Bluebirds gear up for another battle

Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale admits the "future of the club is at stake" when their court case with creditors Langston comes to a head on Wednesday.

Swiss-based firm Langston say the club's £24million debt, which dates back to the previous regime at Ninian Park, is due to be repaid now, but the Bluebirds are adamant the majority of the money is not due until 2016.

Risdale said: "In terms of the court case, this is a dispute about something that was put in place prior to my arrival. I find it disappointing because I think people ought to be sitting down and talking, not rushing off to court. Obviously the future of the club is at stake but it's out of my hands."

Should the FA Cup semi-finalists lose the case, they could be ordered to repay the debt immediately, a situation which could force them into administration.

The case has been billed as City's second major clash of the week following their surprise FA Cup quarter-final win at Middlesbrough on Sunday - but Ridsdale believes there are major differences between the two.

"It's important for the club," he added. "At the end of the day, there's a slight difference to some extent between Sunday's performance and this week's.

"On Sunday that was a team assembled by Dave (Jones) and myself for the club and I felt very much a part of that.

Ridsdale conceded the club is certain to be "materially damaged" by a defeat but refused to be drawn on the possibility of administration.

"If we lose the case I will have to take legal advice - and obviously I will stand by that legal advice," he added. "There is no doubt that if we do lose then it will materially damage the club because we don't have £30million to hand over to somebody.

"I am very close to my legal advisers and as a director of the company I would have to take the appropriate reaction as recommended by the expert in company law."