Curtis Nelson has struggled to break into the Bluebirds' first-team since signing in the summer from Oxford United, but he was handed a chance in the final few weeks of Neil Warnock's reign.

Due to an injury picked up by Sean Morrison and Sol Bamba having been out with a long-term injury, Nelson stepped up from the bench and into the starting lineup, where he has remained for the past couple of weeks.

Having put in some good performances for the Bluebirds in his four outings, though, he will be determined to try and keep his spot in the side under the new manager, following Neil Warnock's resignation after the Severnside derby defeat to Bristol City on Sunday.

Warnock had put a lot of faith into the 26-year-old centre-back after signing him during the summer, and while it took him a while to get his chance in the side, he had clearly done enough to impress Warnock.

But with the return of Morrison not far away, as well as Bamba having recently stepped back out onto the pitch and Aden Flint being a Championship-quality defender, Nelson could be fearing that he will drop down to fourth choice centre-back.

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Nelson has already shown that he has the qualities to do well at Championship level and that he could be a starter for the Bluebirds, however, he is finding himself unlucky with the amount of quality he has to compete with at centre-back.

The 26-year-old defender will be hoping that his brief run in the side will have been enough to persuade any incoming manager that he is good enough to be starting in the side, however, he has a right to be fearing for his place.

Nelson will feel as if a drop down to the bench again, and subsequently moving to The Cardiff City Stadium at all, would have made his recent forays a waste of time.

The Plymouth Argyle youth graduate will be praying that he is able to stake his claim for a permanent place in the Bluebirds' side, however, the chances are that he will be finding himself disappointed over the next couple of weeks.