A year after being relegated to League One, the Bluebirds were able to celebrate their return to the English second tier following their 5-1 victory over Northampton. It was a goal-fest to round off what was, on the whole, a near-perfect season for the Welsh side.

You had to be at Cardiff City Stadium this Saturday afternoon to experience this unforgettable celebration. Although the result didn’t really matter against the bottom-of-the-table side, Brian Barry-Murphy’s men gave it their all to treat the 23,223 fans in attendance to five goals.

Throughout the season, the Bluebirds have shown consistency, holding onto their newly promoted status since November. An exemplary first half of the campaign that almost took an unexpected turn. Indeed, the Welsh side impressed in the EFL Cup, beating fellow Welsh side Wrexham – who were in the play-offs for promotion to the Premier League – before overcoming Burnley, who had recently been relegated from the top flight. It was then at home that the dream came to an end. The Cardiff City Stadium was packed to welcome Chelsea in the semi-final. Although Calum Chambers’ men equalised and set the fans’ hearts alight, the Blues asserted their superiority by reaching the final with a 3-1 victory.

The first half of the season will therefore see them top the league, but knocked out of both cup competitions, as the FA Cup didn’t quite live up to expectations following a 1-0 away defeat to Peterborough. The Bluebirds were forced to exit the competition early.

One final objective, partially achieved

2026 had got off to a flying start for the Welsh side, who remained unbeaten until 21 February, and the League One title seemed well within their grasp. But following a 5–2 away defeat to Plymouth, they suffered another loss two matches later in a crucial home fixture against Lincoln (0–2), who went on to win the league title.

All it took was a run of poor results for that top spot to slip away bit by bit, with the league leaders having made few mistakes throughout the season. Despite a disappointing second-place finish given the squad’s capabilities, the fans do not seem at all angry with their team. On the contrary, it was sheer elation that prevailed on the pitch when the fans stormed it after that final home match.

The fans now have three hopes in mind: staying in the Championship, the return of derbies against Swansea and, above all, the confirmation that Brian Barry-Murphy will be back on the bench next season. For he is the driving force behind this possession-based side, which has shown real character when it has needed to turn around matches that were sometimes looking difficult. Having previously experienced League One with Rochdale, the Irish manager was under immense pressure to meet the club’s ambitions of a swift return to England’s second tier. Yet ‘BBM’ and his team rarely panicked regarding the season’s objectives and maintained a possession-based style with well-executed passing moves.

For the coming season, the transfer window will be crucial for a team that already boasts plenty of young talent ready to step up. We’re thinking in particular of brothers Joel and Rubin Colwill, both of whom are magicians in the Bluebirds’ midfield. But also Lawlor and Kpakio, born in 2006 and 2007 respectively, who both made their debuts for the Welsh senior national team this season. With the transfer ban lifted this winter, the club’s management will be able to strengthen their squad more freely, and even retain players on loan. This is particularly the case for Nathan Trott, the English goalkeeper who arrived from Copenhagen and has had a fine season. The club would like to keep him, but he is reported to have turned down an initial offer from the club. This summer is therefore crucial for the club’s continued development and, above all, to ensure that everything built up during the 2025–2026 season is not undone.

Tom Delourme

Picture : Tom Delourme / Sport W