Tom Heaton looking forward to CCS return

Tom Heaton returns to Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow for the first time since he left the club last summer.

The keeper still keeps in touch with some of his former Bluebirds team-mates, but has not returned to the stadium since turning down a new contract last June.

But he is looking forward to playing in front of a near full house in Cardiff.

“It will be the first time I have been back there since I left,” says Heaton.

“It will be a good day and I'm looking forward to it. These are the games you want to play in.

"It will be a fantastic atmosphere and the place will be rocking on Saturday.

"I would like to think Cardiff fans will give me a good reception, just as they did at Ashton Gate earlier this season.

"I enjoyed my time withCardiff and left on good terms."

Malky Mackay now has former Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis on the bench, while David Marshall is ever-present for Cardiff in Championship matches this season.

Heaton is playing a key role for Bristol City in their relegation battle. They have won three of five matches since new manager Sean O’Driscoll took charge and are second from bottom.

“Of course, I don't want to be down near the bottom of the league, but I'd rather play every week than sit on the bench for a top-of-the-league side,” says Heaton.

"It was frustrating for me at Cardiff and I did not play enough games. That is why I decided to move to Bristol City and I've played a lot of games and I'm really enjoying it.

"I have no regrets at all about leaving. From a personal point of view, I needed to play games and I'm doing that here."

Heaton is not surprised to see the Bluebirds sitting on top of the Championship, saying: "Cardiff have been close for a number of seasons and Malky has come in to build on those foundations.

"They have a big squad now and a lot of quality players. Under his guidance, they have become a very good unit and are always hard to play against.

“I've spoken to a few of the lads at Cardiff and they've told me that, even when thy don't play that well, they still get results, which the sign of a good side. That is why they are so far ahead.

"But like any game in the Championship, it can go both ways and we will be looking to get three points.

"If Peterborough and Ipswich can earn points at Cardiff, then why can't we?”



Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2Kwb9ElO9

I hope Heaton has one of his spontaneous clangers against us.

I hope Heaton has one of his spontaneous clangers against us.

yep lets hope, hes done a few this season i know.

I hope Heaton has one of his spontaneous clangers against us.

yep lets hope, hes done a few this season i know.

Sorry but heaton has been very good for us this year , great presence very vocal , to be honest cant remember 1 goal which has been a clanger ( que clanger saturday ) not great at coming for crosses though ( as you know hes not the tallest ) 7 out of 10 for this season so far , the rest of the defence 3 out of 10 , see you saturday chaps , i ll be the one with a straw hat big red nose and wellies ( oh thats all of us )

Tom Heaton returns to Cardiff City Stadium tomorrow for the first time since he left the club last summer.

The keeper still keeps in touch with some of his former Bluebirds team-mates, but has not returned to the stadium since turning down a new contract last June.

But he is looking forward to playing in front of a near full house in Cardiff.

“It will be the first time I have been back there since I left,” says Heaton.

“It will be a good day and I'm looking forward to it. These are the games you want to play in.

"It will be a fantastic atmosphere and the place will be rocking on Saturday.

"I would like to think Cardiff fans will give me a good reception, just as they did at Ashton Gate earlier this season.

"I enjoyed my time withCardiff and left on good terms."

Malky Mackay now has former Peterborough keeper Joe Lewis on the bench, while David Marshall is ever-present for Cardiff in Championship matches this season.

Heaton is playing a key role for Bristol City in their relegation battle. They have won three of five matches since new manager Sean O’Driscoll took charge and are second from bottom.

“Of course, I don't want to be down near the bottom of the league, but I'd rather play every week than sit on the bench for a top-of-the-league side,” says Heaton.

"It was frustrating for me at Cardiff and I did not play enough games. That is why I decided to move to Bristol City and I've played a lot of games and I'm really enjoying it.

"I have no regrets at all about leaving. From a personal point of view, I needed to play games and I'm doing that here."

Heaton is not surprised to see the Bluebirds sitting on top of the Championship, saying: "Cardiff have been close for a number of seasons and Malky has come in to build on those foundations.

"They have a big squad now and a lot of quality players. Under his guidance, they have become a very good unit and are always hard to play against.

“I've spoken to a few of the lads at Cardiff and they've told me that, even when thy don't play that well, they still get results, which the sign of a good side. That is why they are so far ahead.

"But like any game in the Championship, it can go both ways and we will be looking to get three points.

"If Peterborough and Ipswich can earn points at Cardiff, then why can't we?”



Read more: Wales Online http://www.walesonline.co.uk/footballna ... z2Kwb9ElO9

I was a huge fan of Tom Heaton, thought he was an excellent keeper for us and you could tell that he was brought up at Man Utd...

Sadly for him, he had an ever better keeper, easily the best in the Championship and probably good enough for 14 Premier League teams, David Marshall, in front of him.

I hope Heaton has one of his spontaneous clangers against us.

yep lets hope, hes done a few this season i know.

Sorry but heaton has been very good for us this year , great presence very vocal , to be honest cant remember 1 goal which has been a clanger ( que clanger saturday ) not great at coming for crosses though ( as you know hes not the tallest ) 7 out of 10 for this season so far , the rest of the defence 3 out of 10 , see you saturday chaps , i ll be the one with a straw hat big red nose and wellies ( oh thats all of us )

i had no issues with him when he played for us and was quite gutted to see him go but he is far too good to be on the bench at this level. in fairness he has had a few clangers in the past but even some of the best do (hart last weekend)

I thought Tom Heaton was a good keeper for us, too good to sit on the bench in the Championship, so deserves regular game time with Bristol, hopefully he will have an off day against us tomorrow.

He deserves a good reception. He's a top guy and applauded us when we were at Bristol. It's a shame that he couldn't have stayed but you can't really argue with that because of how good Marshall is. But I do hope that he will dip in his form against us.

I hope he gets a good reception, I was gutted when he left but it's hard to keep two good keepers happy.

Do the ayatollah Heaton

He deserves a good reception. He's a top guy and applauded us when we were at Bristol. It's a shame that he couldn't have stayed but you can't really argue with that because of how good Marshall is. But I do hope that he will dip in his form against us.

he may have applauded us but when their 4th goal went in he was jumping around like they had won the league and he was down our end then
definately not a bluebird

I hope Heaton has one of his spontaneous clangers against us.

yep lets hope, hes done a few this season i know.

Sorry but heaton has been very good for us this year , great presence very vocal , to be honest cant remember 1 goal which has been a clanger ( que clanger saturday ) not great at coming for crosses though ( as you know hes not the tallest ) 7 out of 10 for this season so far , the rest of the defence 3 out of 10 , see you saturday chaps , i ll be the one with a straw hat big red nose and wellies ( oh thats all of us )

Here's hoping he has a nightmare Hope you have a good day yourself Wurzel red apart from the 90 minutes on the pitch

He deserves a good reception. He's a top guy and applauded us when we were at Bristol. It's a shame that he couldn't have stayed but you can't really argue with that because of how good Marshall is. But I do hope that he will dip in his form against us.

he may have applauded us but when their 4th goal went in he was jumping around like they had won the league and he was down our end then
definately not a bluebird

Does this every goal we score, turns to us behind the goal and leaps as high as he possibly can before hopping about on one foot. It's his little celebration.

Good to see him get regular games. Spoken to him a few times, tidy guy.

Always liked Heaton.

Did make a few stupid errors but on his day he's class.

Him and Marshall were both fantastic last season.

Heaton left at the right time and did it in the right manner unlike some players.

I would take him back anytime of the week because Joe Lewis just doesn't seem the best keeper.

Fairplay to Marshall he has got stronger and stronger.

It was great to see Heaton get a medal and start against Liverpool in the final.. something he will remember for the rest of his life.