Why I’m not Blue over that Cardiff name change

WHAT’S in a name? Earlier this week Cardiff Blues, after 17 years, reverted to plain old Cardiff which frankly is what I’ve continued to call them during that period.

The rush to bastardise famous clubs’ names has always perplexed me but in the Welsh case was clearly connected with the decision to scrap the 18-team senior club system and go the regional route and to try and woo fans from the larger region by not over emphasising the mother club. Hence Dragons, Ospreys, Blues and Scarlets although at least Llanelli’s nickname was always the Scarlets.

It was a poor and illogical call. Take Cardiff. Now they have always been a big city club but, almost without knowing it, they have always exerted a gravitational pull on mid-Glamorgan and way beyond. When they used to pull in big crowds back in the day some of those supporters would be from Penarth, Barry, Caerphilly, Bedwas and even up the A470 corridor to Pontypridd.

That didn’t stop those satellite towns having their own thriving clubs and there would be a healthy rivalry at a certain level. But the selfexplanatory name Cardiff did not prevent the wider community having an interest in the club.

On a much bigger scale, in football, you don’t have to live in Manchester or Glasgow to support Manchester United or Celtic.

Who, exactly, did the suits think would support the Blues as opposed to Cardiff ? In England do Sale attract noticeably more fans because they morphed into Sharks.

One of the issues Saracens have faced is that their name has no geographical identity. Nobody was quite sure if Sarries were ‘their’ club and despite a raft of domestic and European titles they always struggled to build their fan base.

Surely those blessed with that clear identity should glory in that while still working hard at community links throughout the region and beyond? I wish Cardiff well. They took a small but important step this week.