Cardiff City F.C. Player of the Year
List of winners
Table:
Season
Name
Position
Nationality
Caps
Notes

1995
David Williams
Goalkeeper
England
—
Won the award in his first season with Cardiff

1998
Jon Hallworth
Goalkeeper
England
—
Won the award in his first season with Cardiff

1999
Kevin Nugent
Forward
England
—

2000
Andy Legg
Midfielder/Defender
Wales
5

2001
Andy Legg
Midfielder
Wales
6
Second Award

2002
Graham Kavanagh
Midfielder
Republic of Ireland
8

2003
Robert Earnshaw
Forward
Wales
11

2004
Tony Vidmar
Defender
Australia
76

2005
Chris Barker
Defender
England
—

2006
Jason Koumas
Midfielder
Wales
24

2007
Michael Chopra
Forward
England
—

2008
Roger Johnson
Defender
England
—

2009
Roger Johnson
Defender
England
—
Second Award

2010
Peter Whittingham
Midfielder
England
—

2011
Kevin McNaughton
Defender
Scotland
4

2012
Peter Whittingham
Midfielder
England
—
Second Award

2013
Mark Hudson
Defender
England
—

2014
David Marshall
Goalkeeper
Scotland
11

2015
Bruno Ecuele Manga
Defender
Gabon
41
Won the award in his first season with Cardiff

2016
Matthew Connolly
Defender
England
—

Looking at the provided table as well as the context paragraphs provided at the end.

Answer the following question: For how many years did the player from the Republic of Ireland play ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}. Avoid adding external knowledge.

In sport , a cap is a metaphorical term for a player 's appearance in a game at international level . The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football . In the early days of football , the concept of each team wearing a set of matching shirts had not been universally adopted , so each side would distinguish itself from the other by wearing a specific sort of cap . An early illustration of the first international football match between Scotland and England in 1872 shows the Scottish players wearing cowls , and the English wearing a variety of school caps . The practice was first approved on 10 May 1886 for association football after a proposal made by N. Lane Jackson , founder of the Corinthians :
The 1994-95 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 68th season in the Football League . They competed in the 24-team Division Two , then the third tier of English football , finishing twenty-second , suffering relegation to Division Three . After three months of the season , manager Eddie May was sacked from his position and replaced by Terry Yorath . However Yorath 's spell in charge saw the side plummet to the bottom of the table and Yorath was also sacked and remarkably replaced by the man he took over from in Eddie May .
David Peter Williams ( born 18 September 1968 ) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper . He made 112 appearances in the Football League , and then played English non-league football for Stalybridge Celtic and in Wales for several clubs .
The goalkeeper , often shortened to keeper or goalie , is one of the major positions of association football . It is the most specialised position in the sport . The goalkeeper 's primary role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring ( moving the ball over the defended goal-line within the frame of the goal ) . This is accomplished by the goalkeeper moving into the path of the ball and either catching it or directing it away from the vicinity of the goal line . Within the penalty area goalkeepers are able to use their hands , making them ( outside throw-ins ) the only players on the field permitted to handle the ball . The special status of goalkeepers is indicated by them wearing different coloured kits from their teammates . The back-pass rule prevents goalkeepers handling direct passes back to them from teammates . Goalkeepers usually perform goal kicks , and also give commands to their defence during corner kicks , direct and indirect free kicks , and marking . Goalkeepers play an important role in directing on field strategy as they have an unrestricted view of the entire pitch , giving them a unique perspective on play development . The goalkeeper is the only required position of a team . If they are injured or sent off , a substitute goalkeeper has to take their place , otherwise an outfield player must take the ejected keeper 's place in goal . In order to replace a goalkeeper who is sent off , a team usually substitutes an outfield player for the backup keeper ( thus effectively the red card and substitution takes out two of the starting eleven players ) .
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It shares land borders with Wales to the west and Scotland to the north . The Irish Sea lies west of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest . England is separated from continental Europe by the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south . The country covers five-eighths of the island of Great Britain , which lies in the North Atlantic , and includes over 100 smaller islands , such as the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight . It is the largest country of British Isles . The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Palaeolithic period , but takes its name from the Angles , a Germanic tribe deriving its name from the Anglia peninsula , who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries . England became a unified state in the 10th century , and since the Age of Discovery , which began during the 15th century , has had a significant cultural and legal impact on the wider world . The English language , the Anglican Church , and English law - the basis for the common law legal systems of many other countries around the world - developed in England , and the country 's parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations . The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England , transforming its society into the world 's first industrialised nation . England 's terrain is chiefly low hills and plains , especially in central and southern England . However , there is upland and mountainous terrain in the north ( for example , the Lake District and Pennines ) and in the west ( for example , Dartmoor and the Shropshire Hills ) .
The 1997-98 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 71st season in the Football League . They competed in the 24-team Division Three , then the fourth tier of English football , finishing twenty-first . The season also saw the launch of the FAW Premier Cup with Cardiff reaching the final before losing 2-1 to Wrexham .
Jonathan Geoffrey Hallworth ( born 26 October 1965 ) is an English former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper .
The 1998-99 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 72nd season in the Football League . They competed in the 24-team Division Three , then the fourth tier of English football , finishing third , winning promotion to Division Two .
Kevin Patrick Nugent ( born 10 April 1969 ) is an English former professional footballer and manager .
Forwards are the players on a football ( soccer ) team who play nearest to the opposing team 's goal , and are therefore most responsible for scoring goals . Their advanced position and limited defensive responsibilities mean forwards normally score more goals on behalf of their team than other players . Modern team formations generally include one to three forwards ; for example , the common 4-2-3-1 formation includes one forward . Unconventional formations may include more than three forwards , or none .
The 1999-2000 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 73rd season in the Football League . They competed in the 24-team Division Two , then the third tier of English football , finishing twenty-first , suffering relegation to Division Three . During the season manager Frank Burrows parted company with the club , being replaced by Billy Ayre .
Andrew Legg ( born 28 July 1966 ) is a Welsh football manager and former Wales international player who currently works as a coach for the Cardiff City under-23 side . Born in Neath , he began his professional career with Swansea City after joining the club from local non-league football at the age of 22 . He made his senior debut in 1988 and went on to make over 150 appearances for the club in all competitions before being sold to Notts County in 1993 . He also played for Birmingham City , Ipswich Town , Reading , Peterborough United , Cardiff City and Newport County . He was known for having the longest throw-in in football , being able to regularly throw the ball over 30 metres and once held the world record with a distance of 44.6 m ( 48.8 yards ) .
A midfielder is an association football position . Midfielders are generally positioned on the field between their team 's defenders and forwards . Some midfielders play a disciplined defensive role , breaking up attacks , and are otherwise known as defensive midfielders . Others blur the boundaries , being more mobile and efficient in passing : they are commonly referred to as deep-lying midfielders , play-makers , box-to-box , or holding midfielders . The number of midfielders on a team and their assigned roles depends on the team 's formation ; the collective group of these players on the field is sometimes referred to as the midfield . Most managers assign at least one midfielder to disrupt the opposing team 's attacks , while others may be tasked with creating goals , or have equal responsibilities between attack and defence . Midfielders are the players who typically travel the greatest distance during a match . Because midfielders arguably have the most possession during a game they are among the fittest players on the pitch .
In the sport of association football , a defender is an outfield player whose primary roles is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposing team from scoring goals . Centre backs are usually are in pairs , with 2 full-backs to their left and right , but can come in threes with no full backs There are four types of defenders : centre-back , sweeper , full-back , and wing-back . The centre-back and full-back positions are essential in most modern formations . The sweeper and wing-back roles are more specialized for certain formations .
Wales ( Welsh : Cymru [ ˈkəmri ] ( listen ) ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It is bordered by England to the east , the Irish Sea to the north and west , and the Bristol Channel to the south . It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 ( 8,023 sq mi ) . Wales has over 1,680 miles ( 2,700 km ) of coastline and is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas , including Snowdon ( Yr Wyddfa ) , its highest summit . The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable , maritime climate . Welsh national identity emerged among the Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century , and Wales is regarded as one of the modern Celtic nations . Llywelyn ap Gruffudd 's death in 1282 marked the completion of Edward I of England 's conquest of Wales , though Owain Glyndŵr briefly restored independence to Wales in the early 15th century . The whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century . Welsh Liberalism , exemplified in the early 20th century by Lloyd George , was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party . Welsh national feeling grew over the century ; Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925 and the Welsh Language Society in 1962 . Established under the Government of Wales Act 1998 , the National Assembly for Wales holds responsibility for a range of devolved policy matters .
The 2000-01 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 74th season in the Football League . They competed in the 24-team Division Third , then the fourth tier of English football , finishing second , winning promotion to Division Two . During the season the club was taken over by Lebanese businessman Sam Hammam , whose investment in the club would later see Cardiff win two promotions in the next four years .
During the 2001-02 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Division Two . They finished in fourth place before losing to Stoke City in the play-off semi finals after extra time in the second leg .
Graham Anthony Kavanagh ( born 2 December 1973 ) is an Irish football manager and former professional player . Kavanagh had a 19-year-long career and played for Middlesbrough , Stoke City , Cardiff City , Wigan Athletic , Sunderland , Sheffield Wednesday and Carlisle United . He also played 16 games for the Republic of Ireland national football team , scoring once .
Ireland ( Irish : Éire [ ˈeːɾʲə ] ( listen ) ) , also known as the Republic of Ireland ( Poblacht na hÉireann ) , is a country in north-western Europe occupying 26 of 32 counties of the island of Ireland . The capital and largest city is Dublin , which is located on the eastern side of the island . Around a third of the country 's population of 4.9 million people resides in the greater Dublin area . The sovereign state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland , a part of the United Kingdom . It is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the Celtic Sea to the south , St George 's Channel to the south-east , and the Irish Sea to the east . It is a unitary , parliamentary republic . The legislature , the Oireachtas , consists of a lower house , Dáil Éireann , an upper house , Seanad Éireann , and an elected President ( Uachtarán ) who serves as the largely ceremonial head of state , but with some important powers and duties . The head of government is the Taoiseach ( Prime Minister , literally 'Chief ' , a title not used in English ) , who is elected by the Dáil and appointed by the President ; the Taoiseach in turn appoints other government ministers . The state was created as the Irish Free State in 1922 as a result of the Anglo-Irish Treaty . It had the status of Dominion until 1937 when a new constitution was adopted , in which the state was named Ireland and effectively became a republic , with an elected non-executive president as head of state . It was officially declared a republic in 1949 , following the Republic of Ireland Act 1948 . Ireland became a member of the United Nations in December 1955 .
During the 2002-03 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Division Two . They finished in six place and were promoted to Division One after beating Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final in Cardiff . The season also saw Robert Earnshaw break the 56 year record of 30 league goals held by Stan Richards and the record of Hughie Ferguson of 32 goals in all competitions .
Robert Earnshaw ( born 6 April 1981 ) is a Welsh former international footballer who played as a forward . He is the only player to have scored a hat-trick in the Premier League , all three divisions of the English Football League , the League Cup , the FA Cup , and for his country in an international match . Born in Zambia and raised in South Wales , Earnshaw joined Cardiff City as a Youth Training Scheme ( YTS ) trainee in 1997 , and turned professional a year later . After making his debut at the age of sixteen , he spent a brief spell on loan with Greenock Morton before establishing himself in the first team . His prolific goalscoring saw him break several club records as he helped the club win promotion to the First Division in 2003 . Scoring over 30 times in the First Division following promotion , he joined Premier League club West Bromwich Albion for £3.5 million in August 2004 . He played for several English clubs before later in his career playing in Israel , Canada , and the United States . After leaving Cardiff City in 2004 , Earnshaw 's transfer fees totalled £12,650,000 . He made his international debut for Wales in 2002 and scored 16 goals in 59 games for the national side , making him its seventh-highest all-time goalscorer .
During the 2003-04 season Cardiff City played in Division One of the Football League . It was the team 's first year in the Division One since being promoted from Division Two .
Antony Tony Vidmar ( /ˈvɪdmɑːr/ VID-mar ; born 4 July 1970 in Adelaide ) is an Australian former football ( soccer ) player and coach , who currently serves as an assistant coach with the Australia national association football team . He was a member of the Australian national team , competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona for his native country , and with 76 caps , is one of Australia 's most capped players . His brother Aurelio Vidmar was also an Australian football player .
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia , is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent , the island of Tasmania , and numerous smaller islands . It is the largest country in Oceania and the world 's sixth-largest country by total area . The population of 26 million is highly urbanised and heavily concentrated on the eastern seaboard . Australia 's capital is Canberra , and its largest city is Sydney . The country 's other major metropolitan areas are Melbourne , Brisbane , Perth , and Adelaide . Indigenous Australians inhabited the continent for about 65,000 years prior to the first arrival of Dutch explorers in the early 17th century , who named it New Holland . In 1770 , Australia 's eastern half was claimed by Great Britain and initially settled through penal transportation to the colony of New South Wales from 26 January 1788 , a date which became Australia 's national day . The population grew steadily in subsequent decades , and by the time of an 1850s gold rush , most of the continent had been explored and an additional five self-governing crown colonies established . On 1 January 1901 , the six colonies federated , forming the Commonwealth of Australia . Australia has since maintained a stable liberal democratic political system that functions as a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy , comprising six states and ten territories . Australia is the oldest , flattest , and driest inhabited continent , with the least fertile soils . It has a landmass of 7,617,930 square kilometres ( 2,941,300 sq mi ) .
During the 2004-05 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship . It was the team 's second year in the Championship since being promoted from League One . The season was also the last that manager Lennie Lawrence spent at the club before being replaced by Dave Jones at the end of the season .
Christopher Andrew Barker ( 2 March 1980 - 1 January 2020 ) was an English professional footballer who played as a defender . He represented Alfreton Town , Barnsley , Cardiff City , Stoke City , Colchester United , Queens Park Rangers , Plymouth Argyle and Southend United , and he was player-manager of Aldershot Town for three months in 2015 . His brother , Richie , is also a professional footballer .
During the 2005-06 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship . It was the club 's third year in the Championship since being promoted from League One .
Jason Koumas ( born 25 September 1979 ) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played for Tranmere Rovers , Cardiff City , West Bromwich Albion and Wigan Athletic , as well as the Welsh national team . He was selected in both the 2005-06 and 2006-07 Football League Championship team of the season . On 12 May 2016 , Leon Barton wrote in a long blog post for The Guardian that Koumas 's talent - often described as mercurial - was no less than Steven Gerrard 's , but that he had lacked the spirit and determination to succeed at the highest level .
During the 2006-07 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship . It was the team 's fourth year in the Championship since being promoted from League One . The season also saw a change of chairman at the club when Sam Hammam handed over control to Peter Ridsdale .
Rocky Michael Chopra ( born 23 December 1983 ) is an English professional footballer who last played as a striker for the Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League . A product of the Newcastle United youth system , he spent six years at the club without managing to secure a regular first team place , instead spending time on loan at Watford , Nottingham Forest , and Barnsley . He was sold to Cardiff City for £500,000 in June 2006 , and won a place on the PFA Team of the Year for his performances in the 2006-07 season . He then made a £5 million move to Premier League side Sunderland in July 2007 , before returning to Cardiff on a loan deal that was made permanent in July 2009 for £3 million . He again was included in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2009-10 campaign , before being sold on to Ipswich Town for £1 million in June 2011 . He joined Blackpool on a free transfer in July 2013 , before moving to the Indian Super League with Kerala Blasters for the inaugural 2014 season . Chopra signed for Scottish Championship club Alloa Athletic in March 2015 , playing for the side for a year before being released in March 2016 . He has represented England at the under-16 , under-17 , under-19 and under-20 levels . In 2006 , he scored what was then the fastest goal by a substitute in Premier League history , scoring after being on the pitch for 15 seconds . With an Indian father , he was also the first player of Indian parentage to play and score in the Premier League . A gambling addiction made him fall in severe debt and he had to seek professional help to overcome his addiction .
During the 2007-08 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship . It was the team 's fifth year in the Championship since being promoted from League One . The season was the first full year in charge for chairman Peter Ridsdale after taking over from Sam Hammam the previous year .
Roger Johnson ( born 28 April 1983 ) is an English footballer who plays as a central defender and is currently a free agent . Johnson began his career with Wycombe Wanderers , where he spent six years as a professional . He then joined Welsh side Cardiff City in 2006 for £275,000 . He was part of the team that reached the 2008 FA Cup Final and was twice chosen as the club 's Player of the Year in his three-year stint with the club . He moved into the Premier League by signing for Birmingham City in 2009 for £5 million , with whom he won the 2011 League Cup . He departed Birmingham in 2011 after their relegation to join Midlands neighbours Wolverhampton Wanderers , with whom he suffered two further consecutive relegations , leading to his exclusion from first team involvement . After loan spells with Sheffield Wednesday and West Ham United , Johnson left Wolves by mutual consent , and spent the latter part of the 2014-15 season with Charlton Athletic . He played for Indian Super League club Pune City in 2015 before returning to Charlton in January 2016 . Released at the end of the season , Johnson signed a short-term contract with Bromley in October 2017 .
The 2008-09 season was Cardiff City 's sixth consecutive year playing in the Football League Championship and their 82nd season playing in The Football League . It was also the club 's final season playing at Ninian Park , their home ground since they entered The Football League in 1920 .
The 2009-10 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 83rd season in The Football League since joining in 1920 . The season was also the club 's first in the Cardiff City Stadium , replacing their former ground Ninian Park , which had been used by the club for 99 years . Cardiff had their most successful season in the Football League Championship finishing 4th making the play-offs for the Premier League . Cardiff narrowly missed out on promotion after losing 3-2 to Blackpool in the Final .
Peter Michael Whittingham /ˈhwɪtɪŋəm/ ( born 8 September 1984 ) is an English professional footballer who is a free agent who most recently played for EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers , being released on 31 August 2018 . His primary position is as a central midfielder , although he can operate as a winger on both the left and right , as well as a second-striker . He was part of the Aston Villa team that won the FA Youth Cup in 2002 , and a year later he made his Premier League debut . Whittingham had loans at Championship clubs Burnley and Derby County in 2005 . In January 2007 , he signed for Cardiff City for a fee of £350,000 . In eleven seasons at Cardiff , Whittingham played 457 competitive matches and scored 96 goals , putting him seventh all-time appearances list and ninth among their goalscorers . In his time at the club , they won the Championship in 2013 , and reached the 2008 FA Cup Final and 2012 Football League Cup Final . He was named three times in the Championship 's PFA Team of the Year , and his 20-goal haul in 2009-10 made him the division 's top scorer .
The 2010-11 season was Cardiff City F.C . 's 84th in the Football League since joining in 1920 . The season has been nicknamed I 'll be there , which is to promoted celebrating 100 years as a club under its current name . They will play their eighth consecutive year in the second tier of English football , the Football League Championship , after being beaten by Blackpool in the play-off final last season . Malaysian businessman Datuk Chan Tien Ghee became the successor of Peter Ridsdale as Cardiff City chairman . The £6m deal was confirmed on 27 May 2010 .
Kevin Paul McNaughton ( born 28 August 1982 ) is a Scottish professional footballer , who plays as a defender . A versatile player able to play anywhere in defence , he has also been utilised in a more defensive-minded midfield role . He began his career in the Scottish Premier League playing for Aberdeen for six years . He joined Cardiff City in 2006 , spending nine years at the Welsh side , making over 250 appearances . He had two loan spells at Bolton Wanderers before joining Wigan Athletic on a permanent basis in 2015 . He retired from playing football in 2017 , after a year with Inverness Caledonian Thistle , but reversed this decision in December 2017 after an injury crisis at Forfar Athletic , where he had joined as a coach the previous month .
Scotland ( Scots : Scotland , Scottish Gaelic : Alba [ ˈal̪ˠapə ] ( listen ) ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain , with a border with England to the southeast , and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west , the North Sea to the northeast , the Irish Sea to the south , and more than 790 islands , including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides . The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the European Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707 . By inheritance in 1603 , James VI , King of Scots , became king of England and Ireland , thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms . Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain . The union also created a new Parliament of Great Britain , which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England . In 1801 , Great Britain entered into a political union with Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ( in 1922 , the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom , leading to the latter being renamed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1927 ) . Within Scotland , the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles , titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland . The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland ; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law . The continued existence of legal , educational , religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 union with England . In 1997 , a Scottish Parliament was re-established , in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members , having authority over many areas of domestic policy . The head of the Scottish Government is the first minister of Scotland , who is supported by the deputy first minister of Scotland .
The 2011-12 season was the 85th season of competitive association football in the Football League played by Cardiff City Football Club . After suffering defeat in the Championship play-off semi-finals to Reading the previous year , Cardiff competed in the second tier of English football for the eighth consecutive year . The season covers the period between 1 July 2011 and 30 June 2012 . Malky Mackay was appointed manager at the start of the season and signed 9 players in the summer transfer window ahead of his first season in charge of the club . Cardiff occupied a place in the play-offs for the majority of the season and eventually finished the regular season in sixth position . During the season , Cardiff reached the Football League Cup final , however their first final in the competition ended in defeat against Liverpool .
The 2012-13 season was Cardiff 's 86th in the Football League after joining in 1920 . Cardiff were in their ninth consecutive season in the second tier following a third consecutive failure in the play-offs . Cardiff went under a re-branding during the close season meaning the home colours would be changed to red from the traditional blue , ending 104 years of the tradition . Cardiff were promoted to the Premier League during the season .
Mark Alexander Hudson ( born 30 March 1982 ) is an English former professional footballer who is currently a coach at Championship club Huddersfield Town , and was briefly caretaker manager in January 2019 . A centre-back , he began his professional career with Fulham after progressing through the club 's youth academy . He made his senior debut in a League Cup match in 2000 but made just two further first team appearances for Fulham . He spent two spells on loan with Oldham Athletic in 2003 before joining Crystal Palace on loan after Oldham manager Iain Dowie moved between the two clubs . He joined Palace on a permanent basis soon after as they spent one season in the Premier League before establishing himself in the first team following their return to the Championship . In 2008 , he joined Charlton Athletic following the expiration of his contract where he was later appointed captain of the side but suffered relegation to League One during his only season at the club . He instead joined Cardiff City and was appointed captain on his arrival . He helped the side reach the play-offs in his first three seasons , suffering defeat each time , before they won promotion to the Premier League by winning the Championship in 2013 . However , Hudson was dropped following promotion in favour of new signings and made only nine further appearances in over a year before departing for Huddersfield Town . He again took over the captaincy soon after his arrival and made over 100 appearances for the club during a three-year spell , helping them win promotion to the Premier League in his final season . He announced his retirement from playing at the end of the 2016-17 season and was appointed manager of the club 's under-23 squad .
The 2013-14 season was Cardiff City Football Club 's first season in the Premier League , and their first in the top division of English football since 1961-1962 . This ended ten consecutive years in the Football League second division . Overall , it was their 16th season competing in England 's top division .
David James Marshall ( born 5 March 1985 ) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Championship club Wigan Athletic and the Scotland national team . Marshall started his career at Celtic , where he came through the youth system and starred in a European victory against Barcelona . After losing his place at Celtic to Artur Boruc , Marshall moved to Norwich City ( initially on loan ) in 2007 . He moved to Cardiff City in 2009 , and helped them win promotion to the Premier League in 2013 . Marshall stayed with Cardiff until 2016 , when he was transferred to Hull City for £5 million . After three seasons with Hull he signed for Wigan Athletic . Marshall made his full international debut for Scotland in 2004 . He has since won 33 caps , having had to compete with Craig Gordon and Allan McGregor for the goalkeeping position in the national team .
The 2014-15 season was Cardiff City Football Club 's 98th season playing professional football and the 87th in the Football League . Cardiff were relegated from the Premier League during the last season , meaning an instant return to the Championship , the second tier in English football .
Bruno Ecuele Manga ( born 16 July 1988 ) is a Gabonese professional footballer who plays for Ligue 1 club Dijon and the Gabon national team . Ecuele Manga is known for being a tough tackler . After beginning his career with FC 105 Libreville in his home country , joined French side Bordeaux in 2006 . He played for the club 's reserve side and spent time on loan with lower division side Rodez but only one appearance for the senior side , before being released in 2018 . He subsequently joined Ligue 2 side Angers , making more than 50 appearances in two seasons before joining Lorient in 2010 for a fee of €2.5 million . He made his Ligue 1 debut with Lorient and went on to make more than 100 appearances in the top tier of French football . He was appointed club captain ahead of the 2012-13 season and remained in the role until 2014 when he signed for Championship side Cardiff City for €5 million . He spent four seasons in the division before helping the club win promotion to the Premier League after finishing as Championship runners-up in the 2017-18 season . Manga made his international debut for Gabon in 2006 and has accumulated 67 caps to date , representing the side at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments .
Gabon ( /ɡəˈbɒn/ ; French pronunciation : ​ [ ɡabɔ̃ ] ) , officially the Gabonese Republic ( French : République gabonaise ) , is a country on the west coast of Central Africa . Located on the equator , Gabon is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest , Cameroon to the north , the Republic of the Congo on the east and south , and the Gulf of Guinea to the west . It has an area of nearly 270,000 square kilometres ( 100,000 sq mi ) and its population is estimated at 2.1 million people . Its capital and largest city is Libreville . Since its independence from France in 1960 , the sovereign state of Gabon has had three presidents . In the early 1990s , Gabon introduced a multi-party system and a new democratic constitution that allowed for a more transparent electoral process and reformed many governmental institutions . Abundant petroleum and foreign private investment have helped make Gabon one of the most prosperous countries in Sub-Saharan Africa , with the 7th highest HDI and the fourth highest GDP per capita ( PPP ) ( after Mauritius , Equatorial Guinea and Seychelles ) in the region . GDP grew by more than 6% per year from 2010 to 2012 . However , because of inequality in income distribution , a significant proportion of the population remains poor .
The 2015-16 season is Cardiff City 's 99th season in their existence and the 88th in the Football League , their second consecutive season in the Championship . Along with competing in the Championship , the club will also participate in the FA Cup and League Cup . The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016 .
Matthew Thomas Martin Connolly ( born 24 September 1987 ) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Championship club Cardiff City . Having started his career at Arsenal he went moved to Queens Park Rangers , going on to win the Football League Championship in 2011 . It would be the first of three titles in four years , as he won the same division again on loan at Reading in 2012 and Cardiff in 2013 , whom he had joined permanently one year previously .