Looking back on City’s 1927 victory

May 14 2008 by Karen Price, Western Mail

AS the countdown continues to the FA Cup final this weekend, a TV special will be screened tonight looking at the celebrations which followed when the Bluebirds last triumphed in the major football event in 1927.

When Cardiff Won The Cup was originally made by ITV Wales (then HTV) in 1987 to mark the 60th anniversary of Cardiff’s great win.

It contains archive footage from 1927, including memorable moments from the actual game and images of the team returning to cheering crowds of 200,000 outside the City Hall.

Soccer Sunday presenter Jonathan Owen introduces the new programme, which has been updated to trace Cardiff’s route to the 2008 FA Cup final, which takes place at Wembley Stadium this Saturday.

“It’s a brilliant documentary, not only about the Cup win but the city and the South Wales Valleys during that time,” said Jonathan.

“What’s amazing is that Cardiff were a comparatively young team, in historical terms, yet they had quickly become one of the best teams in Britain.

“It was also the time that the city was at the very peak of its economic boom because of coal. The shame was it wasn’t to last.”

After the glorious 1927 win, the team and the surrounding areas went into economic decline and never again hit the heights of that year – not until this season, 81 years later.

Jonathan will be travelling to London for this weekend’s match and he will be following in the footsteps of his great uncle who witnessed history being made in 1927.

“My great uncle Will, who was the age I am now, was at Wembley. He was a Somme veteran and a miner – a world away from me really. But what was interesting was that Fred Keenor, the Cardiff captain, had also fought in the trenches of World War One. It’s almost impossible for us to imagine now.

“The programme is a must for all Cardiff City fans as they prepare for Saturday’s huge game.”

When Cardiff Won The Cup is on ITV1 Wales tonight at 11.10pm