Days Gone By | Burnley vs. Cardiff City
Cardiff City’s final league game of the season sees us travel to take on Championship champions Burnley.
This will be the 87th time the Bluebirds and the Clarets have done battle, and we’ve picked out some previous fixtures City fans can reminisce about in the run-up to the game.
City in Seventh Heaven
The 1928-29 would ultimately end in disappointment for a Bluebirds side managed by Fred Stewart, as they were relegated from Division One, finishing bottom of the table. Despite conceding fewer goals than anyone else in the league, it was at the other end of the pitch that City struggled.
The opening games of the season, however, would provide some much-needed goalscoring joy for the team and the fans. After drawing away at Newcastle United on the opening day, they travelled back to Ninian Park to take on Burnley, who had been First Division mainstays for well over a decade.
City would end up putting the Clarets to the sword by producing a dominate display to win 7-0. What a day it was for forward Hughie Ferguson. The Scot would help himself to five goals in this game, as he once again finished as the Club’s top scorer that season with 14 goals, the fourth consecutive season he would top the Bluebirds’ goal scoring charts. Len Davies would also bag himself a brace in the big win.
Triumph at the Turf
It’s hard to think that the last time the Bluebirds won up at Turf Moor was in the 1987-88 season. After failing to get out of Division Four at the first time of asking, City bounced back and went up the following season, finishing in second place. Their final game of the season was against Burnley, who could still finish in the final play-off spot with a win.
It was a tense affair with the scores remaining goalless with 20 minutes to go. That was until Alan Curtis popped up to put Frank Burrows’ team ahead. Burnley reacted well and found their equaliser with eight minutes remaining through George Oghani.
With a comeback and a play-off spot in their view, Burnley pushed for that illusive second goal, but they were dealt a sucker punch with a minute to go, as Jimmy Gilligan scored to send the travelling City supporters back down to the capital happy, after securing a 2-1 win. The Bluebirds finishing the season in dramatic fashion, while for Burnley, another season in Division Four loomed over them.
Two memorable 2012/13 clashes
Our last victory against Burnley came in the 2012-13 season. After losing out to West Ham United in the play-offs the season prior, the Bluebirds were aiming to reach the promised land of the Premier League.
The Premier League was a land that Burnley had previously graced but having spent two seasons on the trot in the Championship, they didn’t want to make themselves comfortable. Going into the game at Cardiff City Stadium, Burnley were manager-less, as they sacked Eddie Howe after a poor start to the season.
City compiled more misery onto the Lancashire club by securing their seventh straight home league win, with a 4-0 thumping. It only took three minutes to break the deadlock, as Joe Mason tapped in at the far post. Pacey winger Craig Noone then bought Cardiff City Stadium to a standstill, as he fired in an effort from 25-yards out. City were in cruise control.
After a rip-roaring start, the home fans would have to wait until the final eight minutes for more goals. Defender Matthew Connolly managed to head in a Peter Whittingham cross at the far stick, before Rudy Gestede headed down to Aron Gunnarsson who stroked the ball home, as the Bluebirds played out a comfortable and stylish win.
Obviously, a different game against Burnley was one of the highlights of that season. The Bluebirds drew 1-1 at Turf Moor, with Craig Conway scoring to secure the Championship title for the City on a brilliant away day!
