Ridsdale: Your Cardiff City Time Is UP !

Peter Ridsdale is not a liked man, having been vilified by fans of Leeds United, Barnsley and more recently Cardiff City for mis-management at the highest level and bringing three great clubs to the brink of financial ruin.

Ridsale will point to having saved us from the brink when he joined, and in fairness – he did an admirable job with backs to the wall and will rightly take some credit for making the new stadium a reality. However, how could a club with known debt burdens afford a Chairman and manager on their respective wages, and sign Michael Chopra for a multi-million pound fee just months before appearing in court for non-payment of taxes.

Ridsdale has wheeled, dealt, spun and gambled his way through the 3 and a half years he has represented the Bluebirds. Whilst the long term future holds promise, a 56 day stay of execution was by no means guaranteed in last weeks court case and we risk being would up – apparently dependent on securing external investment given that the majority of all future income streams have been mortgaged off! Sound familiar Leeds fans?

Peter Ridsdale has had his chance at Cardiff City. Sam Hammam took him on when no-one in football would touch him, and he has been paid handsomely for his day-job and in substantial bonuses. There is no comeback now, and he apparently knows it. For Mr Ridsdale has been conspicuous by his absence and the quiet emanating from his usually loose tongue. He is undeniably very talented at public speaking, having raised morale at supporters meetings, painting rosy pictures of the promised future. However, we’ve barely heard a peep from him in recent times, despite calls for transparency, and considerable press coverage for a protest march against the current board.

As the frontman for a board with questionable motives, Ridsdale will take flak for some decisions he was not wholly responsible for. That is the nature of such things, however the clear deception over the season ticket fiasco is inexcusable yet his feeble apology took no responsibility and he claims HE was in fact let down! To use the word ‘guarantee’ to us, when he had no such assurance himself is stupid at best. We were never told where the money went – it didn`t even pay off the tax bill !

The final nail in the coffin, the rotten cherry atop the mess that are the CCFC finances is that outside investment is close, and has been held up, at least in part – by Peter Ridsdale as he seeks top dollar for the shares he accumulated without putting a single penny into the club! Even Messrs Guy and Hall, by no means innocent parties in bringing the club perilously close to Armageddon, are willing to take a financial hit through depreciated share prices (albeit on the back of significant gains over the past few years). By initially demanding 45p per share, then 35p – Peter Ridsdale appears to have played Russian roulette with the very future of the club when any outsider can plainly see – that anyone purchasing shares in the club are taking a risk, and acquiring a massive debt burden. The reported offers of 9p per share are far closer to the mark, and Ridsdale is only now beginning to realise he will get precious little if he does not act soon.

Cardiff City fans are fickle, fractious and often split. Yet we are amongst the most passionate in the game and are sick of Peter Ridsdale. Quite simply, the vast majority of fans truly believe he should never be allowed near any football club, even our bitter rivals Swansea City. Certainly, he must be removed from ours. Our fans rarely unite under a single banner, but the removal of Peter Ridsdale is vital to our future and is within sight.

A petition is available, demanding the resignation of Peter Ridsdale from Cardiff City.

All CCFC fans, and others who wish this man removed from the club can sign HERE.

This is your call, if Ridsdale`s actions could be defended – he sure as hell would have done so! There are scores of local businesses, far less able to cope without payment than HMRC, who have not been paid and are facing financial trouble themselves while PR takes his full wage and bonuses, without fail. Some Cardiff fans don`t agree with a march, and whilst we do not have a ready made successor to take the helm – it has come to the stage where action is necessary – immediately. This petition represents a legitimate and dignified response to continued lies and mis-management of a club we love, something fans of the Bluebirds – and of football – will not tolerate.

PETER RIDSDALE: GET OUT OF OUR CLUB.