Cardiff City Premier League Fixtures, Squad, Guide
Cardiff City are back in the big time, four years on from their solitary Premier League campaign, after Neil Warnock masterminded the eighth promotion of his career. Warnock has been busy in the summer transfer market, bringing in keeper Alex Smithies (QPR, £3.5m), midfielder Bobby Reid (Bristol City, £10m), defender Greg Cunningham (Preston North End, £3.5m) and midfielder Josh Murphy (Norwich City, £10m).
Annual wage bill – £20.6m (2017)
Annual income – £28.7m (2017)
Stadium Cardiff City (33,280)
Odds – 1,000-1 to win Premier League
FAN’S VIEW
Michael Morris, @cardiffcitymad
LAST SEASON WAS…
Fantastic. It was a promotion season, back in our blue shirts and finishing in the top two against all the odds.
OUR BIGGEST HERO
Sean Morrison. Skippered the side, led by example, defended like a hero and scored goals too – none more incredible that the second goal away at Hull where Cardiff all but confirmed their promotion when Morrison ran the length of the field to finish a breakaway move.
OUR BIGGEST VILLAIN
How can you pick a villain when your side gets promoted? Some players disappointed and were loaned out, but that’s football, they can’t all be winners. We brought in Lee Tomlin from Bristol City but had to loan him out. Omar Bogle showed glimpses but was also loaned out. Gary Madine was a hero at Bolton but came to us and didn’t get any breaks. We paid a lot of money for him.
YOUNGSTER TO WATCH
Mark Harris and Cameron Coxe are Welsh under-21 internationals and are the most recognisable names from the youth set-up. Both are aged 19. In the first-team squad Callum Paterson is only 23 but played a big part in our promotion.
MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER
Joe Bennett delivered consistently throughout last season and you’d just expect him to start every game. While other players made the headlines, Bennett got on with the job efficiently.
Aron Gunnarsson is fresh from his World Cup with Iceland (Getty Images)
HOPES & FEARS FOR 2018-19
The obvious answer is you hope not to be relegated and fear being beaten week in week out – but this time it feels different. Cardiff go into the new campaign with a different attitude and I expect to see a hard-working side that competes in every match and gives itself a chance of establishing itself at Premier League level.
Cardiff City Premier League Squad
Name Age/d.o.b. Signed/prev club
GOALKEEPERS
Neil Etheridge (Phi) (28) 07.02.90 2017 / Walsall
Chris Konopka (USA) (33) 14.04.85 2018 / Edmonton (USA)
Brian Murphy (RoI) (35) 07.05.83 2016 / Portsmouth
Alex Smithies (28) 05.03.90 2018 / QPR
DEFENDERS
Sol Bamba (IvC) (33) 13.01.85 2016 / Leeds United
Joe Bennett (28) 28.03.90 2016 / Aston Villa
Matthew Connolly (30) 24.09.87 2012 / QPR
Cameron Coxe (Wal) (19) 18.12.98 2005 / youth
Greg Cunningham (RoI) (27) 31.01.91 2018 / Preston North End
Bruno Ecuele Manga (Gab) (30) 16.07.88 2014 / Lorient (Fra)
Sean Morrison (27) 08.01.91 2014 / Reading
Lee Peltier (31) 11.12.86 2015 / Huddersfield Town
Jazz Richards (Wal) (27) 12.04.91 2016 / Fulham
MIDFIELDERS
Loic Damour (Fra) (27) 08.01.91 2017 / Bourg-Peronnas (Fra)
Aron Gunnarsson (Ice) (29) 22.04.89 2011 / Coventry City
Kadeem Harris (25) 08.06.93 2012 / Wycombe Wanderers
Mark Harris (Wal) (19) 29.12.98 2017 / youth
Junior Hoilett (Can) (28) 05.06.90 2016 / QPR
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (26) 15.04.92 2017 / Rochdale
Josh Murphy (23) 24.02.95 2018 / Norwich City
Stuart O’Keefe (27) 04.03.91 2015 / Crystal Palace
Callum Paterson (Sco) (23) 13.10.94 2017 / Hearts (Sco)
Anthony Pilkington (RoI) (30) 06.06.88 2014 / Norwich City
Joe Ralls (24) 13.10.93 2010 / Farnborough
Bobby Reid (25) 02.02.93 2018 / Bristol City
Lee Tomlin (29) 12.01.89 2017 / Bristol City
Harry Arter (RoI) (28) 28.12.89 2010 / Cardiff
Victor Camarasa (Spa) (24) 28.05.1994 2018 / Real Betis
FORWARDS
Omar Bogle (25) 26.07.93 2017 / Wigan Athletic
Rhys Healey (23) 06.12.94 2013 / Connah’s Quay (Wal)
Gary Madine (27) 24.08.90 2018 / Bolton Wanderers
Ibrahim Meite (22) 01.06.96 2017 / Harrow Borough
Danny Ward (26) 11.12.91 2017 / Rotherham United
Kenneth Zohore (Den) (24) 31.01.94 2016 / KV Kortrijk (Blg)
MANAGER
Neil Warnock (69) 01.12.48 2016 / Rotherham United
Neil Warnock led Cardiff back to the big time last season (getty Images)
Cardiff City Premier League Fixtures
Aug 11 Bournemouth (a) – lost 2-0
Aug 18 Newcastle (h) – drew 0-0
Aug 25 Huddersfield (a) – drew 0-0
Sep 2 Arsenal (h) – lost 3-2
Sep 15 Chelsea (a) – lost 4-1
Sep 22 Man City (h) – lost 5-0
Sep 30 Burnley (h) – lost 2-1
Oct 6 Tottenham (a) – lost 1-0
Oct 20 Fulham (h) – won 4-2
Oct 27 Liverpool (a) – lost 4-1
Nov 3 Leicester (h) – lost 1-0
Nov 10 Brighton (h)
Nov 24 Everton (a)
Dec 1 Wolves (h)
Dec 4 West Ham (a)
Dec 8 Southampton (h)
Dec 15 Watford (a)
Dec 22 Man Utd (h)
Dec 26 Crystal Palace (a)
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Dec 29 Leicester (a)
Jan 1 Tottenham (h)
Jan 12 Huddersfield (h)
Jan 19 Newcastle (a)
Jan 29 Arsenal (a)
Feb 2 Bournemouth (h)
Feb 9 Southampton (a)
Feb 23 Watford (h)
Feb 26 Cardiff (h)
Mar 2 Wolves (a)
Mar 9 West Ham (h)
Mar 16 Brighton (a)
Mar 30 Chelsea (h)
Apr 6 Man City (a)
Apr 13 Burnley (a)
Apr 20 Liverpool (h)
Apr 27 Fulham (a)
May 4 Crystal Palace (h)
May 12 Man Utd (a)
