Neil Warnock. Pic: Getty Images.

Warnock Pledges Full Senior Turn-Out At Taffs Well

There are less than 500 tickets left for Cardiff City’s pre-season match against Taffs Well at Rhiw Darr on Friday (7pm).

More than 2,500 have already been sold and the fixture is expected to be a sell-out.

Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock has pledged that all of his senior players, probably with the exception of Aron Gunnarsson, will be at the match.

Some, though, will be rested and watch from the sidelines with a few under-23s given their chance.

New Bluebirds’ goalkeeper Alex Smithies. Pic: Cardiff City.

New signings Greg Cunningham, Josh Murphy, Bobby Reid and goalkeeper Alex Smithies will be at Rhiw Ddar along with Matthew Hall, the young goalkeeper signed from Bangor City.

Cardiff have spent £24m in transfer fees so far, while he has agreed a loan deal with Liverpool over the return of Marko Grujic for the 2018-19 season.

Warnock says he still has transfer cash available, but his priority is to add a loan striker.

That will complete his squad and the manager, speaking during a Q&A evening at Nathaniel Cars, said: “I’d like to bring a player in on loan before the deadline, but we can’t rush that one.

“I have spent £24m and should probably have £10m available, but I’m not bothered about spending that if I can find the right loan player.

“Our wage bill is just over half of Huddersfield Town’s, but that should not worry us. It just means we have more to prove next season.

“We have a solid group of professionals and young, hungry  players who will excite fans.

“Our squad overall is a lot more balanced moving forward.”

Anthony Pilkington’s goal earned Cardiff City a win against Welsh League Division One club Taffs Well a year ago, ahead of their 2017-18 promotion-winning season.

Goalkeeper Neil Etheridge, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Danny Ward and Loic Damour all played their first appearances for the Bluebirds at Taffs Well in that game and Warnock changed the entire starting line-up at half-time.

Proceeds from the charity fixture go towards supporting Rookwood and Velindre hospitals.

Cardiff start their pre-season tour to Cornwall and Devon this weekend with the first game of that trip against Truro City on Sunday (2pm).

Warnock’s squad also play Rotherham United, Burton Albion and Scottish Championship outfit Greenock Morton away before their final pre-season match against Spanish club Real Betis at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, August 4, who finished sixth in La Liga last season.

For ticket information on the Taff’s Well clash, click here.

Cardiff pre-season fixtures

July

Friday 13: Taffs Well FC v Cardiff City (Rhiw’r Ddar, 7pm)

Sunday 15: Truro City v Cardiff City u-23 (Treyew Road, 2pm)

Monday 16: Tavistock AFC v Cardiff City (Langsford Park, 7pm)

Tuesday 17: AFC St Austell v Cardiff City u-23 (Poltair Park, 7pm)

Wednesday 18: Bodmin Town v Cardiff City (Priory Park, 7pm).

Thursday 19: Porthleven FC v Cardiff City u-23 (Gala Parc, 7pm).

Friday 20: Torquay United v Cardiff City (Plainmoor, 7pm).

Saturday 21: Liskeard Athletic v Cardiff City u-23 (Lux Park, 2pm).

Wednesday 25: Rotherham United v Cardiff City (New York Stadium, 7.45pm).

Saturday 28: Burton Albion v Cardiff City (Pirelli Stadium, 2pm)

Tuesday 31: Greenock Morton v Cardiff City (Cappielow Park, 7.45pm)

August

Saturday 4 Cardiff City v Real Betis (Cardiff City Stadium, 5.15pm)

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