28-04-2025
Cardiff City fans demand 'urgent' meeting with Vincent Tan after side relegated to League One
ITV Wales' Sports Reporter Matt Southcombe spoke to fans leaving the match after relegation was confirmed.
Cardiff City Supporters' Trust have demanded an urgent meeting with the club's owner Vincent Tan after they were relegated from the Championship on Saturday.
The side's 0-0 draw against West Bromwich Albion at Cardiff City Stadium saw them relegated to the third division of English football for the first time in 22 years.
In a statement, the trust said: "Big changes are needed, and needed now, to avoid a further downward spiral in the fortunes of the club that we fans love."
The stalemate at Cardiff City Stadium left the Bluebirds, playing their second match since sacking Omer Riza and putting Aaron Ramsey in interim charge, at the foot of the table.
In its statement, the trust blasted the running of the club over the last few years.
It said: "We are dedicated fans of Cardiff City FC, some of us have supported the club through thick and thin for more than 60 years. However, we could not let the dreadful relegation to League One after more than 20 years in higher divisions go without comment.
"Relegation has been coming since the 2021-22 season and the failure to address fundamental required changes from the top down has now come home to roost.
"Unless these matters are tackled urgently, the downward spiral on and off the field will continue and fan support will continue to drift away at an even faster rate than it has already.
"As the season has progressed and it quickly became evident that things were not going to plan on the pitch, it has been far from clear who on the club board, if anyone, has been advising the owner on footballing matters. If any such advice and recommendations have in fact been given, it is unclear if any notice has been taken of such advice and recommendations.
"Sadly, this has proved to be a critical element in the club`s relegation in our view as the seemingly absolute and unchallengeable power of the owner in all major decisions has failed to work to the club`s benefit."
The trust is calling for the appointment of a club board member with specialist football knowledge and experience, while dub the appointment of Omer Riza a "mistake... when there many experienced managers available to recruit", and call for an experienced manager for the League One campaign next season.
The trust add: "We are also disappointed that Vincent Tan has made only minimal and very infrequent contact with the club fans to discuss issues and listen to fans views and concerns. There has therefore been virtually no opportunity for fans to speak to the person who appears to be the sole decision-maker on key issues at the club.
"As a matter of urgency we are requesting a meeting between Vincent Tan and the elected fan bodies to discuss the failings which have culminated in our relegation to hear what fundamental changes are going to be put in place throughout the club from top to bottom to avoid further failings in future.
"Continuing the failings of the past that have led to us celebrating our 125th anniversary with a relegation are not going to turn around our fortunes on the pitch. Big changes are needed, and needed now, to avoid a further downward spiral in the fortunes of the club that we fans love."
It comes after interim manager Aaron Ramsey said he was 'gutted' over Cardiff's relegation from the Championship as the 'miracle ending' he craved at his boyhood club turned to disaster.
Ramsey, the Wales captain currently sidelined by injury, returned to his first club two summers ago after playing for Arsenal and Juventus and spoke about helping Cardiff back to the Premier League.
But Saturday's 0-0 draw at home to West Brom confirmed Cardiff will spend next season in the third tier of English football for the first time since 2003.
'I'm gutted, I'm a fan as well and sad to see this club going down,' said Ramsey, who was put in caretaker charge with three games left following the sacking of Omer Riza.
'The fans have had a difficult time this season and I really feel for them. I know how they're feeling.
'But also I want to say I'm proud of the last couple of performances. The level of effort the players have put in and the information they've taken on was evident.'
Riza himself only took charge in September after Cardiff had picked up one point from their first seven games under Erol Bulut.
Cardiff were playing Premier League football in 2019, but Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan's turbulent 15-year ownership of the club has seen 16 different managers, including caretaker appointments, and eight in the last four years.
Asked where the season had gone wrong, Ramsey said: 'I don't know. We need to have a bit of time to think and reflect on that.
'From the last couple of weeks, giving these boys the opportunity they deserve, that belief and new ideas.
'It's pretty evident these boys and the performances they're capable of doing.'
Whether 34-year-old Ramsey, who has a 12-month option on his two-year contract, remains a Cardiff player in League One remains to be seen.
He said: 'I wanted to come back and help the team on the field. That hasn't materialised how we wanted.
'Game time, minutes on the pitch has not been great. It's been very frustrating because this club means a lot to me and I wanted to help them as much as I could.
'That's why I put myself forward and took over at the end for the last few games because I felt I could have an impact and hopefully have that miracle ending.'
