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Page last updated at 12:18 GMT, Thursday, 2 April 2009 13:18 UK

Tate appeals for 'right spirit'

Venue: Ninian Park Date: Sunday, 5 April Kick-off: 1100 BST
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, second half commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live; Score updates on BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Sport website


Alan Tate
Tate is hoping to overcome an ankle injury before Sunday's game

Swansea defender Alan Tate is appealing for calm amongst fans in Sunday's south Wales derby with Cardiff, although he predicted a "hostile atmosphere".

Tate angered Bluebirds fans in 2006 by holding up an offensive flag after the Football League Trophy win at the Millennium Stadium.

He and former Swansea teammate Lee Trundle received police cautions and were suspended by the FAW.

"No-one is going to forget it," said Tate, 26.

"There's nothing I can do to change what's happened.

But he appealed for fans to put the past behind them.

"Just support both clubs in the right way, it's a football game after all... let's not have any trouble and play the game in the right spirit."

Tate says he will be focusing on keeping the Swans' play-off hopes alive in what is a crunch match.

Cardiff occupy the last play-off spot five points ahead of the Swans, but also have two games in hand.

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Failure to win could leave them with a huge uphill task as they will only have five games to make the top six.

They would then be relying on other teams to slip up and hopefully take advantage, but Tate remains confident.

"Every game is a must-win game for the club," said Tate who is hoping to overcome an ankle injury in time for the clash at Ninian Park.

"We both probably need to win as much as each other, us probably more than them because they are still in the play-offs.

"If we win on Sunday and a couple of results go our way on Saturday, then why not?

"It is a mathematical possibility [of making the play-offs], although it looks hard, but Sunday will go a long way to prove if we are going to do it or not."

The match is the Swans' last scheduled visit to Ninian Park before Cardiff move to the new Cardiff City Stadium a stone's throw away from the old ground.

The two sides drew 2-2 in the league in November at the Liberty Stadium, but Swansea won the Carling Cup clash 1-0 two months earlier.



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see also
Cardiff City v Swansea City (Sun)
02 Apr 09 |  Championship
Welsh rivals are upwardly mobile
02 Apr 09 |  Championship
Swansea suffer Tate injury blow
14 Mar 09 |  Swansea
Swans pair arrested over insults
05 Apr 06 |  Swansea


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