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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

Russell Martin vows to carry on pre-match tradition in white-hot Cardiff City v Swansea City cauldron

With 30,000 baying Cardiff City supporters aiming jeers and chants directly his way, Russell Martin will continue to exude calm and confidence as he once again completes his pre-match tradition in the cauldron atmosphere of a South Wales derby.

In each and every single away game of his tenure to date, the head coach has walked from the dugout area towards the section of the stadium containing the Jack Army to applaud those who have travelled to show their support for the Swans.

It's a ritual that, regardless of the club's form or results, has always been appreciated by the Swansea faithful while it is one that Martin himself feels it quite simply the bare minimum he can do to show his gratitude to those who so willingly part with their hard-earned cash to watch their beloved stars on the road.

READ MORE: Russell Martin gives key pre-Cardiff City injury updates as Swansea City boss addresses investment talk

This weekend will be no different as Martin strides across the Cardiff City Stadium turf around five minutes before the carnage of the derby commences to applaud the 2,190 fans wearing white and black, although, the gesture will undoubtedly rile those packing out the home end, as it did last term prior to what was ultimately a historic day as Swansea secured a first ever league double in the fixture with a 4-0 hammering of their bitter rivals.

"It's not done for any other reason to annoy anyone, I don't think we need to do anything else to annoy people than to play the way we play," says Martin of the pre-match walk.

"After a game can be difficult sometimes, you have a lot on your mind, you want to maybe see a certain player to see if they're OK, you want to check the staff are OK, or if you've won a game you want to celebrate with the players, so you don't get the time to appreciate the supporters.

"Our supporters, even in the last home game and Middlesbrough before that, with the situation we've been in, they've been incredible. The atmosphere against Bristol City was great, the supporters were fantastic. They've stuck with us.

"I'm sure there's a minority out there who will say what they want to say, but the people we bump into and the away supporters in particular have been amazing. It makes a big difference. It's not easy to travel from here, we know that because we have to get on a bus and travel the miles like they do, it's not easy, so we really appreciate that.

"I just try and acknowledge that before you get caught up in all of the madness of the 90 minutes and what goes on in and around that. I think it's really important for them to know that we appreciate that and are grateful for it."

The Bluebirds know the pitfalls of succumbing to the pressure and intensity of a derby only too well having had top scorer Callum Robinson red carded after just seven minutes of the reverse fixture in October.

Irishman Robinson - who will miss Saturday's clash with Swansea through injury - hurled the ball into the face of Ben Cabango, leaving referee Darren Bond with no option but to give the forward his marching orders as the hosts went on to dominate and won 2-0 courtesy of strikes from Ollie Cooper and Michael Obafemi.

And while Martin says his players have handled the occasion perfectly during each of the three wins he has registered against the Bluebirds since moving to south Wales from MK Dons, the 37-year-old is only too aware that context of form and results truly do count for nothing when these two sides face off.

“I could come out here and give you a load of platitudes about being just another game, but it’s not, we all know that," he explained.

“We have felt it three times now. Fortunately we have been on the right side of the result those three times, which has been an amazing feeling.

“We were surprised by the intensity of it the first time and then knew what to expect the second and third time. It’s never dampened and I don’t expect it to this time.

“The guys have managed the occasions brilliantly in the three derbies we’ve had. We have to do the same again. We’ve done some really good work in the break and we need to translate that on to the pitch.”

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