Cardiff City F.C.

Early years (1899–1920)

Following a meeting at the home of lithographic artist Bartley Wilson in Cardiff, the club was founded in 1899 as Riverside A.F.C. as a way of keeping players from the Riverside Cricket Club together and in shape during the winter months. In their first season, they played friendlies against local sides at their Sophia Gardens ground. In 1900 they joined the Cardiff & District League for their first competitive season. When King Edward VII granted Cardiff city status in 1905, the club put in a request to the South Wales and Monmouthshire Football Association to change their name to Cardiff City. The request was turned down as they were deemed not to be playing at a high enough level. To enhance their standing, the team arranged to join the South Wales League in 1906. Two years later they were granted permission to change the name of the club to Cardiff City. Although growing in stature, the club was forced to turn down the opportunity to join the newly formed Second Division of the Southern Football League due to a lack of facilities at their Sophia Gardens ground. Over the next two years, Cardiff played friendlies against some of Britain's top professional sides, including Middlesbrough, Bristol City, and Crystal Palace. The matches were played at grounds in Cardiff and nearby towns so as to gauge the level of public interest in the team. The club eventually secured land to build their own stadium, Ninian Park, which was completed in 1910.…

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Cardiff City's honours include the following: League

First Division (level 1) Runners-up: 1923–24 Second Division / Championship (level 2) Champions: 2012–13 Runners-up: 1920–21, 1951–52, 1959–60, 2017–18 Third Division South / Third Division / Second Division (level 3) Champions: 1946–47 Runners-up: 1975–76, 1982–83, 2025–26 Play-off winners: 2003 Fourth Division / Third Division (level 4) Champions: 1992–93 Runners-up: 1987–88, 2000–01 Promoted: 1998–99 Southern League Second Division Champions: 1912–13 Cup

FA Cup Winners: 1926–27 Runners-up: 1924–25, 2007–08 Football League Cup Runners-up: 2011–12 FA Charity Shield Winners: 1927 Welsh Cup Winners (22): 1911–12, 1919–20, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1926–27, 1927–28, 1929–30, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1975–76, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1992–93 FAW Premier Cup Winners: 2001–02