Heaton a Bluebird

Back as a Bluebirds

Cardiff City have made their first signing with Manchester United goalkeeper Tom Heaton has joined the Bluebirds. He will official join on the 1st July after Cardiff saw off a number of interested parties to secure his signature. City boss Dave Jones released his other keeper Peter Enckelman a few weeks ago who could not displace Marshall in goal.

Heaton was released by United after never playing for them. Last season he was loaned out three times to QPR Rochdale and Wycombe. He will now have to press City No1 David Marshall for the top spot and hopefully he will provide stronger competition than Enckelman did.

Heaton was on loan with the Bluebirds in 2008/09 season which was a crazy time for keepers at Cardiff. Before the start of that season Dave Jones had let Michael Oakes leaving Enckelman was then the only senior keeper with the club after he signed after a loan spell with Cardiff the previous season. Heaton joined the City on a season loan from Manchester United and by the start of the season he was No1. He played every game expect the Swansea League Cup game until the Plymouth away game.

He was dropped after the poor game he had against Plymouth and Enckelman was back in the top spot until he picked up a injury and Heaton was back in for the 4-0 massacre at Arsenal in the FA Cup. Cardiff had already snapped up Dimitrios Konstantopoulos on loan for Coventry from under the nose of Swansea who had just missed out resigning him on loan.

In his first game he scored a own goal in the 2-2 draw with Wolves it was poor mistake and Dave Jones was not happy after the game. A few weeks later at Norwich Konstantopoulos was put out on gardening duties after that. Boss Dave Jones must have seen it coming as he jump back into the loan transfer market bring in Stuart Taylor. The Aston Villa keeper was thrown straight into the next game but he hit his waterloo in the 6-0 defeat against Preston, Heaton finished off the last three games.

Boss Dave Jones told the Cardiff Official website: "United had offered him a new contract, but Tom's attitude was that he wanted to play, which says a lot about him, and when on to say, Dave Jones on to say, "I'm pleased that we have secured Tom's services from Manchester United.

"We all know about the lad from his time on loan here and know that we have signed a very talented young player who can offer plenty of competition for Marshall in goal.

"It's now a case of Tom and Dave working hard with our goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson, battling to claim a starting place in the squad.

"We look forward to seeing him for pre-season training and know that we have a real prospect for years to come."