Tan reveals City’s ‘unknown’ sponsor

CARDIFF City owner Vincent Tan has revealed the Sultan of Johor helped fund the Bluebirds’ return to the Premier League last term.

Neil Warnock’s men took second spot in the Championship after a magnificent 2017-18 campaign to ensure they will be playing in the top flight next season.

The club’s purse strings have been tight throughout Warnock’s tenure in South Wales, with the Yorkshireman heavily relying on loan signings and Bosman deals.

But Tan provided Cardiff’s veteran boss with funds to bolster his squad, with Warnock spending on the likes of Lee Tomlin and Gary Madine over the last 12 months.

And the Malaysian has revealed the Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has contributed a total of £3m in sponsorship to the Bluebirds since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2014.

The Bluebirds have worn the Visit Malaysia logo on their shirts since 2011/12, but Tan says the Malaysian tourist board have actually only helped pay for one season. The club’s sponsorship money has actually come from the Sultan for the past three seasons, according to Tan.

“The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar who is also a share partner of mine has graciously given sponsorship for the team when we requested for support. Not many knew this,” Tan told New Straits Times.

“His Highness graciously gave £3m (RM16.5 million) over three years when we were playing in the championship.

“Cardiff have been keeping the Visit Malaysia logo on the jersey for years, but Tourism Malaysia only helped pay for one year – at a discounted rate.

“I’m a Malaysian and I love my country. I would not change the Visit Malaysia logo and even the Sultan of Johor wants us to keep it that way.

“I understand that Tourism Malaysia has a deal with footballer Luis Suarez, but I don’t think he goes around saying he is our ambassador.

“We’re in Premier League now and there will be 4.8 billion people around the world watching, so I think there cannot be any better way to promote our country.

“His Highness the Sultan of Johor said that he wants to continue supporting the club, but he wants me to discuss first with the new tourism minister because the cost needed for sponsorship in the EPL is much higher.

“So, I will be meeting with the new tourism minister after the appointment has been made and hold discussions on the best possible way to promote Malaysia.”

Tan took control of the Bluebirds in May 2010 and was key in the Visit Malaysia sponsorship being emblazoned on the Bluebirds’ kits from the 2011-12 campaign.

In October last year, the Johor ruler became the second largest individual shareholder in Berjaya Assets, a company founded by Tan himself in 1984.

And Tan hopes the pair’s relationship will continue to benefit Cardiff City in the future.

Discussing the Bluebirds’ promotion, Tan added: “I’m very happy that Cardiff has earned promotion. The joke is always that we are a one-season wonder. I pray that we can stay up there for a long, long time.

“Being in the Premier League is so much different compared to the Championship ...financially it’s like heaven and hell.”