I agree with Gethin Jenkins on the book issue!

I have read said book and enjoyed it but whilst it doesnt gloryify hooliganism it details accounts where the Rams ran into trouble which resulted in violence at a football ground. By selling it in our club shop Cardiff City FC by association could be labeled as condoning said "trouble".

The Malaysian owners strike me as the clean cut type and with the club already promoting ourselves in Malaysia I assume Gethin wants us to be squeeky clean from now on. We dont have a holligan rep in Malaysia and going forward I can see why Gethin would want to remove as many traces of it as possible.

The Chelsea game shows that if there is trouble Cardiff will find it and the old argument is that if young lads read about past trouble and watch it on you tube they will get a buzz and want to be part of the soul crew. I here it all the time "so and so is in the soul crew" and so would Gethin. We will be on crimewatch next week so you cant blame him for taking books like this out of the club.

Remember he has come from Newport Dragons where fans mingle and drink, where kids (including mine) form a guard of honour before matches waving flags.

If you want the book you can get it elsewhere and this move stops young lads buying what they see as a holligan book from the club they support. This will keep incidents like Chelsea happening and give the police more reason to carry on with bubbles.

I have to agree, these books can be bought in any number of shops in town,
they don't need to be, and shouldn't be, sold in the official club shop.

It also looks like someone is starting to miss Peter Ridsdale and all the arguments...

I know the author well and Gwyn is NOT a hooligan just a passionate fan who's mad on CCFC , the book is his story of the founding of the RAMS and the stories involved and does not condone hooliganism by any stretch of the imagination . if the book has been marketed as " another hooligan " book then I suggest the people making the decision never read it ?

Not read the book but if it alludes to any hooliganism involving our "supporters" then the club should not stock it.

But the club shop sell Peter Ridsdales book with mentions the Leeds V Galatasary and Dave Jones' book mentions fiddling with children. So why aren't this books sold in the club shop then ?

I'm sure the club is no longer selling the Ridsdale book either.

I won't even comment on the second statement.

Ridsdales book does not mention hooliganism related to Cardiff City.

Dave Jones was innocent of all the charges.

Pathetic response.

Hooliganism is hooliganism in my book whether you agree with it not. Ridsdales book is still in the club shop and that's a man who almostkilled our club yet the club shop still generates revenue for him.

So, you are in agreement of the Valley Rams book should have been removed from sale and you also wish the Ridsdale book to be removed as well?

I probably agree with that as well.

I agree that his book needs to be removed.

The point here is about the effect on our club and how it is perceived in the wider world.

The club will be in the spotlight - again - because of the moronic actions of a few neanderthals at Chelsea earlier this year. As a consequence the club needs to be seen to be acting positively against such people and behaviour.

Hooliganism is hooliganism in my book whether you agree with it not. Ridsdales book is still in the club shop and that's a man who almostkilled our club yet the club shop still generates revenue for him.

WTF, you have a book out aswell now

I have read the book and Enjoyed it it , but can totally understand why its not going to be in the club shop. If you where a new fan and walked into the club shop and see the book with the front cover what would be your 1st thought? ... Its out of place in the official club store. You can buy it in many other places

It's funny how people think 2 weeks ago he's the man for 'positive change' at the club then people go off on one about this.

Exactly just because he removes a book he is the enemy.

Annis is the publisher of the book and this is www.annisabraham.co.uk so its hardly suprising this move was not welcomed. Gethin Jenkins despite being a city fan has come from a rugby club, so again he has bridges to build and many especially friends of Gwyn and former rams are bound to be aggrieved.

The rights and wrongs are pretty much immaterial. The majority of people on here are sufficiently informed to make a balanced assessment of the work of the RAMS.

However, the FACT is CCFC are shortly to be dragged through the wringer (again) by the media as a result of Chelsea match. The producers of the programme will have approximately zero interest in "fair and balance" and greater than ninety-nine percent interest in "stick some more punters on the viewing figures".

I don't know about anyone else but I can already see the footage being shown from inside the club shop whilst the narrator informs us of the books on sale containing "descriptions of football associated violence" (my quotes). That the RAMS significantly reduced the level of violence will never enter the dialogue.

The Club at this time has to distance itself from some aspects of the past. And this is one of them.

This doesn't mean I'm a detractor of this book by Gwyn and the other books by people such as Annis. I've read them and enjoyed most of them. But I know the history from all sides. The media only want one side of the story. And if you think there is "fair and impartial" documentaries then ask Annis about Panorama.

Never forget your history, but still move on and upward.

The Valley Rams for me was about organised trips where you could have a laugh and a drink with your mates, not anything to do with the 'soul crew' or any trouble.

But the club shop sell Peter Ridsdales book with mentions the Leeds V Galatasary and Dave Jones' book mentions fiddling with children. So why aren't this books sold in the club shop then ?

is this a piss take ?

I mean the dave jones bit ?

are you ok ?

Ridsdales book does not mention hooliganism related to Cardiff City.

Dave Jones was innocent of all the charges.

Pathetic response.

hear hear

what a pathetic response

I think the rams book is a great read , one of the best books on football characters I have ever read

but on this matter I think gwyn and gethin should have a meeting about it , its between them to chat about it

Football hooliganism is football hooliganism but not all violence at football or associated with the football is hooliganism, certainly not on both sides anyway. Cardiff's history of hooliganism is well documented as we know (even if not always accurately documented).

In England the trouble seems mostly to arise in two forms, derby matches against the big rivals or international matches. How many clubs can say that EVERY game they play is either a derby or an international?

Now of course you can say that calling all these Cardiff games against English sides an international is a bit of an exaggeration and in terms of Cardiff fans, where it is almost every game they play it may have been pushed to the back of the mind a bit but if you compare a stillshot of say Ipswich against Forest to a photo of Forest against Cardiff, the number of England shirts worn increases significantly. The fans of that club now have two things to connect their passion and pride to.

I remember when I was in the RAF based at High Wycombe the first time Wycombe drew Cardiff for an Autoglass Trophy/Leyland DAF/Dandelion and Pepsi Cup match or whatever it was called the local rag was in fear of the town getting ransacked. Now we know that all the local nutters who go to one game a season reading over-hyped tripe like that will come out for the Cardiff game because of Cardiff's rep and because we are being seen as an invading force. This then leads to anybody and I mean anybody who supports Cardiff being a target.

Now I remember being in such a situation in Bath after a Cardiff/Rovers match, straight after the game which Cardiff won one-nil thanks to Gilligan (our first away win of the season and Rovers first home defeat and this was February, a shock result) the police let out both fans together and there was already a waiting party of Rovers fans that'd come down from that end where there wasn't really an end (you'll know what I'm talking about if you've been there). It was basically silly season as everyone was just hitting out at everyone.

Now to the bystander it was probably gratuitous violence condoned by all taking part but to me it was bloody self defence, so much so that after punching a Cardiff fan, who ran at me, he claims to get out of the way, I grabbed my mate and we decided to avoid the trouble and make our own way back to Bath station. By the time we got there, all the Cardiff fans had been round up, walked by the police to the station and sent home on a train, save me and my mate attempting to avoid all trouble. Needless to say by the time I got back to Cardiff a quick trip to the Infirmary confirmed two broken ribs and a broken nose received while waiting for the next train which had to stop at Temple Meads on the way back.

Now am I glorifying hooliganism or encouraging youths to join a firm by writing that. No. People have to be able to defend themselves and people should read and understand a book before making judgements.

[quote=Now am I glorifying hooliganism or encouraging youths to join a firm by writing that. No. People have to be able to defend themselves and people should read and understand a book before making judgements.[/quote]

I have read the book and yes it takes a different tone to hooligan books because it isnt one. It is not a soul crew book and I completely understand why Cardiff are targets wherever we go. The problem is whilst reading the book and whilst getting tangled up in fighting and self defence some people get a buzz from it and want more.

The uneducated might get a taste from this book and go looking for it aka Chelsea.

The other problem is people and media who have not read it will call it a hooligan book which reflects badly on the club.

The media is the problem.

I also think that people who want to do this stuff will do it whether they read a book or not.

I'm sure if true about the forthcoming crimewatch programme then this will highlight the issue at an astronomically higher level than the book could and will only encourage media idiots like Talksport radio to drag us further into the mire and no doubt openly encourage more idiots of other sides to attack anyone associated with supporting the club.

Wouldn't be surprised if the viewing figures for the programme in South Wales go through the roof and will be top of the discussions in the playgrounds the next day at schools up and down our area.

I agree that his book needs to be removed.

The point here is about the effect on our club and how it is perceived in the wider world.

The club will be in the spotlight - again - because of the moronic actions of a few neanderthals at Chelsea earlier this year. As a consequence the club needs to be seen to be acting positively against such people and behaviour.

Once again Claude you have come on this forum with your anti AAMB hat on without knowing the full facts. I suggest you read the book before stating it should be removed.

Why do you regard me as anti-AAMB?

My position on this book is very clear i.e. if it can be potentially viewed as pro-hooligan then it should be removed from sale in the club shop.

Are you not capable of seeing the damage done to our club due to it's forthcoming exposure on Crimewatch, following the antics of some neanderthal supporters of ours at Chelsea?

The media will be over us like a rash. They film our club selling a book in the club shop that may have hooligan overtones in it.

Surely the safest thing to do is to remove it from sale.

That may not be right, even unfair to the author, but the over-riding concern here is the reputation of our football club.

Have to agree with u there Claude , WE all know the content of the book and no way is it pro hooligan or anything but we all know how the media over exagerate thngs about a million times so maybe its a good move . Hopefully Jenkins will give us his view on this matter ?

Yes, let's wait and see what the CEO has to say about this issue.

:o

I have read said book and enjoyed it but whilst it doesnt gloryify hooliganism it details accounts where the Rams ran into trouble which resulted in violence at a football ground. By selling it in our club shop Cardiff City FC by association could be labeled as condoning said "trouble".

The Malaysian owners strike me as the clean cut type and with the club already promoting ourselves in Malaysia I assume Gethin wants us to be squeeky clean from now on. We dont have a holligan rep in Malaysia and going forward I can see why Gethin would want to remove as many traces of it as possible.

The Chelsea game shows that if there is trouble Cardiff will find it and the old argument is that if young lads read about past trouble and watch it on you tube they will get a buzz and want to be part of the soul crew. I here it all the time "so and so is in the soul crew" and so would Gethin. We will be on crimewatch next week so you cant blame him for taking books like this out of the club.

Remember he has come from Newport Dragons where fans mingle and drink, where kids (including mine) form a guard of honour before matches waving flags.

If you want the book you can get it elsewhere and this move stops young lads buying what they see as a holligan book from the club they support. This will keep incidents like Chelsea happening and give the police more reason to carry on with bubbles.

The Malaysians have had no say whats so ever in this and in fact Borley has asked for it to go in to the Club Shop. The Club Shop have never once had a complaint against it, The Police actually thought it was a good read and posed for the front cover, The home office have written a couple of pages in it as well.Gethin Jenkins has not even read it yet he has made these comments.

maybe Jenkins thinks the content of the book is not what it is and is just being cautious with the media fuss thats going to come after the crimewatch prog ? But ur dead right he DOES need to read it tho

So Claude you are concerned that the reputation of the club could be dragged through the mud Yes I suppose the media might TRY and do that, but I find it strange that Peter Ridsdale DID no end of damage to our reputation( and more to come too), yet you were not calling for his head or taking part in any action to protect our club.

Seems to me you just like to stir, seems to me you could cause an argument with yourself.

So Claude you are concerned that the reputation of the club could be dragged through the mud Yes I suppose the media might TRY and do that, but I find it strange that Peter Ridsdale DID no end of damage to our reputation( and more to come too), yet you were not calling for his head or taking part in any action to protect our club.

Seems to me you just like to stir, seems to me you could cause an argument with yourself.

Correct Claude stood by him all the way, yet no one could have given us so much bad press as Ridsdale did.

at the end of the day, if you dont want to read it dont buy it.