'In my heart' - Departing Sheffield Wednesday defender pens emotional goodbye
Bambo Diaby says that he will ‘always keep Sheffield Wednesday in my heart’ after his exit was confirmed.
The 26-year-old completed a move to Elche in the Spanish Segunda Liga on Thursday, joining for what is believed to be a six-figure sum after playing his part in the Owls’ great escape in 2023/24.
Diaby, who played 36 times for Wednesday during his short stay at S6, became a popular figure in the Wednesday changing room, and several players spoke about the positive role that he played - especially given his wealth of skills in the language department.
One season was ultimately all it would be for the big centre back at Hillsborough, though, and he says that it is a season that he’ll never forget.
“Dear Owls, today ends my journey at Sheffield Wednesday and, first of all, I want to say thank you,” he said in a post online. “If there is one thing I can say about my time here, it is that I have experienced many emotions in a short period of time. The pride of arriving at a historic club like this, the adrenaline when entering Hillsborough before a game, the pressure of seeing how we seemed to sink in the table, the motivation when we started to come back and believe in the miracle, and the explosion of happiness when we all together achieved the goal and kept SWFC in the place the club deserved.
“Undoubtedly, I will never forget those last fixtures when we gave our 200%. Again, I would like to say thank you to my teammates for making every training session a joy, to all the staff for allowing us to give everything on the pitch, and to you, the fans, who are the true heart of SWFC, and will continue to be. I will always keep Sheffield Wednesday in my heart and wish you all the best.”
Diaby is the latest summer exit from S6 as Danny Röhl restructures his squad, but is unlikely to be the last given interest in others from a number of different clubs.