Cardiff City owner wants Bluebirds to play in red

CARDIFF: The Malaysian owner of Championship playoff casualties Cardiff City reportedly wants to scrap the club’s famous blue kit — and make the Bluebirds play in red.

Fresh from a two-leg battering by West Ham in the playoff semifinal, Cardiff fans are waking up to the news that owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan (pic) is taking steps to see they are luckier next season — by swapping the traditional blue strip for a fetching red number, which he believes carries good fortune with it.

Tan, a Malaysian tycoon of Chinese origin, is looking to take his programme of “lucky-isation” several steps further by ditching the bluebird on the club’s badge and replacing it with a dragon.

In Chinese culture the dragon is considered a symbol of power, strength and luck. No news yet on whether all players and coaching staff will be issued with a rabbit’s foot.

To soften the blow of tearing up the club’s history, Tan’s consortium has reportedly offered to spend £100million (RM500m) on players, a new training ground and stadium improvements.

“We were told in no uncertain terms that this was a fait accompli,” said supporters chief Tim Hartley following a meeting with Bluebirds chief executive Alan Whiteley, according to the BBC.

“This investment is going to come into the club. We were shown a design of the logo, Cardiff City will be playing in red, they will be wearing a dragon on their chests,” Hartley added. “This is going to happen whatever us supporters think about it.”

Cardiff wouldn’t be the first side to have a major makeover: Don Revie dressed Leeds in their now-famous all-white strip, in a bid to emulate Real Madrid. Bill Shankly changed Liverpool’s shorts and socks from white to red; Jimmy Hill put Coventry in Sky Blue.