By Chris O'Brien
May 29 2005

Cardiff City FC have appointed former Stockport County, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton boss Dave Jones as the club's new manager. Chairman Sam Hammam and chief executive Peter Risdale have wasted no time in replacing Lennie Lawrence following his departure earlier in the week.

The appointment of Jones was announced at a press conference on Wednesday, with the managerial selection coming as little surprise to supporters who saw the former Stockport County manager as favourite for the vacancy after press reports confirmed both Sam Hammam and Peter Risdale had met with Jones prior to the sacking of Lennie Lawrence.

Jones signs a three-year contract and looks set to be at the helm of a new era for the club. Severe financial difficulties mean reform and restructuring are necessities. A mass player exodus is expected to ease the debts, so Jones will have the job of building a squad on a shoe-string budget as the club look to improve on a 16th placed finish in the Football League Championship last season.

"This club needs rebuilding and that's something I had to do at my three previous clubs. I had to rebuild at Stockport County, Wolves were going nowhere when I went there and I had to rebuild and it was the same at Southampton." said City's new manager.

"Cardiff is a massive club which has been described as a sleeping giant. But you only become a sleeping giant with good results on the field which will attract the level of support deserving of that. You don't get a job in football when things are going well for a team, so I'll be looking to bring all the good things back to Cardiff."

48-year-old Jones started his managerial career with Mossley and Morecambe in the non-league before going to Stockport County. He won promotion with County and took them on a memorable League Cup run, before Southampton came calling. He failed in his ultimate ambition of taking the Saints into Europe, and a well-publicised court case saw Jones make an early exit from the south coast.

The Liverpudlian had once worked in a care home and ten years on he was arrested on charges of child abuse. He was cleared after a traumatic time for him and his family, and returned to football with Wolverhampton Wanderers. He ended years of disappointment for the Midlands club with promotion to the Premier League, but they made an immediate return to England's second flight and a poor start to this season has saw Jones booted out of Molineux.

The sacked Lawrence has been given a consultancy role for the next 6 months as a parting gesture, and will then seek new employment in football. Terry Burton will remain as assistant manager for the time being, though it is currently unclear whether Jones will want to try and big his own men in. However, with the club not in the market for paying off contracts, few changes to backroom staff will be expected.

Welcome to Ninian Park - it is going to be an interesting season!