Sol Bamba | Dunfermline Athletic Football Club –

13 January 1985 – 31 August 2024

Everybody at Dunfermline Athletic was deeply saddened to listen to of the passing of our former participant Sol Bamba who has tragically died in Turkey after being rushed to hospital earlier than a match involving Adanaspor, the staff at which he had not too long ago been appointed Technical Director. Membership historian Duncan Simpson leads the tribute to the favored determine.

Born in Paris to Ivorian dad and mom, Sol (born Souleymane Bamba) signed for Paris St Germain on the age of 11. Nevertheless, regardless of working his manner by their youth construction, he was unable to make a lot progress in direction of common first staff involvement, and left the membership in the summertime of 2006. In the meantime again at East Finish Park, Pars supervisor Jim Leishman was on the look out for a central defender. By way of an agent Jim had a watch on a French left again/centre half however the participant’s fiancée took unwell so he returned to France, so Dunfermline had been then supplied Sol as a substitute. Sol made his debut on 20 July 2006, approaching as a second half substitute in a pre-season pleasant at East Finish Park in opposition to Spanish facet Atletico Osasuna. He performed two days later in one other pleasant in opposition to Carlisle United, nevertheless it was his efficiency three days later in opposition to West Bromwich Albion that caught the supervisor’s eye:

“On the time West Brom had been managed by Brian Robson and he had simply signed John Hartson from Celtic. Bamba performed Hartson out of the sport, and that was sufficient for me.”

Leishman signed Bamba on a two-year contract.  Sol was extremely popular with Pars followers from the outset, primarily as a result of he was so totally different – he might miss a sort out however his large legs and gazelle-like velocity would guarantee he caught his opponent up earlier than he’d gone one other couple of strides. Then again, he could possibly be essentially the most irritating participant – he might go previous males with respectable ball abilities then misplace a easy go. Nevertheless, that was as a lot about his age and lack of expertise because it was the rest, and there was nice confidence that Bamba would grow to be an excellent participant.

His first season at Dunfermline noticed blended outcomes for the staff – the membership struggled within the Premier League, however managed to go on an amazing Scottish Cup run, beating Rangers 3-2 and Hearts 1-0 within the course of. Dunfermline met Hibernian within the semi-final and after a goalless first match, the Pars received the replay 1-0 because of a Jim McIntyre penalty. Sol was core to that victory, with an impressive efficiency in defence. The Ultimate in opposition to Celtic was misplaced when Celtic scored a late winner, however as soon as once more the staff had seemed stable defensively. Within the league and regardless of a terrific run of 4 wins on the trot, Dunfermline fell on the last hurdle shedding to Inverness on the final day and thus had been relegated.

Dunfermline’s confidence in Bamba was confirmed when the participant was given an extension to his contract, however even at that stage, there have been indicators that Bamba didn’t wish to be a part of a relegated staff. After Stephen Kenny left, he didn’t play as many video games throughout the 2007-08 season he may need, though he did participate in one other last, the League Problem Cup Ultimate which Dunfermline misplaced 3-2 to St Johnstone.

In July 2008 , Sol was permitted by the membership to go on trial with Watford and it appeared to everybody that he was going to signal, however for no matter motive, all of it fell by and Sol returned to Dunfermline, to play in a League Problem Cup match in opposition to Queen of the South on twentieth August. On the time, his supervisor Jim McIntyre welcomed him again:

“One participant who does deserve a point out is Sol Bamba. He drove for twelve hours by the night time and had a sleep within the morning earlier than the sport, however I assumed he was wonderful. Sadly for everyone the transfer fell by and I’m unsure why. We had a letter from them, that they had a agreed a payment with us and phrases with Sol, so for this to occur is disappointing. However Sol is an effective footballer and I’m glad to welcome him again.”

Nevertheless, it wasn’t to be for lengthy – Sol performed only one extra sport, a league match in opposition to Livingston on thirtieth August earlier than departing for Easter Street the place Hibernian had put in a bid simply earlier than the switch deadline which was accepted by the Pars Board. One small piece of consolation for Pars followers is that the membership would obtain a share of any future switch. Sol’s two and a half seasons at Easter Street had been solely the beginning of an amazing enjoying profession. By the point he left Easter Street he had developed right into a sought-after defender. He signed for Leicester Metropolis in January 2011, then moved to high Turkish facet Trabzonspor in June 2012. After a short six months with Italian facet Palermo, he moved to Leeds United the place he was made captain. He had arguably his most profitable spell after shifting to Cardiff Metropolis in October 2016 earlier than lastly becoming a member of Middlesbrough in 2021.

On the worldwide entrance Bamba performed for Ivory Coast on the FIFA World Youth Championship and on the African Youth Championship. Then on 13^th August 2008 at 19.45 (native time) within the Tianjin Olympic Stadium in China he made a little bit little bit of Pars historical past. Having been chosen for the Ivory Coast squad on the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Sol needed to sit on the bench for the primary two matches. Nevertheless, for this sport Sol took his place within the centre of defence and performed the total 90 minutes because the Ivorians secured 1 / 4 last place within the Olympic Event with a 1-0 win over Australia. Sol thus grew to become the primary serving Pars participant to characterize his nation (Ivory Coast) on the Olympic Video games. It was additionally the beginning of a prolonged worldwide profession during which Sol received 46 full caps for Ivory Coast.

A really good tribute to Sol seems on the St Pat’s web site the place former Pars supervisor Stephen Kenny says:

“I had the pleasure of managing Sol, he was a younger centre-half at Dunfermline Athletic. He was he was a giant presence at us on and off the pitch, lighting fast and a extremely high class defender. Sol was a really passionate younger man, who introduced a variety of laughter across the membership. It spoke volumes for his character that in an harm crises on the membership, he performed by the ache. He was breath of recent air across the membership however moved on to Hibernian having attracted a variety of curiosity. It’s onerous to be consider at 39 that he’s handed say. He was good to work with, and it’s a really unhappy loss.”

Sol made 52 appearances for Dunfermline, six of which had been from the bench, for Dunfermline Athletic however by no means managed to attain. We go away our last ideas about Sol with the person who signed him for the Pars, Jim Leishman:

“Though it took a little bit of luck to get Sol, he was a terrific man to have within the staff. He had a fiery temperament, however that was as a result of he needed to be a winner. Though he was uncooked, I knew it was unlikely that we might have the ability to hold him – he was sturdy, fast with good toes, and he was good within the air. Off the sphere I acquired on very well with him and met his mum, dad and brothers. He went on to nice issues, however we stored involved. It’s actually unhappy that he has handed away. The factor I’ll bear in mind most about him is his smile – it was second to none.”

Our honest condolences go to Sol’s spouse and household at this unhappy time.