Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Monday, October 10.
West Brom sack Steve Bruce
Cardiff City's Championship rivals West Brom have parted company with manager Steve Bruce after an eight-game winless run left them sitting inside the relegation zone.
The 61-year-old has left the Baggies after a little more than eight months at the helm with staff Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence and son Alex Bruce also heading for the Hawthorns exit.
READ MORE: West Brom plummet as unwanted players shine in Cardiff City shirts amid bonkers decision
A statement on the club's official website said: "West Bromwich Albion have today parted company with manager Steve Bruce.
"Backroom staff Steve Agnew, Stephen Clemence and Alex Bruce have also left The Hawthorns. The club would like to place on record its thanks to Steve Bruce and his coaching staff for their efforts since arriving in February.
"Under-21s coach Richard Beale will oversee first-team affairs on an interim basis, assisted by James Morrison and Gary Walsh. The process of recruiting a new manager is now under way and an appointment will be confirmed in due course."
Former Newcastle head coach Bruce was appointed as Valerien Ismael's successor in February, three-and-a-half months after his turbulent reign at St James' Park had drawn to a close, and handed the challenge of taking the club back into the Premier League.
However, he was only able to guide them to a 10th-place finish at the end of last season and a return of just one league win from the first 13 games of the new campaign - 5-2 against Hull on August 20 - which had left them in 22nd place on only 11 points, proved fatal.
They head for former Manchester United team-mate Paul Ince's Reading on Saturday with the Royals riding high in fifth place despite Friday night's 2-1 defeat at QPR.
Bakare signs for Kettering Town
Former Cardiff City defender Ibrahim Bakare has signed for National League North side Kettering Town.
The sixth-tier side announced the signing for the big centre-back more than four months after he left the Bluebirds at the end of last season.
Bakare, 20, captained Cardiff's under-23s on a number of occasions during his time with the club, which spanned just over a year.
Kettering wrote in a statement: "We are delighted to welcome former Cardiff City U23s central defender and captain, Ibrahim Bakare to the club. Ibrahim goes straight into the squad for tomorrow nights Hillier Cup match at @DaventryTownFC.
"Welcome to the Poppies Ibrahim!"
Gabs: Mark Hudson 'would love' full-time Cardiff gig
Former Bluebirds centre-back and caretaker manager Danny Gabbidon has said Mark Hudson has every chance of being named Cardiff boss on a permanent basis and he would love the chance to do it.
Hudson is still the interim boss, having been given that title following Steve Morison's sacking, and has overseen an unbeaten start to life as the main man in the dugout.
Saturday's win over Wigan Athletic means Cardiff have claimed seven points in the three games since Hudson took the reins and Gabbidon believes he has a good chance of being named full-time manager.
"I think if he keeps getting results he is going to be a hard person to ignore. Steve Morison got the job early in his coaching career, coming up from the under-23s. They probably saw him as a cost-effective things as well, everything lined up," he said on the most recent episode of the BBC's Elis James Feast of Football podcast, which came out shortly before the win at Wigan..
"Mark Hudson is someone with more experience than Steve Morison. Someone who has played at the club. In terms of his personality, he is fantastic guy. It all comes down to results. To get a draw against Burnley, (a win over) Blackburn, to pick up four points from those two games.
"I spoke to Mark a couple of weeks ago after Steve Morison left and, if it was offered to him, it's something he would love to do. It's something he has been striving towards for a long time, he had that spell at Huddersfield, that's the progression for him now.
"It just comes down to results and what he does. It's open. When Morison went you are thinking if there is a succession plan, that hasn't happened. The owners, the board are very open with the next person they bring in and he is in the building at the minute bringing in results."
Under-21s play Swansea City in mini-South Wales derby
Cardiff City host Swansea City in the under-21s South Wales derby on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bluebirds take on their bitter rivals in Leckwith (1pm kick-off) after a mixed start to their campaign, which has seen them win four and lose three of their opening seven games of the campaign.
Going into the tie, the young Bluebirds sit two places above their Swansea counterparts in the Professional Development League 2 table, with Cardiff in seventh place. Swansea have won only two of their opening seven fixtures.
Mackie: 'Diligent' Hudson has chance to force Cardiff's hand
Former QPR and Nottingham Forest striker Jamie Mackie believes Mark Hudson can 'force Cardiff's hand' by continuing this positive run of form.
"He played over 150 times for Cardiff, so I'm sure if you ask the fans they hold him in high regard there," he said on ITV's EFL Highlights show.
"Steve Morison before him got the job on an interim basis and then got it on a permanent basis. I feel like, this time, they will take a little bit more time.
"Mark Hudson, while he is there, can force his hand with results. I know he is very diligent as a coach coming through, he has worked very hard to get where he is. We will have to see how results go from now until they make their decision."
Cardiff City Women begin cup defence
Cardiff City Women started their FAW Women's Cup title defence with a thumping 5–0 victory over Cascade YC Women.
First-half strikes from Danielle Green and Megan Saunders put the Bluebirds in the ascendancy at at Cardiff International Sports Campus, before Seren Watkins’ goal and Eliza Collie’s double ensured City into the next round.
Boss Iain Derbyshire said after the match: “We started the game a bit slowly, but with the amount of changes we made, we expected that. I thought some of the football was good at times.
"It was a good opportunity for some of the players to show what they can do, especially for the players who haven’t had as many minutes as they would have liked. It’s a positive performance, another clean sheet and into the next round."
City return to league action next weekend, welcoming Aberystwyth Town Women to Leckwith on Sunday, 16 October (2pm kick-off).
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