1930–31 Cardiff City F.C. season

The 1930–31 season was the 30th season of competitive football played by Cardiff City F.C. and the team's second season in the Second Division of the Football League since being relegated from the First Division during the 1928–29 season.

Cardiff City
1930–31 season
ManagerFred Stewart
Division Two22nd
FA CupThird round
Welsh CupSemi-final
Top goalscorerLeague:
Walter Robbins (11)
All:
Walter Robbins (12)

Background

Cardiff City played in the Football League Second Division in the 1930–31 season, having been relegated from the First Division during the 1928–29 season. It was the team's tenth season in the Football League since their inaugural campaign in 1920.[1] The previous season, Cardiff had finished in eighth place in the Second Division, while a drop in attendance figures following relegation had led the club's board to sanction the sale of several players to bolster their depleted finances.[2] One highlight of the season had the first hosting of a South Wales derby since 1920, with Cardiff and Swansea Town meeting three times in during the campaign. The matches had attracted the biggest crwds of the season for both sides and the success led to plans being proposed for an annual competition between the two, but these ultimately failed to come to fruition.[3]

Before the new season, Jimmy Nelson was sold to Newcastle United for £7,000 after nine years with Cardiff.[4] Billy Thirlaway was also sold to Tunbridge Wells.[3] The club's board also approached captain Fred Keenor about reducing his wages, which were still at the same level as they had been during their First Division seasons. Keenor had been earning £8 a week, but the new deal reduced this to £6 a week during the season and £4 a week during the summer. The board hoped the reduction would force Keenor to move elsewhere, avoiding any criticism from fans over selling him. Keenor however was keen to remain in Cardiff and accepted the new terms.[5] Billy Hardy, who had been with the club since 1912, was appointed to a player-coach role.[6][7]

With funds limited Fred Stewart made limited additions to the playing squad. The most high profile signings were George Emmerson from Middlesbrough and local amateur Eddie Jenkins.[3]

Second Division

Cardiff's opening game of the season was a South Wales derby against Swansea Town on 30 August 1930. Ralph Williams, Cardiff's top goalscorer the previous season, scored his first goal of the new campaign after 15 minutes before Swansea scored three goals to take control of the game. Williams added a second goal late on but Swansea held on to win 3–2.[8]

References

Specific

  1. "Cardiff City". Football Club History Database. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
  2. Saunders 2013, p. 77
  3. Saunders 2013, p. 79
  4. Hayes 2006, pp. 140–141
  5. Leighton 2010, p. 144
  6. Leighton 2010, p. 145
  7. Lloyd 1999, p. 110
  8. Hayes 2003, pp. 30–31

Bibliography

  • Hayes, Dean P. (2003), The South Wales Derbies, Manchester: The Parrs Wood Press, ISBN 1903158435CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Hayes, Dean (2006), The Who's Who of Cardiff City, Breedon Books, ISBN 978-1-85983-462-6CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Leighton, James (2010), Fred Keenor – The Man Who Never Gave Up, Derby: Derby Books Publishing Company, ISBN 978-1-85983-828-0CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Lloyd, Grahame (1999), C'mon City! A Hundred Years of the Bluebirds, Seren Books, ISBN 1854112716CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Saunders, Christian (2013), From the Ashes – The Real Story of Cardiff City Football Club, Llygad Gwalch Cyf, ISBN 9781845242138CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Shepherd, Richard (2002). The Definitive: Cardiff City F.C. Nottingham: SoccerData Publications. ISBN 1-899468-17-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.