Tonight's Cardiff City news as Bulut reveals hope for 'passionate' fans and former captain speaks out

Here are the Cardiff City stories making headlines on Monday, April 14.

Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Monday, April 14.

Bulut: Cardiff fans deserve to stay in the league

Erol Bulut says "all he wants" is for Cardiff to stay in the Championship this season.

The club sacked Bulut back in September after a defeat by Leeds consigned them to five losses and a draw in the opening six games of the season. A defeat by Hull in the next match would consign the Bluebirds to their worst-ever start in their 125-year history.

Cardiff are still paying for that shocking start to the campaign, sitting in the relegation zone with four games to go. After the optimism of finishing the relatively dizzying heights of 12th last season, this season has been an utter disaster.

And while Bulut must take a portion of the blame, he hopes, for the fans, that Cardiff can find their way out of this mess in the final four games. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here

"Cardiff fans are passionate about the club, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and influential in football," he said, speaking on a Turkish TV show ahead of the Bluebirds' defeat by Stoke City at the weekend.

"We played our home games in front of 26,000 people, there was amazing support in Cardiff and I experienced that pride.

"They supported me very well. I didn't encounter any problems. In fact, in the first year, they even composed a chant for us to stay in Cardiff.

"Unfortunately we parted ways in October (sic) this season. Unfortunately, the team is not progressing well at the moment. I hope they stay in the league. That's all I want.

"That fanbase deserves it. They deserve their team to stay in the league."

Jason Perry: Riza has been let down

Former Bluebirds captain Jason Perry believes manager Omer Riza has been let down by the players and the board this season.

The ex-defender said Riza has been left without "no support" from the club's top brass since taking over following Bulut's departure in September.

Following a decisive own goal that handed Stoke a 1-0 win at Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, Riza himself voiced uncertainty about his future.

But Perry, speaking to the BBC, said of the situation: "When you're asking the board of Cardiff City, anything could happen, absolutely anything.

"They could give [the job] to him and give it to him next season. They could get rid of him and bring somebody in. This is the biggest problem - the board above him.

"He's got no support. I do feel he's just left there and on his own so he's just going to have to find a solution. He's going to have to gather the supporters together, he's going to have to gather the players together.

"What we do know is they need points on the board urgently. They've only got four games to do that but it is looking bleak."

The former centre-back also believes the players are "lacking ideas" and that it has left Riza searching in the dark for a solution.

They will need to find one fast, with just four games left to play. Perry just hopes Cardiff are still in contention to pull something out of the back come May 3 against Norwich City.

"I think that's the best Cardiff can hope for, just looking at the way they are playing, how results are going," he said.

"That's not an easy game because they have such a big crowd, Norwich, and the players will want to give some sort of performance for their home crowd.

"Last game of the season you're just hoping Cardiff have an opportunity but it was a big defeat against Stoke City on Saturday, a huge defeat, and the players looked deflated and so did the manager.

"But as we speak they are in the Championship, they have four games, they need to group together, they need to find a formula, they need to find a little bit more effort, sad to say, but they have to do it for Cardiff City's future."

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Alves: It's been a challenge but I'm loving it

Leicester City loanee Will Alves says he is relishing the challenge of playing senior football on a regular basis.

The diminutive winger has largely impressed since joining on loan in the winter window and has contributed to a number of important goals in recent weeks.

He has had spells in and out of the side owing to injury and form, but on the whole, the teenager says he is enjoying the experience.

"It's been great. It's been a real challenge for me and I feel like I've done well so far," he told the club programme.

"Something I've really been enjoying is just rolling in from game to game. I had a little injury to my knee at the start of my time here and I think that was because I wasn't physically ready to be playing two games in a week.

"But now, I feel great. I enjoy it because even if you have a game that isn't so good, you can come back quickly and bounce back in the next game. If you're doing well, you just stay on a roll."

It's Alves's first time on loan and first sustained period away from home, too. Speaking on his first move away, the England youth international said: "I miss my mum cooking for me and doing all the washing!

"But overall I've really enjoyed it here so far. I thought I would struggle a bit more, but it's been great. I'm always talking to my family and sometimes they come down to Cardiff. It's a really nice area here.

"Recently we had a team meal out together and I feel like I've got on really well with all the lads. Me and Cian Ashford spend a bit of time together and he's one of the other young lads, so it's been really good."