What's in a re-brand?

 
There's still a lot of useless anger and discontent being spread around by some of my fellow Bluebirds supporters about this whole blue-to-red kit change debacle. So, obviously, it's my duty to put their mind at ease and let them know that they're being a bunch of sooky bitches.

For those of you who don't know, a few months ago plans were leaked that Cardiff City FC were going to re-brand from its traditional blue kit to a red kit for home games. Also, the badge was to change to incorporate a big ass welsh dragon. This would come with a much needed 100 million pound investment (more on that later). There was a big uproar amongst fans and the plan was scrapped by the Malaysian owners and the investment was said to be all but dropped as well.

This led to a cooling amongst the fans. Many of us obviously thought about it and realized it wasn't that big of a deal and the idea was brought back into play and ultimately implemented.

Now, Cardiff a few years back were in bad shape. I mean, real bad shape. They were apparently hours away from going into administration and needed a massive cash boost, stat. A huge debt to the Langston Corporation is most of the reason why. Around 20-30 million pounds at the time, now it's believed to be lower, around 10-15 million.

Then my boys Tan Sri Vincent Tan and Dato Chan Tien Ghee turned up and, to quote Cameron Poe, saved the fuckin' day.

So, cut to 2012 and this big 100 million pound cash investment is to pay off that debt, enhance the club's training facilities and buy more players. Because we have like... 22. Of which, 11 are worthy of being in the first team. All we have to do is swallow some pride and play in red. Which is apparently a big fuckin' deal.

I say, why is it?

I mean, we aren't the first club to re-brand when in dire straights.

I can feel a collective turn of heads at that statement. It's true.

Let's rewind back to 1961, Leeds United were in financial trouble and were one loss away from relegation into the old Division 3 (in modern standards, essentially League One). Along comes a manager by the name of Don Revie. Guess what the first thing he does is? Change the kit from a blue and yellow number to an all white strip, inspired by the great Real Madrid.

"Though (Revie's) decision effectively jettisoned forty years of United's history, astonishingly little was made of it at the time. The replacement colours were to be all white, in quite deliberate imitation of the famous all white of the finest team in the world, Real Madrid. To re-profile a club so efficiently on such a whim demonstrated the man's flair and vision, drawing a line under the failures of the past."
- Bagchi and Rogerson.

Don Revie's Leeds United went on to win two League Championships, two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups (a precursor to the UEFA Cup/Europa League), one Division Two Championship, one FA Cup, one League Cup and one Charity Shield in his 13 year reign as manager.

  
Let's go back even further. 1902. A club in heavy debt by the name of Newton Heath LYR Football Club are served a winding up order. Four men, found by the team captain Harry Stafford, agreed to invest 500 pounds each to save the club. Under the new ownership something happened. They changed their hit from green and yellow to a lovely red shirt with white shorts and black socks and on April 24, 1902, Manchester United was born. One of the most successful clubs in the world.

1903. Italy. Juventus changed from wearing pink to black and white after receiving a delivery of Notts County shirts by mistake. They became the famous bianconeri, and won their first title within two years.

 Juventus are the most successful Italian club of all time, winning 52 official titles since.

Established in 1886, Arsenal FC
played in a burgundy shirt.
In 1933, however, Arsenal went from playing in burgundy to the red with white sleeves kit we know today. They have won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups.

So, as you can see, some of the most successful teams in history have gone through what Cardiff City are going through now. Oh, wait, I forgot one.

1899. A club was formed and named Riverside FC. In 1907, they changed their name to Cardiff City FC and adopted a blue and white kit. They became the mighty Bluebirds. Boom.

As for that pesky badge change? Get over it. Badges change. Here's some examples.

Arsenal FC

Stoke City

  Everton

Ajax

Real Madrid

Chelsea

In summary, there's no reason why Cardiff City fans should be up in arms about the kit change. Some of the most successful teams in the sports history have done it and gone onto achieve all their legendary achievements. Why don't we all try to look on the more positive side of this instead of being whiney little shits? The club is still the club. Walk into its HQ and all the same achievements will be there. The 1927 FA Cup win, beating Real Madrid at Ninian Park in 1971, the 2008 FA Cup final and last years great, great Carling Cup run to the final, not to mention the final itself, where we took Liverpool to penalties and showed the world who we really are. We displayed so much passion and heart and true determination. That's us. Cardiff. Wales.

So please, for the love of Christ -