Take it as red, rebranded Cardiff focused on promotion

When the Bluebirds take to the field tonight against Huddersfield they will walk out in an unfamiliar red home shirt. The switch has come about as part of a major investment programme by the Malaysian owners, which is to include funds for Mackay to strengthen his squad.

Having guided Cardiff to the play-offs last term, there is pressure on Mackay to deliver promotion this term, particularly after pulling off the coup of signing Craig Bellamy. But the Scot said: “There’s the rebranding of the club and there is getting behind the team, those are two separate issues. But the colour of the strip and the badge, for me personally, doesn’t equate with us having to be promoted. They’re separate issues. My heightened expectations are because of what has gone before, not because of the re-brand.”

The decision to switch from the club’s traditional blue colours to red has caused plenty of debate among Cardiff supporters, and a handful of fans returned their season tickets over the move. There are expected to be a group of fans protesting at the re-branding come this evening. “I have no doubt if there are 30, 40 people outside with banners, they will get coverage,” said Mackay. “It’s their right. I just hope it doesn’t detract from people supporting their team. Our owners decided this was the way they wanted to go. We have to make sure we paint the club in as good a light as possible. The local people have to feel the decisions are being made for the good of the club. He made a statement saying he will build a training ground, he will deal with club debt and he will put money into the team. when that was explained at the time, 99 per cent of the people realised that if it was for the good of the club.”

Huddersfield will be making their Championship debut following last season’s play-off triumph and will have Jordan Rhodes, fresh from scoring his first goal for Scotland, in attack.