Cardiff City 2 Birmingham City 0: Jones builds ambition to match Cardiff's move to top
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Your support makes all the difference."When I go into a club I like to dismantle it and then build it again." Fifteen months into his tenure at Cardiff City, welcome to the house that David Jones has built. He is moving this weekend and invited any of his players not involved with their countries over the next 10 days of Euro 2008 qualifiers to come and help him.
It is not clear how many will take up the offer of shifting boxes and putting up shelves but it is permanence that the manager is seeking, not only in his domestic life but also at the top of the Championship. Given the commitment his players showed on Saturday, some of them may even be wielding paintbrushes and hammers over the bank holiday chez Jones.
Cardiff took sole custody of top spot - which they had shared with the Blues for a week - by dismantling Steve Bruce's side at Ninian Park, which was full for the first time at a League fixture since 1961. Birmingham had no answer to the power on the pitch and passion off it.
Bryan Robson, Bruce's former Manchester United team-mate, had warned him that his West Bromwich side had faced their toughest match of the season at Ninian Park; Bruce could only echo that. Warming to his theme - what else could he do in a press room that was steaming up faster than a Turkish bath? - he even found the time to praise the antiquated facilities.
What he did not like was the behaviour of some Birmingham fans when they went two goals down. At least three seats were thrown at security staff, one of whom received a cut to the head. Police eventually waded in to extract the more obvious troublemakers. "We don't want to go back to what it was like 20 years ago," Bruce said.
Goals by Joe Ledley and Paul Parry were enough to take Cardiff to their highest League position under Jones, who said: "I won't blow my trumpet until we are out of this League."
Goals: Ledley (13) 1-0; Parry (75) 2-0.
Cardiff City (4-4-2): Alexander; Gilbert, R Johnson, Loovens, McNaughton; Parry, Scimeca, McPhail, Ledley; Chopra, Thompson (K Campbell, 89). Substitutes not used: Flood, Glombard, Kamara, Gunter.
Birmingham City (4-4-2): Doyle; Kelly (Larsson 59), N'Gotty, Jaidi, Sadler; Dunn, Nafti, D Johnson, McSheffrey; Bendtner, D Campbell (Jerome, 59). Substitutes not used: Legzdins, Forssell, Tebily.
Referee: P Crossley (Kent).
Booked: Cardiff City Chopra, R Johnson.
Man of the match: Parry.
Attendance: 20,109.
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