Swansea City legend Lee Trundle has offered to pull out of a charity match at Cardiff City, amid fears he could negatively affect the turnout.
A Cardiff City 'Select XI' captained by legendary midfielder Joe Ledley was set to take on an international all-star XI led by fellow Bluebirds favourite David Marshall in a special match at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, May 9, to raise money for the Prop Appeal.
Trundle is one of several Swansea stars invited to run out on the day, with Leon Britton and Angel Rangel also pencilled in to line up for Marshall's international XI. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
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However, Trundle, seemingly aware of his frosty and somewhat turbulent relationship with Cardiff fans, has offered to step aside if his appearance is likely to have a negative impact.
Taking to social media, he said: "No banter at all here. I was playing to help raise money but if it affects people coming to watch I won’t play as I don’t want the Chairty [sic] to lose out.
"I was only getting involved to try and help @Health_Charity and help raise as much funds as possible."
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Responding to a fan, he added: "I do get where they are coming from.
"I get stick on here and I give it back but they are thinking worst case scenario for them in the league and I’m at their ground the week after."
Cardiff's Championship status remains perilous after the weekend's draw with Sheffield Wednesday, which has left Omer Riza's men just two points clear of the relegation zone.
Trundle has been a villain in the eyes of Bluebirds supporters, having made little attempt to hide his affection for the Swans, for whom he made 199 appearances. Sign up to our Swansea City newsletter here.
In recent times, he was videoed leading a chorus of 'We f****** hate Cardiff City' on a packed away concourse during the South Wales derby in April 2023.
As a player, Trundle, along with team-mate Alan Tate, landed himself in hot water with the FAW and even the police in the wake of the Football League Trophy final win in 2006, after posing with a flag bearing the words 'f*** off Cardiff', while also donning a shirt depicting a man urinating on a Cardiff shirt.
Whether he will appear at Cardiff City Stadium in May remains to be seen.
The event is set to honour Claire Nokes, daughter of Cardiff City medical director, Len Nokes, who collapsed at a friend’s home in December 2016 having suffered a cardiac arrest. It was later confirmed as having been brought on by a condition called myocarditis, and she had tragically suffered a hypoxic brain injury and would be in a vegetative state for the next (and last) eight months of her life.
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She sadly passed away on October 3, 2017, aged just 26.
Sean Morrison, Gavin Rae, Kevin McNaughton, Scott Young, Lee Tomlin, Lee Peltier, Craig Conway, Robert Earnshaw, Jay Bothroyd, Michael Chopra, Fraizer Campbell, Darren Purse, Ben Turner, Lee Camp, Chris Burke, Andy Legg, Damon Searle, Jason Fowler and Anthony Pilkington are among those due to take to the field for the Bluebirds. Representatives of Cardiff City FC Women and Swansea City Ladies are also set to be involved.
