Kevin McNaughton says the Bluebirds' pre-season has been strange

Cardiff City defender Kevin McNaughton says morale damaged by the club's on-going financial worries can be lifted by the forthcoming season's kick-off.

They host Sheffield United on Sunday, 8 August and the club faces a High Court winding up order three days later.

But McNaughton, 27, who has signed a new deal with the club says pre-season friendlies and league games will ensure fans boost players' spirits.

"The fans have always come through and supported us to the hilt," he said.

Cardiff, who lost 3-2 by Blackpool in the Championship play-off final, must convince a High Court hearing on 11 August that their £1.3m Pay As You Earn (PAYE)tax debt has been paid to the satisfaction of Her Maejsty's Revenue and Customs.

The Welsh club' debt is estimated between £15m to £30m and they have endured five High Court appearances in the last 12 months due to a £1.9m tax bill, which was eventually cleared in June.

606: DEBATE The board have stated more than once that they expect the taxman to be paid xsnaggle

The Bluebirds, who had their best season for almost 50 years in 2009/10 - culminating in their play-off final loss at Wembley, have undergone a boardroom shift this summer as controversial former chairman Peter Ridsdale departed.

A Malaysia-based consortium took control of Cardiff - led by new chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee and backed by billionaire businessmen Sir Vincent Tan Chee Yioun - and seemingly saved the club with a £6m investment.

But the transition between Cardiff's controllers has been "challenging" according to new chief executive Gethin Jenkins as the major shareholders try to put the club "back on a solid business and financial footing."

Scottish club Motherwell has also demanded immediate payment of a "substantial debt" owed by Cardiff for the transfer of full-back Paul Quinn.

The £300,000 transfer fee for Quinn, who left Fir Park in the summer of 2009, was staggered, but Motherwell say they have been owed money since January.

It has also been reported that Charlton Athletic are unhappy that Cardiff have delayed part of the payment for centre-back Mark Hudson, who also signed for the Bluebirds for £1m last summer.

Manager Dave Jones has made just two signings this summer as the Cardiff boss brought goalkeeper Tom Heaton and midfielder Danny Drinkwater on loan to the club.

But the Championship club has lost Wales international midfielder Joe Ledley on a free transfer to Celtic and defender Mark Kennedy to Ipswich while star striker Michael Chopra and last season's top-scorer Peter Whittingham have been linked with moves away.

Jones himself has also been linked with the vacant managerial position to succeed Roy Hodgson at Premier League side Fulham - but he has committed his future to the Cardiff City Stadium.

Obviously morale's been hit a wee bit, but I think now that the games are underway, I think everybody's focused on their jobs now Cardiff City defender Kevin McNaughton

Now McNaughton is looking forward to the first game of the season, saying: "I think the fans will be as positive as they always have been. It's not the first time the club's been in a bit of crisis and they've always come through and supported us to the hilt.

"It's been a bit strange this pre-season with a lot of things going on off the park," he said.

"The manager's tried to keep the players focused on football, which is our job at the end of the day and we can't really affect much.

"Obviously morale's been hit a wee bit, but I think now that the games are underway, I think everybody's focused on their jobs now.

"I think we've got enough characters in the dressing room to pull through it. I think the supporters will get behind us like they always do and I'm pretty confident we'll get through this little trying sort of period for the club, obviously off the park.

"And I think it's important that the players stick together off the park and on the park. We need to just get our backs to the wall and grind things out.

"I think the fans will be as positive as they always have been. It's not the first time the club's been in a bit of crisis and they've always come through and supported us to the hilt.

"They've been a different class over the four years I've been here, anyway, so I'm sure it will be much the same from them."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version