Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale has vigorously defended his £1million wages and bonus payment at the club's annual meeting.A shareholder at the meeting on Tuesday described Ridsdale's package as "alarming" and "extraordinary", according to the Western Mail.

But Ridsdale, who took his bonus as share options, said: "I could have taken the money and gone but chose not to. I invested the money straight back into the company. Had we not gone unconditional, I would have lost every penny.

"It was in March 2005 that I was first approached by your previous chairman (Sam Hammam) to come and look at the company and its finances. I accepted on the terms he offered - I think anybody would. I was offered something for a job I felt at the time was impossible and said 'thank you'.

"Thankfully, we achieved success. But I did not take the cash and invested it back into the company. I don't make any apology for the bonus."

The payments were also defended by Cardiff's new non-executive director Keith Harris, who praised the recent financial prudence at the club after they revealed operating profits of £750,000 in 2007-08. He insisted the salary was "absolutely in line with other chief executives within the Championship" while the bonus was "well deserved for his achievements so far."

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