“ Why do Cardiff City fans need to campaign? “

Why do Cardiff City fans need to campaign for a Peter Whittingham testimonial?


By Scott Johnson

Thursday 15th February 2018


There is currently an online campaign to get Peter Whittingham a thoroughly well-deserved and long overdue testimonial. It is a subject I have addressed previously and is a drum I and many others will continue to beat until this actually happens.

After 10-and-a-half years loyal service, Whittingham deserved a fanfare and all the trimmings upon leaving.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of clarity surrounding his expiring contract at the time and uncertain future, he was substituted in the 64th minute of the final game of last season, a 2-0 defeat against eventual champions Newcastle United, and no one knew for sure if it was to be his last.

As he pondered a short-term deal on considerably less money with no guarantee of significant playing time, Whittingham instead opted to drop down a level for a two-year contract and a more senior role at Blackburn.

“I’m not one of those footballers who can train all week and sit and watch a match,” he conceded at the time. “I want to play as many games as possible and I think at this stage of my career, this move will help me to do so.”


The club afforded him the time to reach a decision, but the situation should really have been concluded during the season and supporters would have known that his time at the club was coming to an end.

Cardiff could even have factored in a testimonial as part of their pre-season preparations. Now, who knows when that is likely to take place, if at all. Whittingham’s contract did not expire all of a sudden after all, they had plenty of time to make a decision and plan accordingly. These things are a logistical nightmare at the best of times and even harder to arrange once the player has left.

A testimonial was proposed at the time, but there has been no mention of it in public since.

Clearly, it’s not a priority, as Cardiff recently navigated the January transfer window and now plot a promotion push, but these things are also important. If something was in the pipeline, surely we should be further down the road by now?

Cardiff supporters had to wait a year-and-a-half after Kevin McNaughton parted ways with the club for his testimonial, almost three years after his final game in a Cardiff shirt. Surely lessons were learned there, as the appetite for such occasions inevitably wane over time.

The Only One Cardiff City website has launched an initiative that has reached more than 10,000 people on Facebook and has been retweeted in excess of 500 times on Twitter. David Marshall, Andy Campbell, Danny Gabbidon, Junior Hoilett, Colin Jackson, Jay Bothroyd, Neville Southall and Graham Kavanagh have all lent their support too.


Kevin McNaughton had to wait three years after his last game in a Cardiff shirt before his testimonial
Marshall even commented: “Can’t believe there needs to be a campaign!” He’s not wrong.

It’s safe to say that there will never be another Whittingham. He was the one constant during the most tumultuous period in the club’s history. He withstood it all and was always an integral part of Cardiff’s success during that time. He also recorded the 9th highest number of appearances in the club’s history.

At times when there was very little to like about Cardiff, Whittingham made them appealing. His non-celebrations were something to celebrate and his low maintenance manner meant that he never angled for a move elsewhere, even at the peak of his powers.

During the 2009/10 season, he struck 25 goals in 51 games, as Cardiff fell just short of the top flight. Whittingham was voted Cardiff’s Player of the Year, an accolade he won on three occasions, and made the PFA Championship Team of the Year.


His individual accolades by far exceed those of the club during his time at the club. He made them look good, on and off the pitch.

Whittingham also remained influential to the end. Last season, he was used more sparingly, but still led the way in assists, as per usual, and trailed only Kenneth Zohore in terms of goals. Form is temporary and class is permanent as they say. Whittingham can’t lose that yard of pace he never had and Cardiff no longer have anyone at the club that can deliver a set piece to his standards.

He may not be from the area, but he was one of our own and will always be a true Cardiff legend. He will forever remain one of my favourites and it was a genuine pleasure watching him. It is also a pleasure to have a platform to be able to champion his cause for a testimonial.

Whittingham’s story deserved a far better ending. When he left, it felt a bit like Cardiff had shot Bambi and it initially cast a shadow over the summer. The fact that after 17 starts in all competitions, he has yet to find the back of the net for Blackburn or even register an assist indicates that Warnock called it right.

That statistic only serves the point that Whittingham gave Cardiff his best years and it’s time for them to honour that with a belated, fitting send off. It’s just a shame that supporters feel the need to make an intervention in order for that to happen

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There should be a campaign to stop Scott 'Self-Publicising Tripe' Johnson to end his statement-of-the-bloody-obvious guff.

#sticktothedayjobscott

It is a Testimonial Organising Committee and not Cardiff City that organises testimonials. Clubs just give the use of their facilities. Before there is any implied dereliction of action on behalf of the latter it might have been sensible for the journalist to check whether the former had even been set up and if the Club were being obstructive. I hardly would have thought that either would be the case as it's only 6 months since the start of the new season following Whittingham's departure. With the near 3 yr delay on Kevin McNaughton's testimonial there was justification for many campaigns to have taken place between his last game and the testimonial.

When, "Dick's," testimonial takes place I hope a better date, and a subsequent better attendance, results to honour him than happened for, "Super Kev."

StT.
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The guy is a millionaire several times over from his time here. He’s a nice guy who I’ve met a couple of times at work, but Testimonials should not be necessary in this day and age and he hardly needs the money. Even at Blackburn he’s probably on more than £10k a week - that’s another half million pounds for the year.

The guy is a millionaire several times over from his time here. He’s a nice guy who I’ve met a couple of times at work, but Testimonials should not be necessary in this day and age and he hardly needs the money. Even at Blackburn he’s probably on more than £10k a week - that’s another half million pounds for the year.

dont a lot of footballers give the money to charity these days?

VINCE ALM:

Calls for a Peter Whittingham testimonial facts:

I noticed that there are a lot of calls for the club to arrange a testimonial for Whitts? Peter Whittingham has been offered a testimonial by Cardiff city when he left the club last season, until now Whitts has not taken up that offer, and the club are unable to pursue him under EFL Rules.so those wanting a testimonial need to inform Whitts that he has to contact them and agree which he hasn't done.


Hope that clarifies the situation

The guy is a millionaire several times over from his time here. He’s a nice guy who I’ve met a couple of times at work, but Testimonials should not be necessary in this day and age and he hardly needs the money. Even at Blackburn he’s probably on more than £10k a week - that’s another half million pounds for the year.

dont a lot of footballers give the money to charity these days?

I thought that was the point of testimonials!

NEIL WARNOCK: " PETER WHITTINGHAM "
Link
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=193144

The guy is a millionaire several times over from his time here. He’s a nice guy who I’ve met a couple of times at work, but Testimonials should not be necessary in this day and age and he hardly needs the money. Even at Blackburn he’s probably on more than £10k a week - that’s another half million pounds for the year.

dont a lot of footballers give the money to charity these days?

I thought that was the point of testimonials!

Testimonials were played because there was a time when footballers were paid much the same as everyone else. However, their career as a player was obviously a lot shorter than the average persons career, and this was a way of fans helping them out a bit while they looked for alternative employment.

Personally, I don't see the need for them at all in the modern era, any money raised would be loose change for today's players. A player plays for a club for 10 years. So what. He has been handsomely rewarded for doing so, and has signed contracts because it suits him and his agent to do so. At the same time he is living his dream while earning a fortune for doing something he obviously loves. I am sure there are posters on here who have worked for the same employer for 30 or 40 years while having nowhere near the fun or the status a football player has, and for a fraction of the salary.

The guy is a millionaire several times over from his time here. He’s a nice guy who I’ve met a couple of times at work, but Testimonials should not be necessary in this day and age and he hardly needs the money. Even at Blackburn he’s probably on more than £10k a week - that’s another half million pounds for the year.

dont a lot of footballers give the money to charity these days?

Every testimonial I seen mainly Prem players/teams they donate it to charity, can't believe this fella thinks footballer pocket the money.