Young Player of the Season
ANOTHER campaign is over and done with after the Bluebirds missed out on a late-season play-off push.
They left themselves with a mountain to climb in the end, but Mick McCarthy so very nearly inspired the most unlikely of surges into the top six. Alas, it wasn’t to be.
Still, there were huge positives to take from the season, as well as some negatives, and the end of a campaign is always the perfect time to reflect upon what has happened in the last 12 months and what simply must be done this summer.
Following a survey of more than 2,000 Cardiff City fans, here is what they have made of the 2020/21 season...
Player of the Season
OK, well let’s get this one out of the way early doors because, as you might imagine, the winner is no surprise.
Kieffer Moore claimed the WalesOnline readers’ Cardiff City Player of the Season. The striker, who was signed for £2m from Wigan ahead of the campaign, has been a revelation in the Welsh capital.
Even when times were bad, the forward chipped in consistently with goals throughout the campaign.
When he was injured during December it coincided with Neil Harris’ nightmare run of defeats and it simply emphasised just how crucial to this side he had become. The Wales international was simply irreplaceable.
The striker hit 20 league goals this season, a feat which has not been done for the Bluebirds since Peter Whittingham in the 2009/10 season.
He is a worthy winner with 73 per cent of the vote (1704 votes), while Sean Morrison was in second place with 15 per cent (351 votes) and Will Vaulks in third place with a three per cent share (81 votes).
ONE of the highlights of the season has been the emergence of so much promising young talent.
We asked readers to name the best player who began the season under 23 years of age.
We have seen so many bright academy players burst onto the scene this season, having been given their chances by both Harris and McCarthy.
But one player did come out the clear winner.
Tom Sang scoops the award for WalesOnline readers’ Young Player of the Season, with 45 per cent of the vote (1018 votes).
In the back-half of the campaign,
Sang has been something of a revelation. Having been played out of position at right-back, he appears to have found his home.
Sang, 21, took to Championship football like a duck to water and looks a real prospect ahead of next season and beyond. Perry Ng will have a real scrap on his hands to keep hold of that rightback spot.
Joel Bagan came in second place with 22 percent of the vote (506 votes), a commendable feat given he managed only eight appearances before his shoulder dislocation at Huddersfield. He will have a big say in proceedings next term, no doubt.
And in third place was Mark Harris, who had 13 per cent of the vote (285 votes). The striker enjoyed a breakthrough campaign himself, having scored three goals, but will hope for more involvement next term.
Who should be sold?
AS we look ahead to the summer transfer window, we asked readers to name the player who they believe should be sold.
McCarthy has already alluded to the fact the club might have to drum up some cash in order to fund some transfers in the window and that could see a sizeable player turnaround.
When asked who should be sold, WalesOnline readers’ most common answer was Josh Murphy.
The winger enjoyed a brief resurgence when McCarthy first took charge, but either side of that has blown cold rather than hot.
The next most common answer was Marlon Pack.
There is an overwhelming desire from Cardiff fans to see that midfield revamped this summer, with it often being branded one-dimensional and slow with a real dearth of creativity or spark.
It seems this vote is a manifestation of that school of thought, with Vaulks having been the pick of the bunch and Joe Ralls a favourite among supporters in Cardiff.
And third on the list was Lee Tomlin. This was no doubt borne out of frustration following the player’s absence this season.
He was the club’s Player of the Season last year, indeed he came second in last year’s edition of the WalesOnline fan survey for that accolade, and his injury woes have really plagued him this term.
There were other notable mentions for Robert Glatzel, who has been placed on the transfer list, and Leandro Bacuna. place, fans voted for Cardiff to sign a winger, with a nine per cent share (201 votes).