Derby County 3, Cardiff City 4
Neil Warnock is certainly putting the pressure on Bluebirds owner Vincent Tan.
Cardiff City’s manager has outlined that he is capable of working promotion wonders if Tan gives him access to £6m in promotion money this summer.
Warnock has already had a massive impact on this City team and with a little extra investment he could be the man to take the club forward again.
Cardiff have won back-to-back away tames, beating Leeds United 2-0 and Derby County 4-3. They have shown character, spirit, intensity to back up their ability.
Warnock has steered his team to five wins in their last nine fixtures and they stand 12th in the Championship. Yes, Warnock’s Bluebirds are in the top half.
Now they turn to successive home fixtures against Rotherham United, the club Warnock saved from relegation last season, and Fulham.
There will, inevitably, be talk of a push for the play-offs this season, but Cardiff are 13 points away from sixth place and they don’t have a big squad.
They will be satisfied with a top half finish this season, but Tan has a lot of thinking to do. He has plunged millions and millions of pounds into Cardiff City and now the time looks right to throw in another £6m or more.
He may feel short-changed by some previous managers, but Warnock has been true to his word and his Cardiff team are winning even though he could not spend significant cash during the January transfer window.
City’s win at Pride Park, thrilled the 500 or so Bluebirds fans who made the trip – and stunned 26,000 home supporters.
Goals from Kadeem Harris (2), Craig Noone and Joe Ralls, from a penalty, earned City this victory.
The Rams were 2-0 up after only 17 minutes Julien de Sart, on loan from Middlesbrough, and Darren Bent the scorers.
Kadeem Harris scored either side of half-time to make it 2-2 and Craig Noone netted to put the visitors 3-2 ahead..
Bent scored Derby’s third, but then City sub Rhys Healey was brought down and Ralls stepped up to fire home the penalty.
Suddenly Cardiff are one place and five points behind Derby, who have been tipped for a big play-offs push.
Tan was hopefully smiling in Kuala Lumpur when he heard the result. He has, in Warnock, a manager perfect for the job of helping City launch a promotion push in 2017-18.
After all the heartache of the last few seasons since Cardiff dropped out of the Premier League there is hope. Warnock knows exactly what has to be done – and this is Tan’s time to back the manager he appointed.
For the moment, though, we will reflect on those magnificent away wins against Leeds and Derby.
It’s time for Cardiff fans to turn out in force and get behind Warnock when Rotherham come to South Wales this Saturday.
Derby County: Carson, Baird (Russell 66), Keogh, Pearce, Olsson, Hughes (Nugent 66), de Sart, Butterfield (Blackman 90+2), Ince, Bent. Subs not used: Christie, Shackell, Johnson, Mitchell.
Cardiff City: McGregor, Connolly, Morrison, Bamba, Richards, Halford (Healey 80), Noone (Hoilett 85), Gunnarsson, Ralls, K Harris (John 89), Zohore. Subs not used: Bennett, Whittingham, Murphy, M Harris, Hoilett, Healey
Referee: Steve Martin
Attendance: 26,541