Championship preview – Bellamy set for Cardiff debut
The main focus of this week’s Championship games will be at the Cardiff City Stadium as Craig Bellamy makes his debut for the Welsh club against Doncaster.
The boyhood Bluebirds fan shocked the football world during the week in deciding to take a step down to the Championship, despite major interest from Premier League clubs, after he was deemed surplus to requirements at Manchester City.
Manager Dave Jones has rewarded Bellamy’s decision to join Cardiff by handing him the captain’s arm-band. Current captain Mark Hudson will remain as club captain, but Bellamy will become the on-field captain, despite Hudson being Cardiff’s first choice centre-half. Confused? Thought so.
On the excitement that Bellamy's arrival has created, Jones told Skysports: "We knew that everything we thought would happen has happened, so we haven't been disappointed in that field.
"We knew all the complications of it. There might be one or two people who want a moan about it and everything else.
"We spoke about all those things and the impact he might have and we've not been disappointed in that department. We've foreseen all those problems and thankfully we've come through them.”
Crystal Palace have been given a major boost ahead of their clash with Ipswich at Selhurst Park with the news that the club has come out of administration. The south London outfit entered into administration in January and narrowly avoided relegation to League One after being docked 10 points as a punishment. The Steve Parish's CPFC 2010 consortium takeover has been approved by the high court’s which now means the club’s transfer embargo has been lifted and the future of the club is safe.
One of Palace’s first signing’s could well be former Dutch international Edgar Davids, who is allegedly mulling over a transfer to Selhurst Park and could be unveiled before kick-off.
Current pace setters in the Championship Millwall and QPR, who both have six points and are yet to concede a goal, face Leeds and Scunthorpe respectively. Bristol City drew at Doncaster in their last outing and new manager Keith Millen will be hoping they go one better this weekend when Barnsley make the trip to Ashton Gate.
Reading’ home game with Nottingham Forest and Burnley hosting Leicester stand out as other matches between potential promotion hopefuls.
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