Up close and personal: Cardiff City

In the build-up to fixture release day we are taking a look at each of the Sky Bet Championship newcomers. Up next, Cardiff City.

Nickname: 

The Bluebirds

Stadium: 

The Cardiff City Stadium

Manager: 

Neil Warnock

Recent history:

Cardiff were promoted to the second-tier of English football in 2003 and steadily progressed their league positions until they gained promotion to the Premier League a decade later in 2013.

However, the Bluebirds finished bottom in their first top-flight season and were subsequently relegated. Four more seasons in the Sky Bet Championship eventually ended when Neil Warnock led them to a second promotion to the Premier League, but once again they failed to survive relegation and will start this coming campaign back in the second-tier.

Current squad:

Upon promotion to the Premier League the Bluebirds strengthened their squad by signing Josh Murphy, Bobby Reid and Greg Cunningham. 

A strong defensive base that had helped them progress from the Championship of Sol Bamba, Bruno Ecuele Manga and Sean Morrison wasn’t quite enough to keep the Bluebirds up.

Previous meetings: 

The last showdown between Albion and Cardiff City was in 2014, as Morgan Amalfitano and Graham Dorrans fired the Baggies into an early lead but Jordan Mutch and Steven Caulker replied by levelling with just under 20 minutes to play. 

Thievy Bifouma netted in stoppage time for Albion, but Mats Moller Daehli scored a last-ditch equaliser to ensure that the points were shared.

Two years prior to that clash Albion had knocked Cardiff out of the FA Cup with a 4-2 victory at The Hawthorns. Peter Odemwingie put Albion in front with Simon Cox extending the advantage before former-Baggie Robert Earnshaw equalised. 

Joe Mason levelled for the Bluebirds but Simon Cox grabbed another two goals to seal a hat-trick for himself and the win for Albion.

Head to head: