10/03/20082-3Echophunt10/03/2008ECHOMonmar10

Monday March 10 2008 South Wales Echo 3 2 South Wales Echo Monday March 10 2008
South Wales Echo, Thomson House,
Havelock Street, Cardiff CF10 1XR.
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INSIDE TODAY
Weather ........................ 8
Playtime ....................... 10
Todays TV.............. 18-19
Viewpoints ............ 22-23
Breaktime .............. 24-25
Family Notices........ 26-27
A TRACTOR driver who may have
witnessed a car crash is being sought
by police.
The accident involved a black Ford
Focus and happened on the A4119
Llantrisant Road at its roundabout
junction with Clos Parc, Radyr, Cardiff,
at 8.50am on Saturday. Witnesses are
asked to call police on 029 2022 2111.
Tractor driver plea
WELSH soul singer
Duffy has gone
straight into the
album chart at
number one, while
her single Mercy
has topped the
chart for a third
week.
The 23-year-old,
who played an
intimate gig at
Cardiffs Clwb Ifor
Bach two weeks ago, has sold 180,000
copies of Rockferry, her debut album.
CARDIFF Citys route to the
1927 semi-finals was paved
with the corpses of giants.
The Bluebirds kicked off
the greatest campaign in
their history with a home
win against Aston Villa.
Darlington and the FA Cup
holders Bolton were then
both dispatched 2-0 away
fromhome.
It was Chelsea in the
quarter finals who provided
the sternest test but after a
0-0 away draw forced a
Ninian Park replay, Cardiff
went through to the semis
3-2.
Eighty-one years ago, the
final four were Southampton,
Arsenal, Reading and Cardiff
City.
Cardiff thumped Reading,
Arsenal saw off the Saints
and, thanks to Citys Hughie
Ferguson and one of the
luckiest goals in an FA cup
final, the rest is history.
Busy weekend? Yes Wales
in Ireland and City at Boro!
Army of 40,000 fans ready for famous day out at Wembley after City dump Middlesbrough out of cup
When City
felled giants
CAN CITY GO ALL
THE WAY NOW?
Its going to be superb. The
feel good factor, going up all
together on the coaches, all
the flags and colours. If
youre not a football fan its
just too hard to explain.
Gwyn Davies, 52, Orthotist,
Trelewis.
Im still on Cloud nine! Ive
been to games against Real
Madrid, Leeds, Spurs and
Hamburg, but this is the
biggest in the world.
Vince Alm, 46, construction
housing manager, Fairwater.
The dream
comes true
for Cardiff
Citys loyal
supporters
JUBILANT Cardiff City fans
woke today, hardly able to
believe that it really is true
Que sera sera, whatever
will be, will be, were going
to Wemberly.
Those words rang out loud
and proud as thousands of
delirious Bluebirds fans
watched their heroes dump
Middlesbrough out of the FA
Cup yesterday.
It meant one thing, a mo-
ment thousands of Blue-
birds fans had dreamed
about all their lives had ar-
rived: they will get to see
their team run out at the
home of football for the first
time since 1927.
Today an army of 40,000
Bluebirds fans were looking
forward to heading up the
M4 to watch City run out at
the FA Cup semi-final in
north west London.
Lifelong Bluebirds fan and
supporters club secretary
Stephen Bradley described
the day in Middlesbrough as
one of the best in his life.
He said: I still cant be-
lieve it. It hasnt sunk in
yet.
I have always dreamed of
watching City play at Wemb-
ley and now its going to
happen.
If we play as well as that
again, we can get to the fi-
nal.
Craig Davies, 26, of Llan-
bradach, Caerphilly, said: I
amdefinitely going toWemb-
ley. I wouldnot miss it for the
world.
I have travelled all around
the country watching City
play and this is the one
everyone has always
wanted.
It will be a great occasion
and I am starting to believe
we can go all the way.
South Wales was expected
to grind to a halt at 1.25pm
today for the semi-final draw
from Soho Square in Lon-
don.
With City joining Barnsley,
Portsmouth and West Brom-
wich Albion in the draw, fans
are starting to believe this
could be their year.
The unbelievable cup run
will also mean the
cash-strapped Champion-
ship club will benefit to the
tune of 1.2min prize money
and TV fees.
WHILE thousands
of rugby fans
travelled to Ireland
and thousands of
Bluebirds
supporters headed
to Middlesbrough,
Echo reporter
Gareth Rogers
completed a
fabulous feat he
did BOTH.
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AT 11AMon Friday, bright eyed
and bushy tailed, my brother David
and I set off to BirminghamAirport
ready to embark on the sporting
double-header of our lives.
By the time the train had reached
Chepstow, it was brimming with
excited rugby fans dreaming about
a 10th Grand Slam.
The airport was more like a
rugby stadium packed out with
Welshmen starting early on the ale.
When we arrived in Cork on
Friday evening, the atmosphere
was electrifying. Welshmen and
Irishmen singing each others
favourite ditties armin armwith all
the focus on the next days Triple
Crown decider.
By Saturday, the streets were full
of sore-headed people rushing to
the pub to make the early kick off
after struggling out of bed.
Tense Welshman, who vastly
outnumbered their hosts, sang
CwmRhondda and Delilah at the
top of their voices as their team
eventually overcame the resilient
Irish. Then the party started.
The dejected Irish fans sloped off
home while the triumphant
Welshmen supped the black stuff
well into the night.
Our focus switched to Cardiff
Citys massive FA Cup tie at
Middlesbrough the next day with a
prize of a day at Wembley up for
grabs.
For us, it was a case of setting the
alarmfor 5amand heading back to
Cork Airport for an early flight to
East Midlands Airport and then on
to Boro.
Weary but bursting with
anticipation after the previous days
Cup giant-killing antics of
Portsmouth and Barnsley, the topic
of conversation was the prospect of
Duffy at the double
as she takes top spot
READERS can enjoy flights to a host
of top destinations.
Simply collect eight out of the 10
tokens we are printing in the Echo.
Fantastic offer: Page 16
Wing in for flights
Duffy
Cardiff City chairman
Peter Ridsdale said: Al-
though the money is wel-
come, this was a football day
that we can all celebrate to-
gether as a club and with our
suppor ters.
Matthew Jones, 30, of Can-
ton, Cardiff, said: Anyone
can win the cup now.
Every team will think its
there for the taking.
First Minister Rhodri Mor-
gan took time out to con-
gratulate the team, saying:
They have rewarded their
passionate followers with a
fantastic display to reach
the semi-finals of the FA
Cup.
Lets hope its two trips to
Wembley and not just one
because for too long football
in Wales has rested on that
old pub quiz question
Which is the only football
team to take the FA Cup out
of England?
Sports Minister Rhodri
Glyn Thomas added: The
win marks a historic day for
Cardiff City and their fans.
Their journey in the
worlds most glamorous cup
competition continues and
the whole of Wales is
backing them to go all the
way.
City in court: Page 11
gareth.rogers@mediawales.co.uk
I think we can definitely go
all the way especially with
Joe Ledley back. To get to
Wembley is fantastic. Its
going to be a really special
day out.
Viv Grandfield, 50, delivery
driver, Pontypridd.
I think its fabulous and Im
over the moon. It was an
experience Ill never forget.
Wembley is going to be
brilliant.
Kate Grandfield, 17, student,
Pontypridd.
I keep pinching myself and
thinking Im going to wake up
from a dream. I really believe
we can go all the way now.
Itll be special at Wembley
with 35,000 supporters.
Wayne Crichton, 41,
Businessman, of Porthcawl.
a date at Wembley for the first time
in 81 years.
All the way up the motorway,
blue and white flags flew from
coaches, cars and minibuses and
the service stations were packed
with buzzing Bluebirds.
The game seemed to last for four
hours as desperate fans screamed
their teamon to victory.
But at the final whistle, nobody
wanted to leave.
The five-hour drive home seemed
to take five minutes as we listened
to elated city fans bombarding
radio talk shows, waxing lyrical
about their team.
We arrived home at 11pm,
drained but delighted.
Grand Slam fever: Pages 4-5
DELIGHT Fans celebrate Citys win at Middlesbrough.
Gareth Rogers