Play-off final defeat was lowest point of my career - Marshall

Cardiff's former Norwich 'keeper David Marshall admitted Championship play-off defeat at Wembley hurt much more than the Canaries' relegation 12 months earlier.

Blackpool's 3-2 victory denied Marshall a shot at the Premiership one year on from leaving Norfolk within days of City's abject Championship finale at Charlton which condemned Bryan Gunn's side to League One. The Scottish international accepts it will take more than a summer break to recover from the hammer blow of losing the richest club game in world football.

“I feel so low it is incredible,” he said. “I felt physically sick walking out of the place a loser. I have never experienced a feeling like that - it is gut-wrenching, you feel empty.

“It is the lowest point of my career without a doubt. I have never experienced being here before. I had such high expectations, we expected to defend better and we didn't.”

Marshall made a swift Wembley exit to avoid watching Blackpool's celebrations.

“When we finished it was Blackpool's day and I just got off the pitch and left them to it,” he said.

“As soon as I heard the whistle I just ran up the tunnel - I couldn't even sit there on the pitch.

“I was first up the tunnel - I am sorry if I offended any Cardiff fans. I just felt like I wanted to get away from it. I was the first one in the dressing room and it was total disappointment.”

Marshall must now plan for a reunion with his former club following Norwich's title success but the Scot is under no illusions Cardiff face an uphill task to remain among the play-off contenders.

Malaysian investors are poised to take control later this week from outgoing chairman Peter Ridsdale but nine of Marshall's team mates are out of contract and a further nine have only a year left on their current deals.

“I just hope all our best players are there when I get back from holiday,” he said. “If we can keep our players and have a good attitude and kick on then we'll have a chance, but it is going to be tough.”

Bluebirds' boss Dave Jones will continue talks with the Malaysian consortium this week but warns the club needs a period of financial stability.

“I do feel for the fans because everyone has been brilliant this year. But with everything that's been going on off the field, it was a fantastic achievement,” he said. “It was basically that we were not good enough on the day. But we are getting closer.

“I can't change what's happened now, but maybe I can next season. When you consider all that's been going on this season, Blackpool are probably a more stable club than us. They have a chairman who stabilised them.

“Hopefully now we can grow from here and it won't be on sandy ground it will be on solid ground. Last year we were knocking on the door and we got that little bit closer this time, but we did not go close enough.”