City in the Assembly

I raised the Bluebirds situation in the Assembly yesterday on the business statement.
Frankly, this is simply a device that Labour backbenchers - and the Opposition parties - can use to draw attention to an issue of concern to them. It doesn't itself lead to anything, but it's worth keeping the pressure up.

Leighton Andrews: Could we have a debate at some point on the state of Welsh club football? This is a serious issue, and of concern to fans across Wales. There was a situation with Swansea City Football Club in the not-too-distant past, which I am pleased to say seems to have recovered. We have also had a situation in Wrexham, which my colleagues Karen Sinclair and Carl Sargeant raised, and we now have a situation with Cardiff City Football Club.

In these situations, fans of the clubs concerned feel almost powerless to influence the decisions that are made. The Assembly can provide a vehicle for the expression of the fans’ frustrations. Speaking as a Cardiff City season-ticket holder, I know that many fans are angry, and, above all, concerned about what has been going on. They are worried about the prospect of administration and relegation. Those issues could justifiably be explored in the Assembly. We want strong football clubs in Wales.