Posted on May 10

The Malaysian owners of Cardiff have abandoned plans to scrap the club's traditional blue kit in favour of red shirts following protests by fans.

Cardiff -- known as the Bluebirds for their iconic blue shirts -- saw their hopes of promotion to the Premier League dashed by West Ham on Monday after defeat in the second leg of their play-off semi-final.

Owner Vincent Tan, a Malaysian tycoon of Chinese origin, was considering changing Cardiff's strip to red, believing it to be 'luckier' as well as the colour of the Welsh national side.

There were also plans to replace the bluebird on Cardiff's club crest with a dragon, which appears on the national flag of Wales and which in Chinese culture is considered a symbol of power.

However, these too have been abandoned "for the next season".

Cardiff chairman Dato Chan Tien Ghee, in a statement on the club's website, said "vociferous opposition" had caused the owners to re-think their plans.

"The new club crest and home colours which were being discussed were intended to demonstrate the symbolic fusion of Welsh and Asian cultures through the use of the colour red and the predominant featuring of a historical Welsh dragon under the Cardiff City FC name," Chan said.

"This would have been a springboard for the successful commercialisation and promotion of the club and its brand, driving international revenues and allowing us to fund transfers and success locally, thereby giving the club the best chance of competing at the higher reaches of competition.

"This was not meant as a slight in any way shape or form on the club's traditions or history which we recognise are the lifeblood of any club.

"It was intended as a positive change to allow us to adapt and embrace the future. Notwithstanding a number of rumours there were no further plans to turn the stadium red or make other radical change.

"In the light of the vociferous opposition by a number of the fans to the proposals being considered as expressed directly to our local management and through various media and other outlets, we will not proceed with the proposed change of colour and logo and the team will continue to play in blue at home for the next season with the current badge."

Chan stressed there had never been a proposal to change the Welsh capital club's name, as suggested by some reports.

"I can categorically state that there were never any plans to rename the club," he said.

"Cardiff City Football Club has a rich history, which we are honoured to celebrate and share locally, nationally and internationally."

However, Chan said the club had to improve its financial position while chasing the dream of a place in the lucrative English Premier League.

"It is clear to all concerned that the club simply cannot continue to function and exist in its current state, effectively losing large amounts of money each month, while acquiring more and more debt,

"We have continued along this path until the end of the current season, but the club inevitably now faces bold and real world decisions should we want to see the club survive.

"As romantic and simplistic a notion as it may seem, maintaining our current course without growth or change, is not, and cannot be, an option."

Cardiff's 5-0 aggregate defeat by West Ham condemned the Welsh club to their third successive failure in the Championship play-offs.