After just missing out on a play-off place last season, Cardiff City would have been hoping to kick on this campaign, but they haven’t done so.

Under new boss Steve Morison, who took over in November, the club currently sit 17th in the Sky Bet Championship, albeit far clear of the relegation battle.

This season, Morison has used plenty of players who have come through the Bluebirds academy system in his side, including Joel Bagan, Rubin Colwill, Mark Harris, and Isaak Davies.

These players are more examples of fine players produced by the club’s youth system, and looking back, you can find even more examples of excellence.

With that being said, we thought we’d put a list of eight of Cardiff City’s best ever youth academy graduates together and see if you agreed.

These players are in no particular order, but have gone on to do some fine things in the game.

One of the eight best Cardiff City academy graduates has to be Chris Gunter.

The Welsh defender was a part of the Cardiff City youth system between 1997 and 2006 and went on to make 33 first team appearances for the club between 2006 and 2008.

After spells with Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Reading and now Charlton Athletic, Gunter, now 32, has earnt 107 Welsh international caps – a remarkable achievement.

The Welsh international has made 18 appearances in Sky Bet League One for Charlton Athletic this campaign.

Another player that we think is one of the better youth products produced by Cardiff City is current Cardiff City player Joe Ralls.

Ralls came through the Bluebirds youth system between 2010 and 2011 and made his first team debut in 2011.

Since then, Ralls has, despite a brief loan spell at Yeovil Town, remained with the club ever since, making 307 appearances for the club to date.

Now 28-years-old, Ralls has featured 28 times for the Bluebirds in the Championship this campaign.

Adam Matthews is another player that we think is one of the best youth players that Cardiff City have ever produced.

Matthews came through the Cardiff City youth ranks between 2000 and 2009.

The full-back made 48 appearances for the Bluebirds first team between 2009 and 2011, earning himself a move to Scottish giants Celtic.

Following four years in Glasgow, Matthews had a stint with Sunderland and a loan spell with Bristol City.

Since 2019, the 30-year-old has been playing his football for Charlton Athletic, and has featured 24 times in League One so far this season.

Technically, this player didn’t actually graduate from the Cardiff City academy, though he did spend five years there between 2006 and 2011 and that’s Tom Lockyer.

Lockyer left the Bluebirds and had a one-year stint in the Bristol Rovers youth set up before making his first team debut for the Pirates.

He went on to appear over 250 times for Rovers, before departing for Charlton Athletic in 2019 – whom he left after one season to link up with Luton Town.

The 27-year-old, who has been capped 14 times by his country, has made 25 Championship appearances for the Hatters this campaign.

The fifth player on this list, which is in no particular order, is Joe Ledley, who surely has to be considered one of Cardiff City’s best youth products.

Ledley joined the Bluebirds youth system in 1996 and made his first team debut for the club in 2004.

The 77-cap Welsh international went on to make 257 appearances for Cardiff before Celtic came calling for his signature.

After four years in Scotland, Ledley went on to have spells with Crystal Palace, Derby County, Charlton Athletic, Newcastle Jets and Newport County before hanging up his boots in November 2021.

James Collins is another player that must surely be viewed as one of Cardiff City’s greatest youth academy exports.

The centre-back spent two years in the Cardiff City youth system before making his first team debut for the club in 2000.

Collins would feature 66 times for the Bluebirds, before having spells with West Ham United twice, Aston Villa and Ipswich Town.

Collins also earnt 51 caps for the Welsh national team and was a part of their Euro 2016 campaign.

The list turns to a prolific striker now and that is Robert Earnshaw.

Earnshaw came through the youth ranks at Cardiff City for just one year prior to making his first team debut for the club in 1998.

The Zambian born striker would go on to feature 227 times for the Bluebirds across two stints with the club, scoring 109 goals in those matches.

Earnshaw also earned himself 59 Welsh international caps between 2002 and 2012.

Currently, he is an assistant at Orange County SC who play in the USL Championship in the United States.

Last but not least, and, arguably, Cardiff City’s best ever academy graduate is midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Ramsey joined the Bluebirds youth system in 1999 and made his first team debut for the club in 2006.

His talents quickly attracted the attention of Arsenal, where he moved in 2008 and spent 11 years of his career – making 371 appearances for the Gunners.

After a recent spell with Juventus, Ramsey is currently on loan at Scottish side Rangers.

The central midfielder has 72 Wales caps to his name and has been a key part of the Welsh national team’s successes in recent years.