NOONEY: HOME NOISE CAN BE KEY

This Saturday, Cardiff City Stadium will be packed to the rafters once more for what is undoubtedly one of the most important matches of the Bluebirds’ Premier League campaign.

With only six games remaining, a win for City against the visitingCrystal Palace
will see them cut the gap between the sides down to just two points.

And as the Bluebirds fans await the encounter with anticipation,Craig Noone
has called on everyone to create a thunderous atmosphere in the capital to help the boys over the line to victory.

“
The home advantage is massive,” said City’s star midfielder. “It would be different if we were going there needing a win and only had a couple of thousand with us. We’ve got 30,000 or close to it supporting us and getting right behind us. It’s going to be electric there and it has been all season.

“It’s a massive game. I’ll be ready to go, if I’m selected obviously, and we’ll be looking to get the three points. Training has been good and the lads are all buzzing, confident and have real belief after the point against West Brom. We’ll take that into Palace on Saturday and hopefully change that into three points.

“I don’t think that anyone needs to say to us that we need to win – all the players, fans and staff all know it and we’ll all be in it together to get it.”

Aside from the football, this Saturday is every bit as significant for another reason. It also sees Cardiff City's inaugural Foundation Day (#CEFDAY14) take place in support of the Cardiff City Community & Education Foundation. Craig was keen to show just how important the cause is to him and his teammates, adding: “
We’ve been involved in it quite a bit and the lads came together last week, all the players and staff, and we all agreed to donate a day’s wages towards the foundation. That’s showing our support because we all know how well the foundation does and everything that it helps with.

“
They need that to keep it going as well, which is massive because if it were to not exist it would be devastating for all the people involved in it, and for the people who benefit from it the most.

“
It’s important to give back to the community because of everything they do for us. The Cardiff City disability and futsal sides are a massive part of our club and we like to support them, which is why we’ve decided to donate a day’s wage.”

Back to the big match, and Craig has revealed how he’s chomping at the bit to get going again after missing the previous two matches through injury, saying: “Hopefully I’ll be out there from now on. That’s what I’m looking forward to doing, helping the team until the end of the season now and keeping fit.

“
It was disappointing to be playing regularly and then pick the injury up. But I’ll only benefit from having it and learning from it.

“I probably could have rushed back and been involved for the Liverpool game, but then I thought ‘there’s more important games than that’. That’s why I sacrificed playing against them and the West Brom game, because I want to help the team and be as fit as possible.

“It was disappointing to lose against Palace earlier in the season. I remember the game and I think the result was gutting really. We’ll be looking for revenge on Saturday.

“
We do owe them one but I think we’ll just be looking to earn the win, not so much thinking about how they beat us at their place. It’s a fresh game so we’ll be looking to get the win.”

Donations can be made in advance of Foundation Day by texting CCFC14 followed by £5 or £10 to 70070. Media partners are asked to publicise this detail, in addition to the twitter handle #cefday14

To find out more about Foundation Day, contact Amy McNiven - amy.mcniven@cardiffcityfc.co.uk or CLICK HERE