Barry-Murphy says Aberfan tribute inspired Cardiff against Birmingham

Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy said tributes to the Aberfan disaster of 1966 played a part in motivating his side to a 1-0 victory over Birmingham, after the squad and management visited the memorial garden in the valleys village. The disaster killed 116 children and 28 adults when a coal tip collapsed and engulfed Pantglas junior school.

Barry-Murphy, an Irishman, said he had not fully grasped the scale of the suffering in the community, which lies about 20 miles from the Welsh capital. He recalled seeing the gravestones of those who died and hearing the stories of people who were there that day, describing it as hard to comprehend what they went through.

The Cardiff coach said he had stressed to his players the need to deliver a performance that showed they "understood what we were playing for," and he had wanted the players to watch footage of the disaster. He wrote in the matchday programme, whose front cover showed the clock found in the rubble that stopped at the time of the disaster, that the community had shown what coming together means in the most unimaginable circumstances, and he wanted his team to show the same qualities.

A minute's silence was held before kick-off and was respected by both Cardiff and Birmingham fans. Barry-Murphy also revealed that academy coach Dennis Moss, who had been among the rescuers as an 18-year-old from Cardiff, joined the visit 24 hours before the 60th anniversary commemorations, and said the effect of returning there was visible.

Barry-Murphy said football could not guarantee a win, but on such a poignant day it was important that his side played as it did. The 1-0 result followed the tribute, with the coach linking the occasion to the performance rather than offering any wider claims about the season.

Source: BBC Sport

Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency / BBC Sport