| Season: | 2004–05 |
| League Result: | 16th |
| Cup1 Result: | Third round |
| Cup2 Result: | Third round |
| Cup3 Result: | Quarter-finals |
| League Topscorer: | Peter Thorne (12) |
| Season Topscorer: | Peter Thorne (14) |
| Highest Attendance: | 17,006 vs Leeds United (2 October 2004) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 10,007 vs Crewe Alexandra (19 March 2005) |
| Average Attendance: | 13,029 |
| Nextseason: | 2005–06 |
During the 2004–05 season Cardiff City played in the Football League Championship. It was the team's second year in the Championship since being promoted from League One. The season was also the last that manager Lennie Lawrence spent at the club before being replaced by Dave Jones at the end of the season.
Cardiff's kits continued to be designed by Puma. Their main shirt sponsor continues as Welsh housing company Redrow homes.
|}
| Player | Club | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Bullock | York City | Free | |
| Jobi McAnuff | West Ham United | £250,000 | |
| Rob Page | Sheffield United | Free |
| Player | Club | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Bonner | Oldham Athletic | Undisclosed | |
| Jason Bowen | Newport County | Free | |
| Gavin Gordon | Notts County | Undisclosed | |
| Spencer Prior | Southend United | Free | |
| Gareth Whalley | Wigan Athletic | Free |
| Player | Club | Date Arrived | Return Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darren Williams | Sunderland | September 2004 | October 2004 | |
| Gary O'Neil | Portsmouth | August 2004 | December 2004 | |
| Darren Williams | Sunderland | October 2004 | December 2004 | |
| Neil Harris | Millwall | November 2004 | January 2005 | |
| Michael Boulding | Barnsley | January 2005 | End of Season | |
| Junichi Inamoto | West Bromwich Albion | March 2005 | April 2005 |
| Player | Club | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neal Ardley | Unattached | Free | |
| Darren Williams | Sunderland | Free |
See main article: 2004–05 Football League Championship.
| 7 Aug | A | D 2 – 2 | 7,339 | Robinson, Lee | ||
| 10 Aug | H | W 2 – 1 | 14,031 | Earnshaw, Bullock | ||
| 13 Aug | H | L 0 – 1 | 12,697 | |||
| 21 Aug | A | L 1 – 3 | 21,828 | Lee | ||
| 28 Aug | H | L 0 – 1 | 12,929 | |||
| 30 Aug | A | L 1 – 2 | 9,004 | Lee | ||
| 11 Sep | A | D 0 – 0 | 21,607 | |||
| 14 Sep | H | L 0 – 3 | 10,606 | |||
| 18 Sep | H | L 0 – 2 | 12,008 | |||
| 25 Sep | A | W 3 – 2 | 27,896 | Parry, Thorne, Kavanagh | ||
| 28 Sep | A | L 0 – 1 | 11,200 | |||
| 2 Oct | H | D 0 – 0 | 17,006 | |||
| 16 Oct | H | W 2 – 0 | 11,004 | Thorne (2) | ||
| 19 Oct | A | D 1 – 1 | 6,112 | Bullock | ||
| 23 Oct | A | D 2 – 2 | 10,476 | O'Neil, Lee | ||
| 30 Oct | H | D 0 – 0 | 13,759 | |||
| 2 Nov | H | W 4 – 1 | 14,222 | Lee, Ledley, Parry, McAnuff | ||
| 6 Nov | A | D 2 – 2 | 5,119 | Ledley, Parry | ||
| 13 Nov | A | L 1 – 2 | 16,107 | Jerome | ||
| 19 Nov | H | L 0 – 1 | 10,950 | |||
| 27 Nov | A | L 0 – 1 | 15,146 | |||
| 4 Dec | H | W 3 – 1 | 10,623 | Jerome, Thorne (2) | ||
| 11 Dec | H | L 0 – 2 | 12,528 | |||
| 18 Dec | A | L 1 – 2 | 18,240 | Harris | ||
| 26 Dec | H | D 1 – 1 | 16,699 | Jerome | ||
| 28 Dec | A | D 0 – 0 | 13,409 | |||
| 1 Jan | A | W 1 – 0 | 22,800 | Thorne | ||
| 3 Jan | H | W 3 – 0 | 13,545 | Thorne (2), Kavanagh | ||
| 15 Jan | A | D 1 – 1 | 29,548 | Thorne | ||
| 22 Jan | H | W 2 – 0 | 11,562 | Langley, Kavanagh | ||
| 6 Feb | A | L 0 – 1 | 23,716 | |||
| 12 Feb | H | W 2 – 0 | 11,435 | Thorne, Collins | ||
| 22 Feb | H | L 0 – 1 | 11,424 | |||
| 26 Feb | A | L 1 – 2 | 32,788 | Vidmar | ||
| 5 Mar | H | W 1 – 0 | 12,250 | Ledley | ||
| 12 Mar | A | D 1 – 1 | 17,059 | Bullock | ||
| 15 Mar | H | L 0 – 1 | 11,768 | |||
| 19 Mar | H | D 1 – 1 | 10,007 | Gabbidon | ||
| 2 Apr | A | D 1 – 1 | 18,045 | Langley | ||
| 5 Apr | A | W 3 – 1 | 12,785 | Jerome (2), Thorne | ||
| 9 Apr | H | L 0 – 2 | 16,858 | |||
| 16 Apr | A | L 0 – 3 | 15,141 | |||
| 19 Apr | A | D 1 – 1 | 21,336 | Ardley | ||
| 23 Apr | H | W 2 – 0 | 14,821 | Thorne, Jerome | ||
| 30 Apr | A | D 1 – 1 | 10,810 | Parry | ||
| 8 May | H | W 1 – 0 | 15,722 | McAnuff |
| 24 Aug | One | A | W 1 – 1 (5–4 on pens) | 1,897 | Earnshaw | ||
| 21 Sep | Two | A | W 4 – 1 | 2,266 | Thorne (2), Bullock, Anthony | ||
| 26 Oct | Three | A | W 3 – 3 (5–4 on pens) | 8,598 | Lee, Bullock, Jerome | ||
| 9 Nov | Four | H | L 0 – 2 | 13,555 |
| 8 Jan | Three | H | D 1 – 1 | 14,145 | Lee | ||
| 19 Jan | Three (replay) | A | L 2 – 3 | 9,140 | McAnuff, Collins |
| 25 Jan | Quarter-final | A | L 0 – 1 | – |