff and Norwich both have to win all three games and QPR lose all three games for us not to go up (FA permitting)
QPR 43 38 84
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QPR OFFICIAL SITE - NEIL WARNOCK - WARNOCK 'EVER-SO PROUD' OF TROOPS
Neil Warnock admitted that he's 'ever-so proud' of his R's charges, who twice came from behind thanks to an Adel Taarabt double in their 2-2 draw at Cardiff City.