Wed May 20, 2020 9:24 am
The big bargain buys
By Glenn Jones
Wednesday 20th May 2020
Neil Warnock had his troubles in the transfer market (we'll come on to that later...), but telling Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett to hold out for him to join Cardiff City back in 2016 proved an excellent decision.
Already the wrong side of 30, and having jumped to a different club every other year until then, supporters could be forgiven for being sceptical about Bamba, but they were glad to be proven wrong. The decision by Leeds United to terminate his contract, just hours after the summer window closed in 2016, was the Bluebirds' gain.
He was a colossus in the promotion-winning season of 2017/18 and was one of City's shining lights in the Premier League campaign, scoring four goals in his 28 appearances before that horrendous knee injury curtailed his season in March.
Importantly, though, he has ingrained himself in the fabric of the club and, with plans in place for him to progress to the coaching staff when he hangs up his boots, he will be around for some time yet.
Hoilett, meanwhile, was practically unplayable in that promotion season, practically spearheading the Cardiff City attack from the wing.
City fans hope there is a lot more to come from him yet, too.