Football Merger? Arch-Rivals as 'Franchise' Force!
Cardiff in Cardiff!
By Chris O'Brien
January 9 2004
The thought of arch-rivals Cardiff City and Swansea City merging is one that would make both sets of supporters shudder. However, our egg chasing friends seem to think it's a good plan! It just proves that football is the beautiful game...
| Football Merger? Arch-Rivals as One 'Franchise' Force |
| Cardiff City are set to announce shock
plans that they are to merge with arch rivals Swansea City and play their
football at a 'mid point' venue in Bridgend. Ok, so it's not going to happen. However, as you've probably all heard by now, something similar is set to be approved in egg chasing. Three of Wales most famous rugby clubs, Cardiff, Pontypridd and Bridgend are all set to merge to form a super franchise as they try and end the struggle of clubs performances in what is our 'national sport'. The three clubs have been arch-rivals in the sport for years. Their successes have been rammed down each others throats, as well as those following football! How refreshing it is to see the boot on the other foot. The three 'giants' forced to merge in an attempt to form a team that can contend with the English rugby clubs who are streets ahead of anything Wales can offer. Can you imagine if this happened in football? For starters if Cardiff ever did merge with the Jacks, it wouldn't be supported. The intense rivalry between the clubs has gone on for decades. This doesn't seem to matter in rugby. The two sets of supporters can link arms together as long as it's 'a better standard of rugby'. Can you imagine that if one of the nations top football clubs started to struggle, they instantly looked for the nearest way out by merging with some neighbours? It just isn't on, and it's a sad reflection of what sport is becoming. Driven by business, money and success ahead of the grass roots and fans that should be what comes first in any sport. Fortunately, you would hope this would never happen in the Football League, ever! I'm not the biggest fan of rugby in the world, but it's fair to say that Cardiff RFC are a club of great tradition and although I nothing about it, it's obvious they've had quite a successful past. I find it sick that fans of the club are prepared to let all this history tumble down the drain just so their team gets better more quickly, and does it through the back door route. Would you be prepared to see our 1927 glory be flushed away to support a franchise football club? Of course not. I'm not to sure what the point of this article is. I'll probably get more stick from it than anything else! Perhaps it's simply to try and boost hits. Perhaps it's because I've been told for years by friends that why am I bothering with football when rugby is a much better sport. Whatever the reason, I couldn't let the demise of Cardiff Rugby Club, who have been a great rival to ours particularly with grabbing our fans over the years, go by without putting something down! |