Riverside AFC, the original name for Cardiff City FC, led to the founding of the club in 1909, their pitch was sited at Sophia Gardens, on the banks of the River Taff, a green space, which still hosts Glamorgan CCC and MCC cricket.
The photo left is Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Ninian Crichton-Stuart, whose father was the Third Marquess of Bute (don't even think about it). Ninian was an Harrovian and later was educated at Oxford (weren't they all). An MP, he was killed in the First World War at the Battle of Loos. He was one of 22 MPs to suffer at the hands of the enemy in that war. Ninian was a major "guarantor" for the ground's finances and so the stadium was named after him.
Cardiff City soon found that their ground's facilities were not suitable to join the newly formed Southern Football League in 1908. Local lithographic artist and Riverside AFC club founder, Bartley Wilson, with others, helped fund the move of the club to the site of "a Cardiff rubbish tip", where the new stadium was to be constructed from 1909. The opening friendly match was played there against the Football League Champions, Aston Villa, on September 1st 1910. Lord Ninian was invited to take a ceremonial kick off and soon Cardiff City FC was able to join the Southern League 2nd Division.
The Welsh national team has played at Ninian Park 84 times, the first match v Scotland, a 2-2 draw on March 6th 1911. 17,000 watched the game in a stadium that was described as "primitive". From then locals were regularly paid 6d an hour to help clear the pitch and its surrounds of building debris and so on, left dangerously on the pitch after the construction. The famous Billy Meredith , who played many times for Wales, suffered a gashed knee at this time, as did others who "found" stone etc in the turf.
The ground was a good omen nevertheless, so in 1912-3 Cardiff were promoted to the Southern League First Division and in 1920-1 to the Football League Second Division, where 28,000 attended regular home games. Cardiff were division runners-up, by goal "average" in that season. In 1921-2 Spurs, FA Cup holders, visited and 55,000 saw the game. Spurs were eventually the division runners-up and Cardiff came 4th.
In 1923-4 Cardiff were division runners-up again and of course, in 1927, they took the FA Cup out of England for the first time beating Arsenal at Wembley. In 1928-9, Cardiff came last in the First Division and were relegated. In 1930-1 they were relegated again to the Third Division South where in 1933-4 they were bottom of that division. A rapid decline.
Over 62,000 attended the Wales v England international at Ninian Park, on 17th October 1959.
Other events held at Ninian Park include The Commonwealth Games show jumping, Pope John Paul''s pilgrimage, both rugby codes, Bob Marley and so on. It was demolished in 2009.
Below is the old centre circle/spot, on Bartley Wilson Way, midst 142 homes, built by 2010. The ground's gates were erected at the estate entrance with the Cardiff FC Bluebird logo attached. One has been stolen.
No comments:
Post a Comment