THE FUTURE’S NOT BRIGHT WHEN BLUEBIRDS WEAR ORANGE
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WHEN Cardiff City emerged from the tunnel at the Madejski Stadium, a section of Bluebirds supporters’ heads dropped into their hands.
Cardiff sported their strikingly, almost luminous, orange kit as they trotted out for the warm-up and that was enough to fill Bluebirds fans with dread before the clash with Reading.
There is a school of thought which suggests Cardiff perform far worse with their orange strip on the road, with the most recent 5-0 drubbing away to Sheffield Wednesday still planted firmly in the forefront of supporters’ minds.
“Cardiff are in orange at The Madejski this evening. Have we ever won wearing that kit? I can’t remember,” fan account Cardiff City
Mad tweeted. “How many times have we even won in that kit? Or even should I say have we?,” said Liam Brett.
Another weighed in to say: “That line-up that kit, this will only end one way. Liked it at first but given every time I turn Sky on and we wear it they’re usually miserable affairs.”
While some might not believe in these little omens or pre-cursors, after a little digging there appears to be some clear correlation between fortunes away from home when they do wear that kit compared to when they do not.
Incredibly, in six attempts this season, Cardiff have not won a single game away from home wearing their orange strip.
In comparison, with their blue or mint-coloured kit, they have won nine of their 15 games on the road.
Their record away from home with or without wearing orange this season reads:
■ With orange kit: Won 0, Lost 3, Drawn 3 - Points Per Game 0.5
■ Without orange kit: Won 9, Lost 2, Drawn 4 - Points Per Game 2.1
Granted, the Bluebirds have not won in their mint away kit either, but have played only two away games in the league donning that colour, drawing one and losing one.
But it does appear there is some merit to that feeling of dread some supporters experienced before the 1-1 draw with Reading on Friday night, if you are indeed inclined to believe such things have any bearing on the result.
The positive news, though, is that Brentford await on Tuesday night, and with their white and red stripes, it is more than likely Cardiff will be in their blue home strip, in which they have the best record, having won nine of their 13 games in that kit at an average of 2.5 points per game.
If some fans had their way, though, that orange strip would be no more next season, they will hope beyond all hope the orange kit has been locked away for good, once and for all.
But with an away trip to face the blue-kitted Birmingham City on the horizon, there may well be one final swansong, one last attempt for City to register a win this season in that seemingly cursed orange number.