Joe Ralls had to look in from afar when Cardiff City last earned promotion to the Premier League, but this time he’s a heartbeat for the Bluebirds.
The midfield player who grew up in Aldershot is ready for his top flight debut against Bournemouth on Saturday (3pm).
“It’s been a mad few years and to find myself preparing for Premier League football now is amazing,” says Ralls, who is, alongside Aron Gunnarsson, Cardiff’s longest serving player.
“It’ll feel different after a few years in the Championship. It’s a step up I’m looking forward to.”
Ralls went out on loan to Yeovil in 2013 after Cardiff won the Championship title and could only look on as they slipped to relegation.
This time the energetic, aggressive, box-to-box player will compete with Gunnarsson plus new loan signings Harry Arter and Victor Camarasa for central midfield places.
“The core group is still the same from last season,” says Ralls. “The boys who worked hard for promotion are still herald the gather has brought in young, hungry players.
“Nobody fancied us to earn automatic promotion and we’ll have to try and prove people wrong again. The group we have here is amazing, one of the best changing rooms I’ve ever been involved in.
“With the quality we have we believe we get the points we need.
“The gaffer (Warnock) has been his usual self in the build-up. He always creates a great atmosphere at the training ground as he has done since he came in.
“It’s always good. That team spirit and togetherness we showed last year we’ll need again.
“We earned the right to be in the Premier League and we are all looking forward to the challenge.”
The other Bluebirds signings this summer were goalkeeper Alex Smithies, Greg Cunningham, Josh Murphy and Bobby Reid,
Following their trip to Bournemouth, Cardiff have a home fixture against Newcastle United on Saturday, August 11.
