Cardiff City have been here before, is it for real this time ?

‘ Cardiff City have been here before, is it for real this time ? ‘

http://www.cardiffcityforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=169160

By Carl Curtis

Everyone who knows me or have read my posts or writings for the South Wales Echo will know my view and what I consider to be the most important thing for Cardiff City and that is being debt free.

For far too long this club has had a large debt hanging over it and it has always been seen as a noose around the club’s neck but more worryingly it has been something that fans have always believed it will bring the club to its knees at some point in time.

Thankfully, despite numerous ‘close calls’, so far we have avoided administration or even worse liquidation and recent announcements by Vincent Tan sound very positive indeed and if the debt to equity happens it is certainly a massive step in the right direction for the club.

When the rebrand was first announced, I despised the idea of playing in red and having the Bluebird removed from our badge but the opportunity to be debt free I felt was too good an opportunity for us not to take and would be beneficial to the club in allowing it to move forward as a financially sound run business but i, for one, would at least fight to restore our traditional colour of blue from the day we became a red club.

I appreciate and totally understand that others had and continue to have a different view of their view of opposing the rebrand but I can’t change my stance at that time.

Thankfully, the efforts or thousands of fans in different ways, saw a return to blue and the matter of playing in red at home has been reversed.

But what about the debt?

It is still there and higher than when Vincent Tan turned us red!!

Now excuse my scepticism but last weeks announcement is not the first time we have been told the club would be debt free.

In July 2013, Tan told the press that we would be debt free ‘within days’.

July 18th 2013 : http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23362625

Just one month later in August 2013, he was quoted as saying ‘within two months’ the club would be rid of its debt.

August 15th 2013 : http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/foot … ff-5737145

Two and a half years later we are back at the same place, a promise of a conversion of debt into shares, it hasn’t taken place yet and just to be clear the Langston debt has not been paid up at time of writing but that does look like a matter of formality so I hope this is not another false dawn.

Far too long we as Cardiff City fans have believed everything is falling into place but how many times have we been let down?

I hope it doesn’t sound like I am being negative at the idea of the debt to equity swap but I just feel like the old saying ‘once bitten twice shy’.

I, above everything else, want to see the club debt free and hope that the most recent announcement is fulfilled and will be thankful to Tan for carrying out the promise first mooted nearly four years ago.

We may never forget the wrongs of the recent past and I suppose that some will never forgive but if the debt is cleared once and for all I don’t think anybody can say it is not positive for the club.

Let’s just hope we actually see that day come and no more false promises.