The attacker joined the Bluebirds in the summer of 2008, fending off interest from newly promoted Premier League club Hull City. They paid £350,000 for the striker, who had a problematic career until that point.
Arsenal sold Bothroyd in 2000 after he reportedly threw his shirt at a coach during a youth cup match, and he later played alongside Colonel Gaddafi’s son for Perugia in Italy.
He moved about clubs, eventually settling at Wolves before joining Cardiff. As it turned out, the trade would benefit both the team and the player throughout his three-year stint at Cardiff.
Bothroyd joined Cardiff after their FA Cup Final failure in 2008, and he soon established himself as one of the club’s finest scorers. In his Championship debut, the big forward scored 12 goals and assisted six times.
He finished as the club’s leading scorer that season, forming a brilliant front-line combo with returning fan favourite Michael Chopra. The two combined to score 21 league goals, helping the Bluebirds finish seventh under manager Dave Jones.
The following year, the forward added 11 more goals and an amazing 15 assists, as Peter Whittingham scored 20 league goals in one of the club’s most successful Championship seasons.
His last season with the Bluebirds was his most impressive. Bothroyd began the season with 15 goals in 16 games, propelling the Bluebirds to promotion contention. They competed with QPR for the top spot for most of the season, but a poor run of form in the second half of the season saw them finish in the play-offs.
Bothroyd’s form earned him an unexpected England call-up. Due to a number of injuries, he was called up by manager Fabio Capello in 2010, and appeared as a substitute against France in a friendly match. He became the first Cardiff player to win an England cap in the club’s history.
In three seasons with Cardiff, he scored 41 goals and assisted 30 times in 116 games.
Despite having his greatest season yet and getting a surprise England debut, Bothroyd was unable to reach a new contract with the Bluebirds and left the club on a free transfer in the summer of 2011.
He was only one of many acquisitions made by QPR following their return to the Premier League. He was part of a crowded front line at Loftus Road, including new arrivals Djibrl Cisse and Bobby Zamora.
As a result, he had little opportunity to impress for QPR, as evidenced by his goal total. Bothroyd played only 25 league games for QPR over two years, scoring three goals.
He had a brief loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday, but spent the majority of his career playing in Japan and Thailand.
Bothroyd struggled after leaving Cardiff, but his transfer from Wolves was an absolute steal for the Bluebirds, and it will be warmly remembered by both sides, regardless of what transpired afterward.
