Full Circle vs Reading: Where Are Cardiff City’s 2018 Promotion Heroes Now?

On May 6, 2018, Cardiff City were promoted to the Premier League for the second time in a decade.

A tense, nervy 0-0 draw with Reading at the Cardiff City Stadium sealed an unlikely promotion under Neil Warnock that day.

Wild celebrations followed in the Welsh capital, with a pitch invasion, and even owner Vincent Tan sat aloft the shoulders of Bluebirds supporters as they returned to the top flight.

Now, nearly eight years on, déjà vu may be ringing for Cardiff City.

This weekend, Brian Barry-Murphy’s side travel to Reading knowing that a victory could confirm their promotion, should results go their way - this time from the third tier to the Championship at the first time of asking.

While the leagues are not the same, the narrative feels very similar.

There is also a further sense of intrigue heading into this weekend.

Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium has already played host to one promotion party this season.

However, it could become the first away ground in EFL history to host two different promotion parties in the same season, after league leaders Lincoln City celebrated their automatic promotion on Easter Monday.

Cardiff now have the opportunity to follow in the Imps' footsteps in an unusual piece of history.

So, as history threatens to repeat itself, what happened to the 18 players in the Cardiff matchday squad that sealed promotion to the Premier League in 2018?

The Starting XI

Neil Etheridge (GK)

City Appearances: 102

After leaving City in 2020, Etheridge spent four years with fellow Championship side at the time, Birmingham City.

The Philippines international captain, now 36, plays in Thailand with Buriram United, where he has enjoyed huge success.

In his debut season at the club in 2024/25, he played a key role in a domestic quadruple, winning the Thai League 1, FA Cup, League Cup, and ASEAN Club Championship.

He remains a regular starter as his playing career looks set to continue.

Lee Peltier (RB)

City Appearances: 163

The right-back was a stalwart for the Bluebirds before departing in 2020 for West Bromwich Albion.

He later had a brief spell with Middlesbrough before moving to Rotherham United in 2022.

Peltier retired in November 2024 following Rotherham’s relegation at the age of 39, racking up 525 appearances across his professional career.

The Liverpudlian now works as a football agent and mentor.

Sean Morrison (Captain & CB)

City Appearances: 295

A true Cardiff City legend. 

Scoring 33 goals in his time in the Welsh capital, his influence cannot be ignored. His leadership, aerial ability, and defensive intelligence were just some of his standout qualities.

Who can forget that famous brace at Hull, also?

His formidable partnership at the back with Sol Bamba cannot be underestimated.

Morrison remained at the club until January 2023, but injuries disrupted the latter stages of his time at Cardiff.

After leaving, he joined Rotherham United, making 29 appearances before retiring in July 2024 at just 33.

Since hanging up his boots, he has moved into punditry roles and produces a weekly column for Wales Online.

He is also based in the Welsh capital, which he now calls home, and his attachment to Cardiff has seen him coach at academy level.

Sol Bamba (CB)

City Appearances: 118

One of the most beloved figures in the club’s history.

Known not only for his standout ability on the pitch, but also for his heartwarming personality off it and infectious smile, lighting up every room he entered.

A gentle giant who epitomised everything it meant to pull on a Cardiff City shirt.

While at Cardiff, he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2021. He overcame his battle and incredibly prolonged his playing career by a further season at Middlesbrough.

He later moved into coaching, returning for a stint as assistant manager alongside Sabri Lamouchi in January 2023. Bamba played a crucial role in ensuring City’s Championship survival that season.

After becoming a head coach in Turkey with Adanaspor, it was sadly announced that, at the age of 39, he had passed away following his battle with cancer

In September 2025, a mural in Grangetown, near the Cardiff City Stadium, was unveiled in his memory.

The mural is based on his celebration after scoring a late winner at Southampton during Cardiff’s Premier League season - just one of many memories Bluebirds supporters will have of Bamba.

Though no longer with us, his legacy will continue to live on as one of Cardiff's true greats, both on and off the field.

Joe Bennett (LB)

City Appearances: 177

The 36-year-old is still active within the game.

After leaving Cardiff in 2021, following a serious ACL injury, he joined Wigan Athletic on a free transfer.

He later moved to Oxford United, achieving promotion to the Championship before departing at the end of the 2024-25 season.

A dependable figure in a City shirt and a key figure in the 2017-18 promotion side, during his five seasons as a Bluebird.

He now plays for Southern League Premier Division South side Walton & Hersham, while also featuring in the Baller League with N5 FC.

Craig Bryson (CM)

City Appearances: 22

The Scotsman was a short-term but valuable option during the promotion season, on loan from Derby County.

He scored two goals during his time in the Welsh capital before returning to his parent club. 

Bryson then wound down his career in his homeland of Scotland, with spells at Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Stenhousemuir.

He retired in 2022 and has since moved into a strength and conditioning role at Kilmarnock FC Women, while also working as a co-owner and personal trainer at Total Fitness.

Joe Ralls (CM)

City Appearances: 409

A bona fide Cardiff City great.

Ralls spent 15 seasons with the Bluebirds, first joining the academy at 17 years old.

For many years, he was the heartbeat of the team and captained the club for several seasons before departing.

He scored 34 goals in his time at the club and won promotion to the Premier League on two occasions, while also helping Cardiff to reach the League Cup final in 2012.

A heroic figure who departed at the end of the 2024/25 season following relegation.

The midfielder sits 10th on the club's all-time appearances list and left a big gap to fill due to his presence, leadership and quality over the years.

Now 32, he remains in professional football, following a move to fellow League One side Plymouth Argyle in November.

After impressing on a short-term basis, he earned a deal till the end of the season. However, a hamstring injury ruled him out of facing the Bluebirds at Home Park.

An avoidance of what would have been an emotional occasion, with Ralls facing the Bluebirds whom he looked set to finish his career with.

Callum Paterson (CM)

City Appearances: 106

The Scotsman was known during his time at the club as Mr Versatile.

During his 106 appearances, he featured as a right-back, centre-midfielder, attacking midfielder, right-winger and, notably, as a striker in the Premier League.

He held cult hero status at the club thanks to his energy and fun goal celebrations, quickly cementing himself as an important figure after joining on a free transfer from Hearts.

After three seasons at the club, he moved to fellow Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.

He played a key role in the Owls' promotion back to the second tier under Darren Moore in the 2022/23 season before later moving on to MK Dons.

Paterson is now firmly recognised as a centre-forward and has become a key figure under Paul Warne, registering 14 goals and 8 assists in 33 League Two appearances.

He looks set to add another promotion to the CV and looks a level above that division, while being nominated for the League Two Player of the Season.

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (RW)

City Appearances: 92

Mendez-Laing joined as an exciting, on the edge of your seat winger as a free agent from Rochdale during this season.

He notched 14 goals and 10 assists during his time in the Welsh capital, most notably his brace at Old Trafford in the Premier League, which will live long in Cardiff fans' memories.

His off the pitch activity has certainly tainted his image, however.

He tested positive for cocaine twice during the 2019/20 campaign, which ultimately led to his contract termination with the club.

However, his story has been one of redemption.

He had brief spells at Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday before rebuilding his career at Derby County, where he became a key figure and even club captain.

Under Paul Warne, Mendez-Laing achieved promotion to the Championship with Derby, featured in the 2023/24 League One Team of the Season, and enjoyed his most productive seasons of his career.

Despite struggling to translate that form back to Championship level, he has since found a home at MK Dons alongside Callum Paterson under Warne once again.

He has contributed 8 goals and 2 assists in League Two this season and won a Player of the Month award in November 2025, continuing to impress in another promotion push.

Junior Hoilett (LW)

City Appearances: 184

Hoilett was a big figure in his five seasons at the club, especially during the promotion-winning season under Neil Warnock.

The Canadian international landed 9 goals and 11 assists to help Cardiff reach the Premier League, and he enjoyed moments at the top level too.

Who can forget his stunning bending strike from range to seal a 2-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers, sending the Cardiff faithful into raptures?

A fan favourite in South Wales, the winger has enjoyed a fruitful and well-travelled career since leaving in 2021.

The 35-year-old has since played across England, Scotland and North America and now finds himself at Swindon Town.

The Robins sit fifth in League Two, and Hoilett could still play a crucial part in getting them over the line back to League One.

Kenneth Zohore (ST)

City Appearances: 89

Zohore led the line on that day and had a decent Cardiff career before leaving following relegation from the Premier League in the 2018/19 season.

The Dane registered 22 goals during his time at the club and contributed to securing the Bluebirds promotion.

He was unable to replicate that form in the Premier League, but did have a memorable moment, scoring his only Premier League goal with a late winner against Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium.

After relegation, Zohore sealed a £8 million move to West Brom but was unable to settle in the West Midlands, making just 23 appearances across two seasons and scoring five goals before moving on.

He had a loan spell at Millwall before moving back to Denmark with Odense Boldklub.

After a brief spell there and a move to Śląsk Wrocław, the 32-year-old is now back in his homeland with Fremad Amager in the third tier of the Danish Football League system.

The Substitutes

Brian Murphy (GK)

City Appearances: 10

Murphy spent the majority of his time in the Welsh capital as a back-up goalkeeper.

He made one league appearance in the Championship during this season and just 10 appearances across over three years at the club.

After leaving in February 2020, Murphy sealed a move to hometown club Waterford FC in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

He spent three seasons at the club before retiring in 2023 and moving into a goalkeeping coach role at Waterford.

Bruno Ecuele Manga (DEF)

City Appearances: 160

Manga was crucial throughout his Cardiff career, notably making 38 appearances in the promotion season, while playing all 38 of City’s Premier League fixtures either at right-back or centre-back - starting 37 of them.

The Gabon international has over a century of caps and was a dependable figure throughout his five seasons at the club.

He moved on to France for personal reasons following relegation from the Premier League, joining Dijon in Ligue 1.

After spells with ASM Belfort and Niort at different levels of French football, he now operates in the third tier with Paris 13 Atletico at 37 years old.

Jazz Richards (DEF)

City Appearances: 57

Richards joined the club in July 2016 in a swap deal which saw Scott Malone join Fulham.

His injury record hampered his playing time throughout his four seasons at the club, and he struggled to get a consistent run in the team.

He moved onto Cymru Premier Side Haverfordwest County in 2020, enjoying four seasons in West Wales before retiring in 2024.

Since retiring, Richards has taken on a role away from football, opening a padel centre in his birthplace, Swansea, called Jaxx Padel - the largest padel centre in Wales.

Marko Grujic (MID)

City Appearances: 14

One of the more high-profile names in the squad, having joined from Liverpool on loan for the second half of the campaign.

He played a big role in midfield and proved a shrewd addition in Neil Warnock's promotion-winning side.

Since leaving City, he has enjoyed a strong European career. After a spell at Hertha Berlin, he spent five seasons at Portuguese giants Porto, winning eight trophies including the league title in 2021/22.

The Serbian international remains at a high level of the game, playing for AEK Athens in the Greek Super League.

Jamie Ward (MID)

City Appearances: 4

The Northern Irishman, largely an EFL journeyman, is most notable for his spell with Derby County.

He joined the Bluebirds for the second half of the campaign on loan from Nottingham Forest, featuring just four times under Warnock.

Ward remained in the UK for several years, playing in the EFL and non-league for Charlton Athletic, Scunthorpe United, Solihull Moors, Buxton, Ilkeston Town, and Nuneaton Town F.C.

He later moved abroad, finishing his career at Precision FC, the Dubai-based club founded in 2023, playing in the UAE Second Division League

At 39 years old, he retired last year and is now based in Dubai with his family. He focuses on developing young players through 1 to 1 sessions as well as small-group technical training.

Anthony Pilkington (FWD)

City Appearances: 111

Pilkington had an up-and-down time in South Wales.

He showed flashes of his ability during this season, scoring 3 goals and registering an assist in just 8 Championship outings, having not made an appearance until December.

The injury-time equaliser at Bramall Lane against Sheffield United all but secured promotion in April, giving the Bluebirds a vital point in their run-in.

Pilkington moved on at the end of this season after four years at the club, joining Wigan Athletic before a spell in India with East Bengal FC.

The Irishman finished his career with League One side Fleetwood Town, announcing his retirement in 2022, five months after being released.

The 37 year old remains connected to the game through media appearances and coaching, and also uses his platform to raise awareness for apraxia, a condition his son has.

Sharing his story has helped to underline the challenges parents face in accessing speech therapy support in Ireland.

Gary Madine (FWD)

City Appearances: 28

It is fair to say Madine’s time at the club never quite worked out.

He was a £6 million mid-season signing from Bolton Wanderers under Neil Warnock, but endured a tough spell in South Wales.

The striker failed to score a single goal during his time at the club and was often labelled a polarising figure due to his off-field antics.

His contract was terminated in January 2020 before he went on to spend four seasons at Blackpool.

Madine later had non-league spells with Hartlepool and Spennymoor Town before bringing his career to an end in 2025.

Full Circle

Of the 18 players involved on that special day, just nine are still playing.

Their careers have taken different directions, some are still achieving and chasing promotion at their respective clubs, others are fading away, and some, like Sol Bamba, leaving a huge legacy far greater than football.

But as Cardiff prepare to face Reading once more with promotion within touching distance, the narrative is impossible to ignore.

Eight years ago, it was the Royals who provided the backdrop to one of the club’s greatest achievements.

This weekend, could see history repeat itself.

Different league, different squad, but the chance for those players to write their own chapter in the club’s history.

And if results fall favourably, Cardiff City will once again celebrate promotion, with Reading left to watch on.