‘Fate’ Cardiff City, Ipswich Town, and Barnsley man’s first words after completing shock transfer at 42
Michael Chopra has spoken about his move to Trethomas Bluebirds. (Image: Jon Candy)
Former Cardiff City and Newcastle United striker Michael Chopra says it feels like “fate” after signing for Welsh side Trethomas Bluebirds.
The 42-year-old former Premier League forward is coming out of retirement to join the club, which plays in the Cymru South, the second tier of Welsh football.
He brings a wealth of experience to the club, with more than 200 Championship appearances to his name and a key role in a Cardiff City side that reached the play-off final, scoring at Wembley Stadium.
He has also represented Sunderland and Newcastle United, as well as having spells with Ipswich Town, Barnsley and Nottingham Forest, bringing a level of experience that is expected to draw increased attention to the local village club.
His most recent club was West Allotment Celtic in the ninth tier of English football, where he played four years ago.
‘A Bluebird again, Cardiff City icon discusses shock transfer
“It’ll be a great opportunity for the club to use my name and get more people involved,” Chopra told the Caerphilly Observer. “It’s really exciting; it feels like fate that I’m back as a Bluebird again.
The move comes as something of a surprise, as he has largely been based in the Newcastle upon Tyne area throughout his career and has not played competitive football for a large period.
The deal was facilitated by former Trethomas Bluebirds defender Derek Brazil, who played for the club between 1992 and 1996 and now works as a football consultant. He introduced Chopra to chairman Dave Evans initially to discuss a charity match, which ultimately developed into a return to senior football.
Chopra is set to make his first appearance in a Trethomas shirt this Saturday, July 4, in a charity legends match raising money for Cancer Research. Kick-off is at 2 pm at the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach.
Speaking about how the transfer came to fruition, he said: “Derek Brazil gave me a call about the club and how I could help support it through a charity match. He put me on the phone to Chairman Dave Evans, and it all started there.
“We hit it off instantly; it was like I’d known him for years. He sent me a picture I had with his son after the FA Cup final match between Portsmouth and Cardiff years ago. I played for Sunderland at the time, but came to watch.
“He then asked me what I thought about becoming an ambassador for the club, helping to grow it and hopefully bring in some sponsorships. Well, I’d never been asked before, so I said I’d let him know.”
How will it work out at Trethomas Bluebirds?
Trethomas are set to discover their fixtures for the upcoming campaign on Friday, which will help determine how many games the former Premier League and EFL striker can feature in.
Based in Amsterdam, Chopra says regular involvement will be difficult, and he does not want to place any pressure on manager Paul Evans regarding selection. He adds that discussions will take place once the fixture list is released.
Speaking to the Caerphilly Observer, he said: “I spoke to Dave again shortly after and this time he asked me why I don’t play a few games instead. I just started laughing, honestly. I haven’t kicked a ball in more than four years.
“I gave it some thought and said, ‘ Yeah, why not. I live in Amsterdam, so I won’t be there all the time, plus I don’t want the manager to feel like he has to play me. We’ll have a chat as a club when the fixtures come out and try to work out which games I can make.”
(Featured Image: Jon Candy)
