Swansea City 0 Cardiff City 1 - Perfect Day

I was asked to go to the Welsh derby yesterday as a back up to Sun reporter Paul Jiggins just in case a big story broke, but in the end I just enjoyed the occasion.

Aware that this was a massive game in terms of both the battle for promotion and also the local rivalry, I got to the Liberty Stadium for 10:15 and took in the hospitality on offer – bacon, beans and an unhealthy helping of hash browns – and then spent some time chatting to former Reading defender Graeme Murty and Arsenal legend Martin Keown about football and the media. Both guys were good company and they set the scene for a pleasant day out.

During the game I was given a seat just behind the home dug out among the home supporters and after Cardiff substitute Darcy Blake had weaved his way down the pitch before hitting a shot against the post, one of them even admitted:

“I’m ashamed to admit it, but that would have been a great goal to see.”

The home crowd were understandably partisan, but when one moron – presumably a member of the Swansea Supporters Club, Suicide Squad – stood in front of the away fans goading them (and then ran on to the pitch), he was roundly booed by everyone around me.

They also applauded the Cardiff side off – well apart from Craig Bellamy who is everyone’s pantomime villain! Afterwards though I had as much reason as anyone to be upset with goal scorer Bellamy when he refused to be interviewed by me because I worked for The Sun. However, he was extremely pleasant and told me it was because of the paper’s coverage following the Hillsborough disaster. He explained that he was a Liverpool fan.

For those too young to remember, The Sun ran a stories following the tragedy pointing the finger at some Liverpool fans for acts of theft of the dead and dying among other things. They got it wrong and have since apologised.

My understanding is that they were given some bad reports from an dodgy freelance journalist and – given that these were the days of common place hooliganism – took the decision to run with them as they fitted in with many of the other awful events of the time. From a newspaper editor’s point of view they made sense, but two plus two didn't make four on this occasion. From the point of view of the people of Liverpool – and especially the victims’ families – the claims were scurrilous and hurtful and the circulation of the paper in the city consequently plummeted overnight.

The executives on the paper at that time, in my humble opinion, were too slow to react. They should have apologised immediately, explained their position and made a hefty voluntary contribution to the Hillsborough Fund. They have done so since, but it was too late and the bad blood continues to this day.

Of course very few people who worked on the paper back then are still employed their, but those who have followed them continue to get reactions like Craig’s from time to time. Personally, I think it is time we all moved on as far as this issue is concerned, although Hillsborough and the lessons learned from that dreadful day should never be forgotten. The families are still fighting for justice to this day.

It was the first time I had met Wales international Bellamy and I have to say that – despite my frustration at not being allowed an interview – we still had a joke and he is nothing like his on field persona. I suspect that he revels in the abuse that he gets and lifts his game accordingly. His scorcher from the left angle of the box to settle this game was proof of that. I’d suggest that opposition supporters merely applaud him courteously each time he gets the ball – that might put him off!

I also had a chat with Jay Bothroyd who hadn’t made the cut to stand a chance of getting a second England cap against Denmark this week, but he was quite philosophical about it and said:

“There loads of world class strikers in the squad, but I was in the preliminary squad again which is good for me as I’m playing for a club in the Championship.

I think that being out for seven weeks injured as well didn’t help my cause even though I’ve come back and I’d scored two goals in two games, but it can’t have helped my cause because I wasn’t playing week in week out. All I can do is to keep working hard for my club and hopefully I’ll get invited back again.

Being in the preliminary squad after my performance last time is great, but like I said, I think this game came a bit too soon for me with me being injured.”

As for the game? Well I think it was a fair result. Aside from Brake’s near miss Cardiff had other chances to take the lead. Mind you, Swansea probably played the better passing game, but maybe they just need a Bothroyd or – dare I say it – a Bellamy up front to give them that cutting edge.

The battles between the respective central defenders and strikers was enthralling though and Swansea’s Alan Tate and Ashley Williams were immense. Even Bothroyd grinned when I mentioned his personal scrap with Tate and only a corker was ever going to get past him yesterday. Step up the very nice Mr. Bellamy.