Three New Bluebirds
Will Vaulks, Curtis Nelson and Joe Day have all signed agreements to join up with Neil Warnock's first team squad ahead of the upcoming 2019/20 campaign.
Cardiff City FC Executive Director & CEO Ken Choo gave his thoughts on our three new signings, saying: “I’d like to welcome Will, Curtis and Joe to Cardiff City Football Club and I’m sure they’ll each contribute to what we’re trying to achieve this coming season.
"To be vying for promotion, we needed to ensure that we replaced those who left us at the end of last season with quality; we think we’ve done just that in adding these boys to our ranks.
"We’re delighted to have three new signings through the door before pre-season training begins and will be working hard over the coming weeks to ensure that more follow soon.”
Five Facts - Will Vaulks
- Born on the Wirral, Merseyside, Will Vaulks began his footballing career as a youth at Tranmere Rovers, making his senior debut whilst on loan to Conference North side Workington in August 2012.
- Vaulks joined Scottish club Falkirk in 2013, where he stayed until 2016. During this time, the midfielder made over 100 league appearances for the Bairns and played the full 90 minutes of the 2015 Scottish Cup Final at Hampden Park.
- Joining Rotherham United in 2016, Vaulks made 125 league appearances over the course of three seasons for the Millers, scoring 13 goals in the process.
- He was voted Rotherham United’s 2017/18 Player of the Season, and in the following campaign was the club’s joint second-highest goalscorer, with seven league goals scored in the Championship!
- Many City supporters will recognise our new signing from his turn on the international stage. Qualifying through his mother, Will Vaulks has earned three caps whilst playing for Wales, making his international debut in a friendly against Trinidad & Tobago on March 20th, 2019, where he set up Ben Woodburn for the winning goal of the encounter.
Five Facts - Joe Day
- Day began his senior career at Rushden & Diamonds in 2007, before joining then-Championship side Peterborough United in April 2011.
- Following a loan period to Newport County in 2014, the Exiles signed the ‘keeper on a permanent contract in 2015. Since then, Day has gone on to make over 200 appearances for the South Wales club.
- In the 2018/19 season, Day made a total of 52 appearances for Newport County in all competitions, keeping 21 clean sheets in the process.
- Tuesday, February 5th 2019 was an important date for Joe for more than one reason. The ‘keeper left immediately following the Exiles’ 2-0 victory in an FA Cup 4th Round Replay against Middlesbrough, as his wife was in hospital delivering his twin daughters!
- Newport County’s success in the 2018/19 season extended to more than a famous FA Cup run, however. The club made it to the League Two Play-Off Final following a penalty shoot-out against Mansfield, in which City’s newest stopper made a terrific save to help get County through.
Five Facts - Curtis Nelson
- Curtis made his league debut for Plymouth Argyle in August 2010, at the age of 17 years old.
- During his time at the League Two side, the young defender made over 200 league appearances, scoring eight goals in the process.
- At the end of his last season with the Pilgrims, Nelson was selected in the 2015-16 League Two PFA Team of the Year.
- On January 28th, 2017, Nelson helped Oxford United reach the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 23 years as the U’s beat Newcastle United 3-0 at home. Curtis scored the second goal of the match against the Magpies.
- The 26-year-old made 45 league appearances for Oxford in the 2018/19 season, which was the most out of the entire squad!
