JOE’s Forgotten Footballers: Ali Dia

We will feature all types of footballers in the Forgotten Footballer series, but in many ways, Ali Dia is in a league of his own.

By Declan Whooley

Last week we delved into the wacky world of Marco Boogers, but if you thought the Dutchman left a question mark over Harry Redknapp’s judgement, spare a thought for the lasting damage Ali Dia has inflicted on Graeme Souness.

In today’s world of information overdrive, it seems almost incredible that a part-time player would be able to blag his way into a Premier League side, but that is exactly what happened in November 1996. And Souness will most likely never live it down.

Born in Dakar, Senegal, Ali Dia plied his trade in the lower levels of French and German football – VfB Lubeck was as good as it got and he got nowhere near the Bundesliga - before coming to England in an effort to become a professional player.

He had trials at Gillingham, Port Vale and Bournemouth, but for the same reasons he never progressed in Germany and France, he failed to make the cut. He put his pride aside and joined the non-league Blyth Spartans in the Northern Premier League in November 1996 and had also enlisted into a university. And that is where the story really took off.

Even tying his shoeleaces was a struggle

We know that students concoct some wild and exciting ideas when they have ample time to think about anything other than studying, but this one is hard to top. A pal of Dia contacted Southampton manager Graeme Souness claiming to be George Weah, who was then the World Player of the Year. “Weah” told Souness that Dia was his cousin, had played for Paris St. Germain and had appeared 13 times for his country.

Even by the Joey Barton school of ridiculous ideas it seemed a little off the wall, and how Souness and Southampton were duped is a mystery. Not that Souness hasn’t made other questionable signings throughout his career (more to follow in the coming weeks).

Southampton offered Dia a one-month contract and the Senegalese man was given the number 33 jersey. His career will rank as one of the most short-lived in the Premier League, playing just 43 minutes against Leeds United in November 1996.

He appeared as a substitute for Matt Le Tissier, but was soon hauled ashore when his lack of international pedigree shone through, though he did have one chance to score.

“He ran around the pitch like Bambi on ice; it was very embarrassing to watch,” Le Tissier said. Not that he would be the best judge of someone’s running ability, but his point seemed valid.

The joke was up and with a bucketful of egg on his face, Souness terminated his contract after two weeks. He briefly played for Gateshead afterwards and did graduate from Northumbria University in November 2001.

Dia's was an incredibly short career in the top-flight, but he remains one of the most memorable names in English soccer over the past two decades, if not for the right reasons.

The name Ali Dia should bring a smile to your face and he is proof that football really is a mad game. Souness can just be thankful that Transfer Deadline Day wasn’t what it is now, or it could have been a whole lot worse.