Cardiff City look forward to their Championship match against Barnsley, and remember matches of the past including
Cliff Nugent, Headington United 1949-1951.
From the South Wales Echo :
April 09 (South Wales Echo) -- FLASHBACK Barnsley have visited Cardiff City 20 times. The first match between the teams was at Ninian Park in 1921 when City won 3- 2. The Bluebirds have won 12 of those clashes, drawn four and lost four. They have scored 40 goals and conceded 19. December 7, 1957 Cardiff City 7 Barnsley 0 CLIFF Nugent fired a hat-trick in Cardiff City's best ever win against the Tykes.
It was a dismal, rainswept afternoon at Ninian Park as City earned their biggest home win in 25 years. They had been relegated from Division One the previous season, but manager Trevor Morris and his team had struggled to mount a promotion challenge.
There were cranes and mechanical diggers at the top end of the Popular Bank in preparation for the erection of a big roof over the uncovered terrace.
Islington-born Nugent had been signed from Headington (now Oxford United) during February 1951, but had never been able to establish himself as a first-team regular. He wasn't even named on the team page in the matchday programme and yet it proved to be Cliff's finest moment in his Cardiff career.
The previous season Barnsley had shocked First Division Cardiff by knocking them out of the FA Cup, winning 1-0 in front of 32,000 spectators at Ninian Park.
This time Cardiff were in seventh heaven as they powered to a big victory thanks to goals from Nugent (three), Ron Hewitt (two), Joe Bonson and Colin Hudson.
It was City's biggest win since their 9-2 Third Division (South) home win against Thames during February 1932.
Cardiff had gone into the match against Barnsley having scored only 22 goals in their previous 20 matches, but they hit form in a big way.
That December proved to be memorable. Gerry Hitchens left the club, joining Aston Villa in a club record Pounds 22,000 transfer, and then Cardiff earned a first ever league win at Swansea (1-0).
Then came consecutive home matches against Stoke (5-2 win) and Liverpool (6-1 win).
A crowd of 30,622 watched the win against Liverpool, more than three times as many as the 8,941 who had been at the Barnsley match.
Cardiff City (v Barnsley in 1957): Ken Jones, Ron Stitfall, Alec Milne, Alan Harrington, Danny Malloy, Bob Scott, Brian Walsh, Ron Hewitt, Joe Bonson, Cliff Nugent, Colin Hudson.