WELSH bookie James Lovell reckons everyone remembers their first time. For him, his maiden Welsh Grand National at Chepstow arrived early at around the age of five.

Erol Bulut has admitted he is in the dark over how much he has to spend in the January transfer window to bolster Cardiff City’s flagging promotion push. The Bluebirds boss has regularly stressed he requires reinforcements, a need made more obvious by the manner in which his team have struggled in recent weeks.

Ask Aaron Wainwright what he does when he isn’t playing rugby and his answer points to a man with an unstinting passion for the game. “I coach down at my local club,” replies the Dragons RFC and Wales back row star.

LIfe is always relative if you are a Cardiff City or Swansea fan and often the judgement is how the other lot are doing. The two clubs have been jostling for superiority in the Championship for the past five years, since the Swans were relegated from the Premier League.

Erol Bulut put points above performance as he assessed a vital win for Cardiff City that keeps them on the edge of the Championship play-offs. The Bluebirds manager saw his team overcome Millwall 1-0 in the capital in a match that will not live long in the memory. But the victory came after back-to-back defeats and was enough to leave Cardiff only outside the top six positions on goal difference.

Russell Martin insists he has no regrets about his post-match celebrations that riled some Cardiff City fans. Martin stuck four fingers in the air in the direction of travelling Bluebirds supporters after his Southampton team had beaten Cardiff 2-0 at St. Mary’s.

Callum Robinson insists he took no offence, but plenty of advice, after being criticised by his Cardiff City manager, Erol Bulut. Republic of Ireland striker Robinson was told by Bulut he needed to work harder defensively after he was left out of the starting line-up earlier in the season.

Former Cardiff City forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes aspiring black managers are not taking their coaching badges because they do not believe they are given ‘a fair chance’. The ex-Netherlands international has reunited with former Middlesbrough team-mate Gareth Southgate earlier this year when he joined the England boss’ staff in March ahead of the Euro 2024 qualification campaign.

Josh Bowler is determined to prove there is a healthy life beyond the Premier League waiting room. Two Premier League clubs have forked out £3.8m for the services of Bowler, yet the Cardiff City loanee has yet to play a first team game in the top-flight for either club.

Poland manager Michal Probierz said he is working on his side’s mindset after a disappointing Euro 2024 qualifying campaign that could now end with a shootout against Wales. “The meeting between Wales and Finland promises to be interesting. We haven’t watched these teams yet, but we know that Wales are playing very well. But we definitely have a chance to qualify for the championships,” Probierz said.

Wales must navigate the play-offs in March to reach the European Championship finals next summer. If they do so, it will be Wales’ fourth major tournament out of the last five.

Rob Page will fly to Switzerland on Wednesday, hoping the luck that avoided Wales against Turkey will be there when the Euro 2024 play-off draw is made. The Wales manager was left angry and frustrated that key decisions did not go in Wales’ favour during their 1-1 draw at home to the Turks on Tuesday night.