Cardiff City have sacked manager Neil Harris following their midweek defeat to QPR.

That was a sixth straight defeat in all competitions and leaves the Bluebirds 15th, with 29 points from 24 games.

Harris led the Bluebirds to the play-off spots last season, before narrowly being out by Fulham in the semi-finals. After a slow start to this season, five wins in six matches in late 2020 moved them back into top six contention, but a poor start to the calendar year has seen Harris lose his job.

Mick McCarthy, Paul Cook and Tony Pulis lead the bookmakers odds, but also in the running are former Rovers striker Craig Bellamy and ex-Ewood boss Mark Hughes.

Bellamy previously worked with Cardiff as an Academy coach and also player development manager, but left in 2019 under something of a cloud. He is now currently working as the Under-21s boss at Anderlecht where former Manchester City team-mate Vincent Kompany is in charge.

Hughes meanwhile is looking to get back into management following his departure from Southampton in December 2018.

Hughes, aged 57, moved into club management with Rovers in September 2004 and took charge of 188 games for the club, and has since managed Manchester City, Fulham, QPR, Stoke City and Southampton.

He is yet to manage outside of the Premier League, and had been linked with the West Brom job following the sacking of Slaven Bilic, only for that to go to another ex-Rovers boss, Sam Allardyce.

Hughes told the BBC last week: "I've had enough rest now. I'm ready to go.

"Those opportunities will keep on coming, you'd like to think, given the CV that I've got. You just have to wait for the right one."

Harris, aged 43, took charge of Cardiff in November 2019 and presided over 24 wins in his 62 matches. His other managerial experience came during a four-and-a-half year spell with Millwall.

Owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan said in a statement: “I’d like to thank Neil and David sincerely for their hard work at Cardiff City.

“Their efforts to propel us towards a fifth-place finish and play-Off position last year are recognised and appreciated, although sadly we are in a result-orientated business and our on-field results of late and progress this season has been very poor. 

“As such, we have had no choice but to relieve them of their duties in an effort to improve results and league position with a change of manager.

“I’d like to personally wish Neil and David the very best with their future undertakings and endeavours. They will always be welcome faces at Cardiff City Stadium and I wish them good luck and good health. God bless.”