Famara Diedhiou takes aim at Mark Ashton as he bids farewell to Bristol City fans The Robins striker is leaving Ashton Gate after four seasons at the club, scoring 51 goals in 169 games Famara Diedhiou has insisted he always wanted to stay at Bristol City and questioned CEO Mark Ashton's claim that he was offered one of the biggest contracts in the club's history. Diedhiou was named among the 11 players to be leaving Ashton Gate next month after a year-long saga over his future in BS3. Ashton stated in January that Diedhiou had been presented "one of the biggest contract offers that this football club has ever made to a player" towards the end of summer 2020, in a bid to keep him in the West Country. However, that offer went unsigned and the Senegal international effectively ran his contract down in the second half of the season, with his performances notably declining. Nigel Pearson left him out of the Robins final three league matches due to an apparent knee injury. Diedhiou has taken to Twitter to say goodbye to City fans but has insisted his desire was to remain at the club and claimed what Ashton said had happened wasn't necessarily reality. "I would like to thanks every single person who supports the BCFC," he wrote. "4 years 4 incredible years with the team who helped me to live my dreams play in England. It’s been a big pleasure and some greats memories from the first year but not the end I wanted. "Very disappointed and not the season we wanted but I will never forget the family. Time to go but nothing gonna change for me the love for Bristol City. Massive thanks to everyone from the man who lived in Knowle." In the replies to the first message, a fan tweeted Diedhiou, "you got the end you wanted", to which he then replied, "That’s not the end I wanted I always wanted to stay at Bristol City." Robins supporter Nathan Summers then referenced the January interview with Bristol Live, to which Diedhiou responded: "That’s what HE said." It's the latest in what has been a sorry ending to a fine body of work for the striker who was the club's record signing when he joined from Angers in 2017 for £5.3m. Diedhiou was a divisive player throughout his four years in BS3 with criticisms over his finishing acumen countered with his work rate, physicality and the fact he was a constant presence and allowed others to play off him. His departure from the squad does leave a sizeable hole for Nigel Pearson to fill with the only traditional No9 remaining being young Louis Britton who only made his Championship debut towards the end of the season. Diedhiou remains a target of Middlesbrough and other Championship clubs but with reports in the north east indicating his wage expectations are too high for what is an increasingly depressed market due to Covid-19. Ashton, meanwhile, is in his final 10 days as Robins CEO ahead of his switch to League One Ipswich Town on June 1 with replacement Richard Gould commencing work at Ashton Gate in mid-June. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/sport/football/famara-diedhiou-mark-ashton-bristol-5431965
We have been led by innuendos like this for 5 years from all of them, it's no wonder we are in the state we're in, thank god they've all gone. Ashton stated in January that Diedhiou had been presented "one of the biggest contract offers that this football club has ever made to a player" towards the end of summer 2020, in a bid to keep him in the West Country. When asked later Diedhiou responded,"That’s what HE said." Diedhiou has taken to Twitter to say goodbye to City fans but has insisted his desire was to remain at the club and claimed what Ashton said had happened wasn't necessarily reality.
Background noise and bullshit needs to be kicked out of Ashton Gate once and for all because the public have had enough of this nonsense over the years. The first time I saw an Ashton interview I though he was full of brylcreem and self-ego and so I'm glad he's gone but it should have been as soon as he said he was leaving for the tractor boys. A new dawn awaits so let's just hope it is not a foggy one anymore.
We’ll never know what really happened, more inclined to believe Fam than Ashton personally, but who knows. Time to move on and see what the future brings. COYR
For man who wanted to stay the players last few months performances were like taking a dump on yer carpet. His level of performance and honesty should not be welcome here thank you anymore.
It takes me back quite a few years when I saw the attitude and performances of this season's less than stellar performances to a time when dressing room cliques were clear and evident. Having a divide in the dressing room is the best way of destroying a team from within and I remember a specific incident during those times when I saw a young lad asking for an autograph from Agbeyan? who proceeded to brush him aside with contempt leaving the lad very upset. There were many others from those times, and unfortunately still are, who clearly have only money on their minds and to hell with the bloody shirt and all that commitment nonsense. The greatest shame is that when they are under contract they have their employer by the nuts and when you consider that in any other business they would be fired for non-performance and sent packing. How nice it would be for them to be paid based on their performance and contribution to the cause, but no they get paid no matter what shift they provide. Rant over and perhaps Nigel will get the best from the players he inevitably will bring to Bristol City and take us to a brighter future devoid of bullshit and waffle.
SOMEWHERE in past 6 months or so i stated categorically that Fammy wanted to stay in Bristol was very happy and would sign the contract but should the contract not have been there e "only a fictional promise" then how could that happen!
I don't believe either of them personally. I think maybe initially Ashton saw it as a way of appeasing the fans who loved Diedhiou, but then Pearson laid bare exactly how poor many people knew him to be. I think Diedhiou has backed himself into a corner with his inflated wage demands especially given the current financial climate and trying a damage limitation ploy. Let's be honest, he wasn't worth the wages that he was earning let alone being paid even more and he is finding that out to his cost, he says he wants to stay in the UK but to get what he believes he is worth I expect some crappy Arab league or maybe China.
Post COVID wages for players I reckon is likely to be a lot lower . OOC Players will leave it as late as possible while they adjust and hope clubs will become desperate. I hope I’m wrong and we start to recruit early, but I doubt it.
Don't you find that the Diedhou type players who truly think they are worth more than their actual worth usually end up on some far and distant rubbish tip. Nicky Maynard is an example of this because he truly thought he was heading for the stars but failed to meet the necessary needs and was pushed aside by his subsequent employers. I can understand a young man's desire to play the best class of football available to them but sometimes those dreams need to be tempered with reality and I think Fammy and his agent are way off the mark by thinking he is about to join a big club for big money. I understand that we are not that big club but nonetheless I truly believe that we can offer a great environment to play the game and if that is not good for you then please do one as soon as possible. Wasn't Basso of the same opinion?
I missed something in your reply Jiffie but it is probably intended to highlight an issue I totally missed. Out here on my remote island the news doesn't travel fast, if at all. Did they also think the grass would be greener elsewhere?
Gary Collier was pretty much an ever present for City for 7 seasons and City were big payers during their 1st division days he left in 1979 for Coventry for £325,000, the first player in the UK to leave under freedom of contract, he played only a couple of games and ended up in America at Portland timbers in 1980. Louis Carey left in 2004 also for Coventry, he only lasted 6 months there before his contract was cancelled and he returned to us. Scott Murray could be added to that list, he lasted less than a year at Reading.
