The 29-year-old was frozen out of the first-team at Portman Road, but has rebuilt his career with the Bluebirds, and a recent run of first-team games has proved he is more than capable of playing at this level, and has now left Rhys Weston with a very difficult task of returning to the starting line-up when he returns from injury.

"It goes without saying that I want to play well against Ipswich and it's one game I want to win," said Croft.

"It's been well-documented that I wasn't given as many games there as I would have liked and it would be nice to put that to bed.

"Ipswich have got a different manager now so it's not a personal thing, but a win would be extra special."

Croft signed for Ipswich Town from Lancashire-outfit Blackburn Rovers in late 1999, and helped the club to promotion to the Premiership that season. However, the following year the defender made only a handful of appearances and was eventually shipped off to Wigan Athletic on-loan in January 2002, and then to City two months later.

Following a quite pleasing loan-spell, Croft signed on a permanent basis at Ninian Park four months after his loan move, and is amazed how times have changed over the past few seasons.

"It's so funny how things turn out, considering that not so long ago Cardiff were two levels below Ipswich, it's nice we go into this match on a level footing."

Contact the Author