Toumani Diagouraga

Playing career

Watford

2004–2006 Diagouraga was born in Paris to Malian parents and began his career in youth football in the city. He subsequently suffered a broken shoulder in a traffic accident, but returned to football and was spotted in a trial match versus an academy team from English club Watford. After a number of further trial matches, he joined the Hornets' academy in December 2003. He signed a professional contract in November 2004 at age 17 and starred in the youth team's run to the quarter-finals of the 2004–05 FA Youth Cup. His performances during the run attracted transfer interest from Premier League club Chelsea.

Diagouraga received his maiden call-up to the first team for the first game of the 2005–06 season, when he was an unused substitute during a 2–1 Championship defeat at home to Preston North End. Diagouraga made his first team debut with a start in Watford's 2–1 League Cup second round victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on 20 September 2005 and he was substituted after 75 minutes by Junior Osborne. Diagouraga made three further appearances before joining League One club Swindon Town on loan on 23 March 2006. He made eight appearances and returned to Watford at the end of the season. He joined League One club Rotherham United on loan until the end of the season on 12 January 2007. The terms of the deal saw him arrive at Millmoor as a makeweight in a £1,000,000 deal that took Millers players Will Hoskins and Lee Williamson to Watford. Diagouraga made only seven appearances for the Millers.

Diagouraga spent the entire 2007–08 season away on loan and was released in June 2008, after his contract expired. He made only six appearances during his four years with the club as a professional. He scored the first senior goal of his career in a 4–2 win over Bradford City on 22 September. after the Bulls secured a third-place finish in League Two.

On 7 July 2008, Diagouraga transferred to Hereford United permanently and signed a three-year contract. He was a regular starter and scored his first goal of the 2008–09 season in a 2–2 draw at home to Tranmere Rovers on 26 December 2008. He was again a virtual ever-present, making 48 appearances and scoring two goals as the Bulls were relegated straight back to League Two after a bottom-place finish. He departed Edgar Street in June 2009. He was an ever-present through the first half of the 2009–10 season and featured in Posh's run to the League Cup fourth round, Diagouraga made what would be his last Peterborough appearance in a 0–0 draw with Ipswich Town on 8 December. which led to his departure on loan for the rest of the season in January 2010. He departed the club on 17 July 2010,

Brentford

2010–2012 Diagouraga joined League One club Brentford on a one-month loan on 21 January 2010 and the deal was later extended to the end of the season. He went straight into the starting lineup for Brentford's league match at Norwich City two days later and was substituted for Carl Cort after 59 minutes of the 1–0 defeat. He made 20 appearances during the second half of the 2009–10 season as Brentford consolidated their position in League One.

Diagouraga signed for Brentford on a three-year contract in July 2010. He began the 2010–11 season as a starting central midfielder alongside Marcus Bean and featured in Brentford's run to the fourth round of the League Cup, in which he started in victories over Championship club Hull City and Premier League Everton in the second and third rounds respectively. Diagouraga scored his first Brentford goal in a 2–1 home win over Charlton Athletic on 2 October. He made 43 appearances during the 2010–11 season and scored one goal.

Diagouraga suffered a knee injury in a 2011–12 pre-season friendly versus Hampton & Richmond Borough in July 2011, which ruled him out for two months. He returned to the team with a fifteen-minute cameo at the end of a 2–0 away victory over Oldham Athletic on 24 September. Diagouraga enjoyed a successful 2011–12 season, making 40 appearances and scoring a seasonal-best five goals.

2012–2014 Diagouraga was a virtual ever-present during the 2012–13 season, making 49 appearances and scoring one goal, which came in a 2–1 win over Notts County on 29 March 2013. He signed a new two-year contract in February 2013. Diagouraga was denied promotion to the Championship due to a missed penalty from Marcello Trotta in the final game of the season versus Doncaster Rovers and defeat to Yeovil Town in the 2013 League One Playoff Final.

Now behind Adam Forshaw, George Saville and Alan McCormack in the midfield pecking order, Diagouraga featured mostly from the bench during the early stages of the 2013–14 season. He received an assurance over his future from new manager Mark Warburton in January 2014, but joined League Two club Portsmouth on a one-month loan on 17 February 2014. After three appearances and receiving "good reports", Brentford manager Mark Warburton put a block on Diagouraga's loan being extended beyond 16 March. Diagouraga was named by manager Richie Barker as captain for the final game of his initial loan, which resulted in a 3–1 defeat to Fleetwood Town on 15 March. After the match, Diagouraga reiterated his desire to stay at Fratton Park and his loan was extended until the end of the 2013–14 season on 17 March. He was recalled by Brentford on 26 March, after making eight appearances. He made 26 appearances during the 2013–14 season.

2014–2016 Diagouraga found himself behind Marcos Tébar and Alan McCormack in the midfield pecking order during the early months of the 2014–15 season, but he forced his way into the starting lineup in November after being challenged by Mark Warburton to earn a new contract. On 9 December, Diagouraga signed a new contract would keep him at Griffin Park until the end of the 2016–17 season. He celebrated his 200th Brentford appearance versus Leeds United at Elland Road on 7 February 2015 and assisted Alex Pritchard for the only goal of the game. On 3 May, Diagouraga was announced as the Brentford Supporters’ Player of the Year. He made 43 appearances during the 2014–15 season, which ended after the Bees fell to Middlesbrough in the playoff semi-finals.

Despite featuring as an ever-present in league matches during the first half of the 2015–16 season, Diagouraga handed in a transfer request on 11 January 2016. A new contract had gone unsigned during the previous six months, "but once the wheels were in motion about me leaving, it was hard for me to make a U-turn". In 2024, Diagouraga stated that "If I could turn the clock back, I probably wouldn’t have left" the club. He made his debut versus former club Brentford on 26 January, as a substitute for Luke Murphy after an hour of the 1–1 draw. After failing to win a recall, Diagouraga moved on loan to Championship club Ipswich Town for the remainder of the 2016–17 season. He made 12 appearances before his spell was cut short by a groin injury.

After surprisingly appearing as a central defender early in Leeds' 2017–18 pre-season programme, Diagouraga was left out of the squad for the club's tour of Austria and failed to win a call into a first team squad before his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 25 August 2017. Diagouraga made 20 appearances and scored three goals during just over 18 months at Elland Road.

Plymouth Argyle On 9 October 2017, Diagouraga joined League One strugglers Plymouth Argyle as a free agent and signed a contract to run until 9 January 2018. His presence in midfield brought about an upturn in the Pilgrims' form and he was offered a new 18-month contract in late December 2017. Diagouraga rejected the extension and remained at Home Park until his existing contract expired.

Fleetwood Town Diagouraga reunited with his former Brentford manager Uwe Rösler at League One club Fleetwood Town on 10 January 2018 and signed an 18-month contract on a free transfer. Three days later, he made his debut with a start and scored the opening goal in a 2–1 victory over Southend United.

Return to Swindon Town On 18 July 2018, Diagouraga signed a two-year contract with League Two club Swindon Town on a free transfer. He made just 15 appearances during an injury-affected 2018–19 season.

Morecambe On 2 January 2020, Diagouraga joined League Two club Morecambe on a contract running until the end of the 2019–20 season, with the option of a further year. He made 12 appearances and scored one goal before the 2019–20 season was ended early. In June 2020, the option on Diagouraga's contract was taken up for 2020–21 and he made 43 appearances and scored three goals during a season which culminated in promotion to League One for the first time in the club's history. Diagouraga signed a new one-year contract in June 2021 and he made 46 appearances, scoring one goal, He was released when his contract expired.

Rochdale On 16 June 2022, Diagouraga signed a one-year contract with League Two club Rochdale on a free transfer, effective 1 July 2022. He made 37 appearances during a disastrous 2022–23 season, Diagouraga was released when his contract expired and though he had offers to continue playing, he elected to retire.

Personal life As of October 2023, Diagouraga was living in Harrogate.

Career statistics

Honours Brentford Football League Trophy runner-up: 2010–11 Football League One second-place promotion: 2013–14

Morecambe EFL League Two play-offs: 2021

Individual Brentford Supporters' Player of the Year: 2014–15