I knew we'd blow it! We always do! Last season it was a solitary goal, though losing 6-0 to Preston didn't exactly help.

   15 minutes to the final whistle and it was 0-0 v. QPR away from home. I couldn't listen to the radio, the commentator's 'almost scored' raising of his voice when a shot was fired in by them or us was too much for my fragile nerves. Besides, last year I had obliterated the transistor.

   Instead, I preferred the steady downloading of text on my computer, making the match seem measured and pleasantly tedious as Test match cricket. Then, I boldly decided to switch on Final Score.

   On the 80th minute it came on screen. Ledley had scored. I resisted a wild, whooping scream, because I knew they would equalise in the 94th minute through a dubious penalty.

   I kept watch on the screen like somebody guarding their wallet in a crowd of pickpockets. Amazingly nothing changed as the minutes ticked over. Bloody hell FT QPR 0 - Cardiff City 1! We'd done it! Manish What'shisname didn't seem to realise the enormity of it all. A month ago, pundit Steve Claridge had practically written us off.

  'Winston Churchill.....Shakespeare......Admiral Nelson......Sir Alf Ramsey.......Sir Alan Sugar! Your boys sure got one hell of a beating!' Except that quite a few of our star players are English, even more from Scotland and fewer from Wales.

   No matter. Local hero Joe Ledley had scored and Darcy Blake had been transformed from a burger-addict to a New Tredegar  legend in a few months. Sparky and Macca are our Irish connection, so we have a multi-national team from these Islands.

   Three matches from the Premier, instead of on the verge of Administration. A truly remarkable achievement by manager Dave Jones, his coaching staff and the squad, especially given the fact that we'd signed no-one in the January transfer window due to a dire financial situation at the club. Despite Paulo Sousa's moaning, Swansea actually signed three :
Kuqi, Edgar and Cotterill.

   Now I don't care who we get in the play-offs, as long as it's not Swansea  coz they keep possession too long, Forest coz Earnie's bound to get one, Blackpool coz they've got the best midfielder in the division in Charlie Adam, or Leicester coz they've got that battering-ram Steve Howard up front.

   Truthfully, being a Bluebird  has been great over the last few years, even if last season was ultimately gutting and we still fear doing a Portsmouth (mind, they're at Wembley, aren't they?).

   This one's for my son  Ciaran, who bought me such a great birthday present a while back -

                                    THE BIRTHDAY BRICK

My son gave me a brick for my birthday,
the best brick I could possibly receive.

I'd never been given a brick before,
only ever been called Another Brick In The Wall.

The brick had yet to be laid,
it only existed on a future stage.

It would have my name and Bluebirds' Poet,
thousands would be able to tread on it.

When it was built it was the best wall,
it was more like a pavement,shared by all

the other Bluebirds.I thanked my son :
CCFC, generation to generation.