Manager Mick McCarthy says Sol Bamba's return to action after a cancer diagnosis has prompted delight throughout Cardiff City.
Bamba, 36, came off the bench in Cardiff's draw with Rotherham United on the final day of the Championship season.
It was the defender's first appearance since Cardiff announced in January that he was undergoing chemotherapy.
"Sol has been a big part of this club for a long time," McCarthy said.
"He got on the pitch and he was delighted with that and the lads were all delighted for him, as I am and the staff are.
"He has been a big part of the club and everybody loves him."
Bamba spoke of his "pure joy" at returning to training last month having been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The Ivory Coast international said at the time there was "still a long way to go" in his recovery, but he came on in the 89th minute against Rotherham to make a first Cardiff appearance since December 2020.
McCarthy says the decision to introduce Bamba as the Millers sought a late winner was tactical.
"I did think when they were starting to making substitutions and bring players on, they were going to be looking for a throw-in, a free-kick, a corner, and I wanted to get him on," he added.
Former Leeds, Leicester and Hibernian player Bamba, who has made 118 appearances since joining Cardiff in 2016, sees his contract expire this summer.
Cardiff's draw with saw them finish eighth in the Championship, while Rotherham's failure to win meant they were relegated to League One.