Vincent Tan Backtracks And Gives Cardiff Fans What They Want: Blue Home Shirts

Ever since Vincent Tan took control of Cardiff City in 2010, the club has been embroiled in several high-profile cases of intrigue including the shock dismissal of Malky Mackay with the club in the Premier League, then the resulting fallout from the Scotsman’s dismissal and the reasons behind it. However, the issue that has arguably cast one of the biggest clouds over the Malaysian’s tenure with Cardiff was Tan’s decision to turn his back on 104 years of history by changing the club’s colors from blue to red.

The decision itself to those of us on the outside made absolutely no sense. Tan himself cited that red was a color perceived to represent good fortune and prosperity in Malaysian culture, and that the club would then have a greater appeal in the international markets, whilst Cardiff supporters simply felt they no longer recognized the club they loved.

Tan’s bet on changing the good fortune of the club had a reverse effect, however, with the club getting relegated and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being sacked. And Cardiff’s start to the 2014/15 season has been equally poor with morale among supporters at the club at all-time low.

So what could Tan do to pacify the fanbase and divert attention from the club’s continued fall? The Cardiff City owner today agreed to change the club’s color scheme back to blue with the club in talks with the Football League in the hope they can register their home kit change prior to tomorrow’s fixture with Fulham.

Cardiff City supporters will no doubt be delighted by today’s outcome even if it has taken a lot longer than would have been preferred. Yet there will be many who will say this move has been taken by Tan simply to appease supporters and to improve his own popularity. There is also set to be notable changes made to the club’s crest with the traditional Bluebird reintroduced.

With Cardiff’s next match taking place at home tomorrow, it is likely Cardiff City Stadium will be a scene of both celebration and relief that the club has to a degree been handed its identity back, However the motives of Vincent Tan will remain unclear as will any future further changes to the Welsh club.