FOOTBALL-The Malkytollah picture at Wembley

Whilst Cardiff City were taking on Liverpool in the Carling Cup final at Wembley it seems Malky Mackay was taking on Rafa Benitez in other ways!

One Cardiff City fan decided to proudly display a framed picture of the Cardiff City Manager and take it around Wembley and surrounding area before the important game kicked off.

A Facebook group called ‘The Passion of The Malky’ was set up where people submitted their photos and stories for everyone to enjoy with some of the best appearing below.

Taffster from the Cardiff City Message Board explained why he decided to take this framed picture to Wembley:-

I took my inspiration from the Scousers when they did it in Cardiff. I saw something about the Rafatollah a few months ago, and with us playing them I felt I had to do it with Malky seeing as we had Liverpool in the final.

The picture was carried round central London on Sunday morning (held aloft, above the head like the mourners in Iran with the Ayatollah portraits) we had loads of people stop & take pictures. Others asked to be pictured with it. A french guy ran out of a cafe to take pictures & have his picture taken. Arsenal fans came over. Tube staff had pictures taken. I wish I had taken more myself – but it wasn’t feasible.

We were banned from the British museum – security said they did not allow political protests on their premises & that we were to go away. We managed to sneak in, but the guards inside were a bit big looking and I didn’t fancy spending the afternoon inside a cell so I bottled it when it came to getting a photo inside.

We stopped a photocall outside the Dominion theatre, as 10 city fans, decked in scarfs & flags headed by a man (me) carrying aloft a portrait of Malky strode past – tourists stopped taking pictures of the cast of ‘We will rock you’ & spun round to photo us – the whole build up to the match was so funny.

We held him aloft whilst travelling up & down escalators in tube stations, facing sideways so commuters on the other escalator could get a clear view – loads of stares when we did that.

Walking down Wembley Way with it was absolutely brilliant. The reaction form both City & Liverpool was amazing. It seemed to provoke cheers, chants and loads of laughter as we marched along. And as I said loads of people had their photo taken with it.

Some nutter offered me £500 for it. I said sure. But he mumbled something and legged it.

The portrait never made it inside. I knew the stewards wouldn’t let it in.You can see it’s final resting place next to a pillar outside Gate J.

I had an absolute ball carrying it round London & Wembley, and so glad it brought a smile and a cheer to so many people.