Article: Mark Denham

With Cardiff City's pre-season fixtures and events kicking off in just a few weeks time, the football league puts it's annual road-map in place by announcing the 2009-10 league fixture list on Wednesday 17^th June.

Bluebirds fans will surely be hoping for a home fixture on opening day to get their first taste of league football at the Cardiff City Stadium at the earliest opportunity. If the fixture generator repeats it's feat of the last two years then City fans will get their wish, a year to the weekend since Roger Johnson's last minute goal against Southampton gave City a 2-1 opening day victory at Ninian Park to kick-off the 2008/09 season in style. Prior to the 2006/07 campaign however, City had started the previous five seasons on the road.

The good news is that the Bluebirds have an excellent record on opening day going back over the past ten years, losing just twice in ten opening day games. As pre-season fever continues to bubble, let's take a look back over the past decade to see how the Bluebirds have kicked off previous campaigns.

Football League Championship - Saturday 9^th August 2008. Ninian Park, 3pm

CARDIFF CITY 2-1 Southampton

Cardiff City kicked off the 2008/09 season in confident mood against a youthful yet plucky Southampton outfit. Soon to depart Steven Thompson scored City's opening goal in the forty-first minute to give City the lead, though twenty-one year old David McGoldrick levelled the score on the stroke of half time. The Bluebirds dominated much of the second half in this one, though they had to wait until the ninetieth minute to secure the three points when Roger Johnson headed home from inside the area to send the Saints home empty handed.

Football League Championship - Saturday 11^th August 2007. Ninian Park, 3pm

CARDIFF CITY 0-1 Stoke City

Promotion bound Stoke City spoiled the party at Ninian two years ago as Ryan Shawcross' first half goal gave the Potters a 1-0 victory. City should have taken at least a point from this one and perhaps would have had new boy Steven Maclean converted from the penalty spot. Trevor Sinclair and Ross Turnbull made their Bluebirds debuts in this fixture with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Robbie Fowler watching in the stands.

Football League Championship - Saturday 5^th August 2006. Oakwell, 3pm

Barnsley 1-2 CARDIFF CITY

City got off to arguably their best start in recent years with a convincing 2-1 victory over the Tykes in Yorkshire. The game was defined by two stand-out goals, the first coming from Joe Ledley on nineteen minutes followed by Brian Howard's spectacular strike on the half hour mark. Steven Thompson had doubled the Bluebirds' lead prior to Howard's strike three minutes after Ledley's opener. Stephen McPhail returned to Oakwell for the first time since his summer move to South Wales whilst Michael Chopra wore the blue of Cardiff for the first time in a competitive fixture.

Football League Championship - 6^th August 2005. Portman Road, 3pm

Ipswich Town 1-0 CARDIFF CITY

Nick Forster's second half strike was enough to secure all three points for the Tractor Boys on the opening day in 2005, extending the Bluebirds' Portman Road hoodoo for another season. City's starting eleven featured Jermaine Darlington, Jeff Whitley and Birmingham City bound striker Cameron Jerome.

Football League Championship - 7^th August 2004. Gresty Road, 3pm

Crewe Alexandra 2-2 CARDIFF CITY

Crewe midfielder Michael Higdon denied City the points in the North West with a strike five minutes from time. Future England striker Dean Ashton had given the home side the lead after just five minutes before Bulawayo born Welshman John Robinson restored parity on the stroke of half time. Alan Lee gave City the lead just before the hour mark before Liverpudlian Higdon salvaged a point for the Railwaymen late on.

Football League Championship - 9^th August 2003. Millmoor, 3pm

Rotherham United 0-0 CARDIFF CITY

City started life in England's second tier with a solid point in South Yorkshire. Lenny Lawrence's side included new signings Tony Vidmar and John Robinson as well as Millennium Stadium hero Andy Campbell. Robert Earnshaw started the season in a Bluebirds shirt for the final time. City would go on to finish a respectable thirteenth in the Championship with the Millers finishing four places lower.

Football League One - 10^th August 2002. Boundary Park, 3pm

Oldham Athletic 1-2 CARDIFF CITY

The Bluebirds' 2002/03 promotion campaign started in fine style with a 2-1 victory at Boundary Park. Andy Campbell initiated a symmetrical look to the scoring charts by netting first in the twenty-first minute - he would of course score City's final goal of the campaign at the Millennium Stadium nine months later. Robert Earnshaw doubled the Bluebirds' advantage with six minutes remaining, though Neil Alexander would not keep a clean sheet as Oldham's Lee Duxbury struck home with ninety minutes on the clock.

Football League One - 11^th August 2001. Ninian Park, 3pm

CARDIFF CITY 1-0 Wycombe Wanderers

A first half Danny Gabbidon strike was enough to earn City the three points on the opening day of the 2001/02 campaign. Wycombe's highly rated midfielder Jermaine McSporran was lively throughout, though the Chairboys rarely troubled Neil Alexander in the City goal. The Bluebirds fielded some names that may not readily be brought to memory - former Chesterfield defender Michael Simpkins for example and former Newcastle United forward Des Hamilton!

Football League Two - 12^th August 2000. St. James' Park, 3pm

Exeter City 1-2 CARDIFF CITY

City made the long journey to Devon on the opening day of the 2000/01 promotion campaign and picked up a valuable three points against Exeter City. The match was finely poised going in to the final half hour after Paul Brayson's opener was cancelled out by former Manchester United forward Graeme Tomlinson's strike, though wide man Josh Low was on hand to strike the winner and set the Bluebirds on their way to a successful season.

Football League One - 7^th August 1999. Ninian Park, 3pm

CARDIFF CITY 1-1 Millwall

Frank Burrows' Bluebirds began life in League One with a good 1-1 draw against a fancied Millwall side. Things looked ominous for the new look Bluebirds after thirty-six minutes when Neil Harris slotted home from the penalty spot, though debutant Willie Boland fired home a penalty of his own on the stroke of half time to draw City level. Jason Fowler was sent off with ten minutes remaining to leave the ten men of Cardiff hanging on for a point.

Be sure to check cardiffcityfc.co.uk to see the full 2009/10 fixture list on Wednesday 17th June.