Born: Paris, France, 8 November 1980
Nationality: Senegalese
International caps: 50
International goals: 9
Signed: 9 July 2007 from West Bromwich Albion (£6m)
Fulham debut: Arsenal 2-1 Fulham, 12 August 2007
Fulham appearances: 68
Fulham goals: 18
Honours: UEFA Europa League runners-up (2009-10).
Sold: 24 June 2011 (released).
Diomansy Kamara came to Craven Cottage from West Brom in July 2007 determined to ‘score lots and lots’ of goals in the Premier League. The Senegalese striker didn’t manage that but he repaid his £6m transfer fee on one magical afternoon at Manchester City in April 2008. Kamara opened his Fulham account with the winner against Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup and then scored a spectacular equaliser with a brilliant bicycle in added time to earn a 3-3 draw against Tottenham at Craven Cottage four days later.
He scored against Blackburn and Derby before spectacularly ending his dry spell in front of goal in a must-win game at the City of Manchester Stadium in April. Sent on with Fulham 2-0 down and heading for relegation, Kamara scored twice in the last twenty minutes – his second a superb finish from Danny Murphy’s through ball – to secure a 3-2 win that helped Roy Hodgson’s side reignite their Great Escape.
Hodgson largely utilised Kamara as a substitute, something that infuriated him, but the mercurial forward still popped up with vital goals as the Whites finished seventh in the Premier League the following season. He scored winners against Aston Villa and Newcastle after coming back from injury and scored goals in Fulham’s Europa League group games in CSKA Sofia and Roma. Kamara went on loan to Celtic for the second half of the 2009/10 season, but his opportunities were largely limited under Mark Hughes by the return to fitness of Bobby Zamora and the signing of Mousa Dembele. He was released in June 2011.
