Cardiff City supporters have been riled again this week as the club’s owner Vincent Tan again publicly undermined the manager. Stating that Malky Mackay would not “be given a single penny,” Tan is asserting his authority over the manager.

This is a man who has already changed the colour of the kit from blue to red, replaced the bluebird — the focal point of the badge — with a dragon and sacked the widely respected head of recruitment with a young family friend.

The growth of the wealthy, arrogant owner is seen across the beautiful game, notably at Hull City where their owner is attempting to change the name to be more “brandable.” It is no surprise, therefore, that we are witnessing a backlash among fans against the modern game.

I’ve been fortunate to stumble across the phenomenon of Clapton FC since moving to London a few months ago. While doing a bit of ground-hopping in the Essex Senior League I was surprised to see a decent crowd, let alone the chanting and banners that were to be found.

With anti-fascist flags draped across the front of the stand and a range of chants from Desmond Dekker’s music to that of the Pussy Cat Dolls, I knew I had found my new footballing home.

What really stood out for me, however, was the Welsh flag that was in the middle of the lot. I received a great welcome from everyone and became the newest recruit of the fans’ “Welsh Division.”

Clapton play at the oldest senior ground in London, the beautifully named Old Spotted Dog Ground. With just one stand and one terrace, it is perfect for a football purist like myself. The terrace is build out of scaffolding that the fans have embraced by calling themselves the “Scaffold Brigada.”

Trying to replicate the ultras movement that is seen across the continent, the noise is constant and there is some use of pyrotechnics, despite the Essex League’s protestations.

The players and management love it, and come over and join in the chanting at the end of games. Can you imagine the same happening at Chelsea or even Leyton Orient?

Of course, the standard of football isn’t great. But football is so much more than that. The noise I witnessed upon walking to my first game was reminiscent of that outside Ninian Park in the good days watching Cardiff and I’ve really been swept off my feet with the club, not having missed a game since my first.

Three seasons ago, Clapton’s average attendance was only 25. By now, there are at least 50 regulars with crowds often topping the 100 mark. This is surely a sign of dissatisfaction with professional football as a whole.

Football without fans is nothing. Wrexham fans have succeeded in taking over their club, Swansea had to suffer at the hands of a greedy owner before being able to reach where they are today.

Even Barry Town in the Welsh First Division have suffered. It is time to retaliate. Clapton is a model to do so and the Welsh framework is already in place.