Craig Noone, Declan John and Stuart O’Keefe are all set to play for Cardiff City’s development team at Hereford FC on Wednesday (7.45pm).
This is officially an under-23 team fixture for the Bluebirds, but manager Neil Warnock is including the three first team squad members who all look likely to move on over the next few weeks.
Warnock has been explicit about Noone, saying: “I think he needs a move and I think he’ll do well for the team he goes to, but I’m not in a rush. He doesn’t cause me any problems, he’s a good lad.
“Agents are talking to people etc but nothing has come up which has whetted our appetite.”
The City manager was far from happy after his first team lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury Town in a pre-season fixture, saying: “You don’t look into these defeats but you look into bad habits that can come from them.
“I thought there were quite a lot of plusses tonight and a couple of negatives, especially in the second half, which I’ve got to remedy.”
Now Warnock turns to the match at Hereford FC on Wednesday when the young Bluebirds play a club who have won back-to-back league titles.
They were crowned champions of the Midland Football League Premier Division in 2015-16 before winning Southern League Division One South & West with more than 100 points.
Striker John Mills has scored more than 100 goals in two seasons, while the Bulls have signed Lance Smith from Evesham and Keyon Reffell from Merthyr Town.
Defensively, the Bulls will be looking to rely on the experience of former Cardiff and Wales player Ryan Green.
A Cardiff City XI played Hereford United in pre-season in 2013 at Edgar Street when Nicky Maynard and Kadeem Harris scored in a 2-0 victory.
Kevin McNaughton scored from a volley in an FA Cup clash with Hereford away in 2007-08. City won and went on to play in the final against Portsmouth at Wembley Stadium.
The Merton Stand and Meadow End at Edgar Street will be open for home supporters this evening, while the Len Weston away section is open for Cardiff fans.
Tickets are £9 Adults, £8 Concessions, and £1 for Under 18s.
Tickets will be on sale from the club and online – herefordfc.cloudvenue.co.uk/home – until 4pm on Wednesday, while sales will continue from 6pm until 7.40pm at the match day office.
Late entry and purchase will be allowed through turnstile 24, next to the office, until 8.15pm.
A pre-season match programme will be available for £2.50, while the newly revamped Radford’s Bar – as well as Addison’s – will be open from 6pm. The Club Shop will be open from 6.30pm with good stock of both the new away shirt and the home shirt.
Cardiff City development XI: O Byrne, C Coxe, D John, J Veale (capt), C Young, J Waite, M Harris, I Meite, J Duffey, L Humphries, T Duffus, M Weymans, C Noone, D John, S O’Keefe. A number of trialists may also be involved.
