Forgotten Wanderers #7: Khalilou Fadiga

Now we've had some dickheads at Bolton Wanderers, but we've also had warriors aplenty.

I would class the Dakar-born midfielder Khalilou Fadiga as a warrior.

Spending his formative years in Belgium with Royal Liege, Lommel and Club Brugge, where he established a reputation as an energetic and creative attacking midfielder, Fadiga then moved France on loan with the famous Auxerre club under the leadership of the legendary Guy Roux, who was manager for about 450 years.

His ten goals for Auxerre drew the attention of Italian giants, and my team in Italy, Internazionale. Upon undertaking a medical in Milan it was discovered that Fadiga had a heart problem, which stopped him playing for the best part of a year. He was released the next season without making a single appearance for the Nerazzuri.

He then passed a medical and joined Bolton Wanderers the next summer, but drama struck before his home debut in the October of 2004 when Fadiga collapsed on the pitch before a game which caused him to have a defibrillator installed in his chest. He made a total of 13 appearances for the lads before joining Championship side Derby County on loan.

Short spells at Coventry City, Gent and Germinal Beerschot helped him earn a few bob before knocking footy on the head for realz in 2011.

He managed 37 appearances, with four goals for the Senegal national side between 2000 and 2008. Good on him.