Bluebirds’ owner Vincent Tan watched Cardiff City battle to a goalless draw against Huddersfield Town at the John Smith’s Stadium.
Tan joined 2,300 Cardiff fans in West Yorkshire and then headed to the airport immediately after the final whistle for his flight home.
Malaysian businessman Tan talked about his relationship with manager Neil Warnock before kick-off, telling BBC Wales Sport: “I hope Cardiff City can stay up for a long time, I pray we stay in the Premier League.
“Neil Warnock proved the bookies and the pundits wrong last season. I believe in him and supported him through the transfer window.
“He is reasonable in his requests, while we believe we have the players to stay in this League.”
Tan has not watched many Cardiff away games, but he explained he was in Europe on business and decided to make his first trip to Huddersfield.
“Our stadium will be packed for home matches, everybody is in a great mood.”
Tan abandoned his usual Bluebirds’ replica shirt for shirt and blazer which were more suitable for the directors box.
City goalkeeper Neil Etheridge kept his second consecutive clean sheet and the Bluebirds earned a draw against Huddersfield Town, but they could so easily have won after the home team, had captain Jonathan Hogg sent off.
Cardiff are still without a Premier goal after three fixtures and failed to score against 10-man opposition for the second game in a row.
Hogg was sent off just after the hour in a first top flight clash between these clubs since 1956. He clashed with Harry Arter in the penalty area.
Referee Michael Oliver missed the incident, but spoke to one of his assistants and then called the players to him. Arter was booked, while Hogg was dismissed on a straight red.
But having sent Hogg off, Oliver failed to award Cardiff a penalty. The feeling was that the referee gave a foul against Arter before Hogg reacted.
The home team ran out of ideas in the final third and rarely looked dangerous, while City seemed content to keep things tight and perhaps wait for set-piece opportunities.
Both teams were rocked following a bad collision early on between Huddersfield goalkeeper Ben Hamer and Cardiff’s Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who was treated for five minutes on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher.
It looked like a knee injury which could keep him out for some time, while Hamer was able to carry on until he signalled he had to go off with 13 minutes gone with Danish goalkeeper Jonas Lossl taking over.
Substitute Callum Paterson replaced Mendez-Laing which meant City lost power and pace out wide, but gained in physical presence and an aerial threat posed by the Scottish midfield player.
“Nathaniel is not in a good way, but we won’t know for a few days until the swelling goes down,” said Warnock.
“We looked a bit nervous in the second half and that disappointed me, nut our goalie didn’t have a shot to save and I was delighted with the shape of the team.
“Overall, the lads did okay. Our fans turned out in force and the longer this game went on the better we became and protected our goalkeeper really well.”
Cardiff, wearing luminous green strip, continued to frustrate Huddersfield and the longer the game went on the more it seemed the visitors were drawing new confidence.
City sent on substitute Danny Ward for the tiring Kenneth Zohore, who had given everything in his lone attacking role.
Huddersfield were dominating possession at 72 per cent at one stage, but the loss of Hogg gave Cardiff new impetus.
Ward was lively, sharp and went desperately close to scoring when Murphy underlined his ability with a dazzling run. Victor Camarasa joined in and Ward went for goal, but goalkeeper Lossl saved superbly with an outstretched foot.
Moments later Sean Morrison had a great chance from a Joe Ralls corner, but sent his header went wide.
Home fans jeered Arter whenever he was on the ball after Hogg’s dismissal, but Cardiff were pressing against the 10-man home team.
Paterson showed great composure when he spotted an opportunity and his pass sent substitute Bobby Decordova-Reid and Murphy into dangerous areas.
Either could have scored and one of them probably should have netted.
Cardiff earned six corners during the second half and Decordova-Reid went close again when he forced the last of those. Paterson produced more good work and Reid’s effort was deflected wide.
Overall, neither team had enough attacking quality to break the deadlock and Cardiff have to work on finding ways to score goals.
Ralls and Arter impressed in midfield. Both have the energy levels to compete at full capacity for 90 minutes and they gave everything in the cause.
The introduction of Decordova-Reid added a new dimension in attack for Cardiff. He played a little deeper then Ward and has the movement to trouble defences.
The former Bristol City player will, like Murphy, improve as he adapts to Premier League football.
Their next three League fixtures are against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City and that’s going to test the Bluebirds to their limits.
Huddersfield Town: Hamer (Lossl 13), Hadergjonaj, M Jorgensen, Schindler, Kongolo, Hogg, Billing, Ivan La Parra, Mooy, Diakhaby (Mbenza 69), Mounie (Depoitre 80). Subs not used: Smith, Löwe, Mbenza, Depoitre, Pritchard, Stankovic.
Cardiff City: Etheridge, Manga, Morrison (capt), Bamba, Bennett, Ralls, Mendez-Laing (Paterson 8), Camarasa (Decordova-Reid 75), Arter, Murphy, Zohore (D Ward 59). Subs not used: Peltier, Alex Smithies (gk), Cunningham, Madine
Referee: Michael Oliver.
Attendance: 21,193.
