WELSH CLUBS IN EUROPE PART NINE - CARDIFF CITY

1964/65 
Cup Winners Cup 
The Bluebird's first foray into Europe came in 1964 courtesy of the Welsh Cup win a few months earlier. They played Danish side Esbjerg fB and won 0-1 over two legs and then faced Sporting CP in the second round winning 1-2 to reach the quarter-finals which was a fantastic achievement for a team who were in the Second Division of English football at the time. They lost to Spanish side Real Zaragoza by 3-2 on aggregate. Real won 0-1 at Ninian Park in front of 38,458 people after a 2-2 draw in Spain in the first leg. The club were managed by Jimmy Scoular at the time - the Scottish born boss would go one better in a few years as you'll read below. He is a club legend having managed Cardiff City from 1964 to 1973 - prior to his death in 1998 he ran a guest house in the City. It was a tremendous achievement for the club to run Real Zaragoza so close as they went on to finish in third place in La Liga that season behind Real and Atletico Madrid. 

First Round
Esbjerg fB W 1-0 D 0-0 (W 1-0) 
Second Round
Sporting CP D 0-0 W 2-1 (W 2-1) 
Quarter-Final
Real Zaragoza L 0-1 D 2-2 (L 2-3) 

1965/66
Cup Winner's Cup 
Cardiff City were back in the competition for the second year in a row - this year it was the first competition to apply the away goals rule. It wasn't a good run like the previous year as The Bluebirds went out in the First Round to Standard Liege after 1-2 and 0-1 defeats over two legs. 

First Round 
Standard Liege L 0-1 L 1-2 (L 1-3) 

1967/68
Cup Winner's Cup 
The Bluebirds most famous European campaign came in the 1967/68 campaign under the management of Jimmy Scoular. The Division Two side beat Shamrock Rovers in the First Round, NAC Breda in the second round to once again qualify for the quarter finals where they faced Soviet side Torpedo Moscow who after a 1-1 draw were defeated 1-0 in a play-off. In the semi-final they played German side Hamburg drawing 1-1 away from home in the first leg and losing the second leg at Ninian Park 2-3 - they were 2-1 up until the 81st minute when two late goals sent the German side through. 

First Round
Shamrock Rovers W 2-0 D 1-1 (W 3-1) 
Second Round
NAC Breda W 4-1 D 1-1 (W 5-2) 
Quarter-Final 
Torpedo Moscow W 1-0 L 1-0 (D 1-1)
play off won 1-0 
Semi-Final
Hamburg SV L 2-3 D 1-1 (L 3-4) 

1968/69
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
FC Porto D 2-2 L 1-2 (L 3-4) 

1969/70
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Mjøndalen IF W 7-1 W 5-1 (W 12-2) 
Second Round
Göztepe W 1-0 L 0-3 (L 1-3)

1970/71
Cup Winner's Cup

Another famous European campaign with a quarter-final against Real Madrid where in front of an estimated 50,000 crowd at Ninian Park they won the first leg 1-0 thanks to Brian Clark's 31st minute goal which secured the Bristol born striker immortal status amongst the club's following. Clark sadly passed away, aged 67, in 2010. His name is forever remembered as family and friend's gathered to unveil the road sign for the newly named 'Brian Clark Way' in 2011 close to the new Cardiff City Stadium.  

First Round
Pezoporikos Larnaca W 8-0 D 0-0 (W 8-0) 
Second Round
FC Nantes W 5-1 W 2-1 (W 7-1)
Quarter-Final
Real Madrid W 1-0 L 0-2 (L 1-2) 

1971/72
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Dynamo Berlin D 1-1 D 1-1 (D 2-2) 

1973/74
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Sporting CP D 0-0 L 1-2 (L 1-2) 

1974/75
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Ferencvárosi TC L 1-4 L 0-3 (L 1-6) 

1976/77
Cup Winner's Cup

Qualifying Round
Servette W 1-0 L 1-2  (D 2-2) 
First Round
Dynamo Tbilisi W 1-0 L 0-3 (L 1-3) 

1977/78
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Austria Memphis D 0-0 L 0-1 (L 0-1) 

1988/89
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
Derry City W 4-0 D 0-0 (W 4-0 
Second Round
AGF Aarhus L 0-4 L 1-2 (L 1-6) 

1992/93
Cup Winner's Cup

First Round
VFB Admira Wacker D 1-1 L 0-2 (L 1-3) 

1993/94
Cup Winner's Cup

Cardiff's last trip into Europe came in 1993 when they last won the Welsh Cup in a 5-0 win over Rhyl in front of 16.443 at The National Stadium. The Bluebirds lost the 1994 and 1995 finals when from the 1995/96 season clubs playing the English league system were excluded from playing in the Welsh Cup. The six clubs were Cardiff City, Swansea City, Wrexham, Colwyn Bay, Merthyr Tydfil and Newport County. In 2011 they were invited back with only Newport County, Merthyr Tydfil and Wrexham accepting - Colwyn Bay have since re-entered the Welsh football pyramid so now also play in the cup. 

First Round
Standard Liège L 1-3 L 2-5 (L 3-8)