Barrow AFC defender named National League player-of-the-month

Diarra picked up the September prize as he continues to impress with his committed displays at the back for the Bluebirds.

The 26-year-old Frenchman played every minute of AFC’s five matches in September, as they won three and drew two games and climbed as high as third in the table.

Diarra – who was presented with the trophy at training this week – has been an outstanding presence at the heart of the Barrow AFC defence as they have gone on a nine-match unbeaten run, forming a strong partnership with Danny Livesey at centre-half.

Having stepped up two leagues from previous club Hampton and Richmond, gone full-time for the first time, and moved his family from London to Manchester, the Parisian has quickly adapted to life at Holker Street, with Cox hailing deserved recognition from the league for his displays. He said: “I’m really proud of the lad. He’s travelled a long way from home – not just from France, but he has moved up from London. He’s come up a couple of levels in the game, and it took him probably one or two games to acclimatise.

“But in the last five or six games, we’ve really seen Moussa’s true potential. I’m really happy for the lad that he has been awarded this accolade.”

Chairman Casson also weighed in with heady words for a player he believes to be ‘almost perfect’.

He said: “On and off the pitch, he’s almost the perfect player. He has a great attitude and nothing seems to bother him. The way he looks on the pitch is the way he is – he’s just the nicest of people. He has a bit of a mean streak in him, which we are trying to cultivate in the right way.

“He has been a surprise to me – he has been a surprise to everybody. It’s not disrespecting the lad to say he has been a revelation. When we first brought him in, he was considered to be a third-choice prospect, brought in because of his defensive ability, but also because of his ability to score goals.

“He’s come on a lot quicker than we ever imagined – like a lot of things that have happened this season. He’s on a trajectory to go very far if he continues as he has done.

“The 6ft 6ins centre-halves with that sort of ability don’t grow on trees.

“I was fully confident Paul Cox knew what he was doing when he recruited him as a player, but what has delighted me is his personality and the way he carries himself – he’s a delight to be around and a great example of somebody who has been given an opportunity, was willing to take a risk to play full-time football, and who is taking full advantage of it. We all need to applaud that.”

Both Casson and Cox recognised Diarra’s award comes from playing in a team in fine form, with today’s match against Maidstone United at Holker Street the chance to make it 10 games unbeaten and remain among the National League’s leading pack.

“If you look at the bigger picture of where we are and where we want to get to, it’s nice that people are recognising our players and noticing how hard we are working as a football club to be competitive in what is a really tough league,” said Cox.

Casson believes Diarra is just one of a number of players brought up the footballing ladder by Cox to have made an impact for Barrow.

He added: “I think he’s an indication of the ability of Paul Cox to go and find people, to find those hidden gems in the lower leagues. It’s the result of solid work by the scouting network he has.

“I think there is more to come. He hasn’t really missed on anybody yet – Richie Bennett has been a hit, Jordan Williams has been a massive hit, and Moussa as well. There is more to come.

“I’m very excited about what Mr (Harry) Panayiotou might turn out to be, since Paul was the most enthusiastic about him of all of them.

“It’s an indication of how things are changing. We have players being recognised – Coxy has already been the manager-of-the-month last year – and it’s an indication of how things are slowly changing, and results on the field are starting to show that.”