The impressive Fred Keenor statue was ocially unveiled last Saturday outside Cardi City Stadium and

is a credit to those who worked so hard to see it become a reality. It is also a tting tribute to the player who is the most famous name in Cardi Citys history the locally-born player who captained his hometown club to an F.A. Cup Final victory against Arsenal at Wembley in April 1927, the only time (to date) that the famous trophy has been won by a nonEnglish club. Fred, who was born in Roath, played for City from 1912 to 1931, apart from 1915 to 1919 when he had been in the Forces. He was in the 17th Middlesex Regiment (known as the Footballers Battalion) and was severely wounded in the Battle of the Somme (1916) but recovered to resume his playing-career. He made 505 rst-team appearances for Cardi City. A Wales Schools International whilst at Stacey Road School in Roath, he played in local amateur football for Roath Wednesdays and joined City as an amateur at the start of 1912/13, signing as a part-time professional in November 1912 and then on full-time terms at the end of the season. A half-back (defensive/attacking mideld player in modern terms), he made his rstteam debut in early-December 1913, playing against Exeter City in a Southern League First Division home match. When we were elected to the Football Leagues Second Division in May 1920, he scored in Citys opening match a 5-2 win at Stockport County.

He made his debut for Wales in the unocial victory matches against England in October 1919, and made the rst of his 32 ocial appearances against Ireland in February 1920. Captain of Wales from 1923, his nal International appearance came in October 1932 when Wales were 5-2 winners against Scotland at Hearts. Although he had captained City on occasion in the rst half of the 1920s, he was appointed ocial club captain in the summer of 1926, a position that he held until his departure for Crewe Alexandra at the end of 1930/31. He was in the side that were runners-up in the League Championship at the end of 1923/24, in the side that lost 1-0 to Sheeld United in the F.A. Cup Final in April 1925, and of course captain of the 1927 F.A. Cup-winning team. After leaving Cardi, he played for Crewe and was then player/manager at Oswestry Town and Tunbridge Wells Rangers. He returned to live in Cardi in 1958, working as storeman for Cardi Corporations Building Department, and died at the age of 78 in November 1972. He lives in our memory, to which this fantastic statue will serve as a talking point and inspiration for many generations to come. Congratulations and thanks to the Fred Keenor Statue Group, the Supporters Trust and everyone associated with bringing Fred home.

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THE PEOPLES STATUE

Phillip Nield, Press Ocer, Fred Keenor Statue Appeal Photos: Pete Thomas and Jon Candy
genuine supporters which makes this a real peoples statue. Steve Borley, a director of the football club, expressed his delight and thanked the supporters trust for their work on the appeal. Awesome and hugely impressive with the wow factor. They were among the instant comments of Cardi City fans when they saw the 15ft high tribute to Fred Keenor unveiled. Hundreds of supporters gathered 90 minutes before kick o against Hull City to see Carla Shore and Yassin Mohamed, pupils from Freds old school, Stacey in Cardi, pull a cord, releasing a Welsh ag and revealing the stunning statue. Minutes earlier David Craig, board member of Cardi City Supporters Trust and the project manager, praised the wonderful fans of Cardi City for helping to sustain us in our eorts, not just by their generosity in donating a large percentage of that total but also by their good nature and unwavering encouragement. This is truly a peoples statue and it is for the people to enjoy those words from David summed up the project launched to honour the captain of the Bluebirds' 1927 FA Cup winning team. He thanked sculptor Roger Andrews for his creativity, skill and total application to the cause. By his own admission this was never just a task for him, the more he got to know Fred the more it became an honour. Lord Kinnock, a lifelong City supporter, who made a rousing speech, said: We havent had a statue of a football hero in the more than 100 years of the clubs existence. It is very important that the captain of our 1927 FA Cup winning team is the rst statue to go up. It is a wonderful piece of work. Most important of all it is a statue brought into existence as by the contributions, some of them very modest, of a very large number of Cardi City Among the guests at the ceremony was former First Minister Rhodri Morgan, Julie Morgan AM, Mark Drakeford AM, Cardi Central AM Jenny Rathbone and Kevin Brennan MP, whose Cardi West constituencies cover the ground, Cardi Council Cabinet Member Huw Thomas, Football Association of Wales President Trefor Lloyd-Hughes and chief executive Jonathan Ford, the Welsh Government, entertainer Frank Hennessy and, of course, representatives of Cardi City Football Club. Several business people and individuals who have given fantastic support to the appeal were also present. Cardi City and Wales star Craig Bellamy, who was patron of the appeal, was unable to attend but he was represented by his dad Doug and son, Ellis. The appeal to raise 85,000 was launched in April 23rd 2010 the 83rd anniversary of the famous win when the trophy was taken out of England for the only time. It followed an online petition launched by fan Mike Inker. But it was the decision of Cardi City Supporters Trust to back the appeal and set up a fundraising committee, which provided the kick-start for the appeal. David Craig took on the role of project manager, while the South Wales Echo quickly agreed to back the appeal. Substantial donations came from large organisations such as Cardi Council, the Welsh Government, Cardi City, the Football Association of Wales and Craig Bellamy were very important, but the generosity of ordinary fans was crucial. We received several large individual donations. while young children even chipped in with their pocket money. Wed like to thank the sta and management of Cardi City, particularly stadium manager Wayne Nash, for their unstinting support and help during the appeal. Were proud to have played our part in helping this long overdue tribute to Fred Keenor become a reality. Thank you for supporting us.

For those who missed picking up the excellent commemorative Fred Keenor brochure, please visit the Supporters Trust oce at the stadium or visit ccfctrust.org.uk

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