Cheick Diabate: Exeter City defender relishing first-team chances

Cheick Diabate made his Exeter City debut on New Year's Day

Exeter City defender Cheick Diabate says he still cannot believe he is playing first-team football

The 19-year-old was recalled from loan at Truro City before Christmas after injuries to Pierce Sweeney and Alex Hartridge and has impressed in his three starts for the League Two club.

"When they got injured I still didn't think I'd get recalled," he said.

"Then I ended up getting recalled and had a chance in the first team, it was what I'd been waiting for."

Diabate was spotted by Exeter at the EFL's exit trials after he had been released as an under-16 player at Stevenage in 2019.

Having seen his debut delayed three times after games with Port Vale, Portsmouth and Swindon Town were postponed due to Covid-19 in late December, the south Londoner finally made his debut away at Sutton United on New Year's Day.

"It's quite ironic because the pitch we played on at Sutton was where I used to train and play my games when I was an under-15," he said.

"To make my league debut in south London, where I'm originally from, where I used to train and play my games as an under-15 was an amazing feeling, it was like it was meant to be."

Inspired by top-flight cousin

Diabate's cousin Mory Kone was a French youth international

Diabate admits to having not heard of Exeter before being asked to sign for the club, but says he was comfortable with moving away from home as a young teenager to fulfil his dream after being inspired by his cousin Mory Kone.

Centre-back Kone played in the French top flight for Troyes and also had spells at Le Mans and Italian side Parma before knee injuries ended his career.

"He was an inspiration for me, I always wanted to be like him, moving away from home and playing football, I looked up to him," Diabate told BBC Sport.

"Ever since I was 13 or 14 I've always liked the idea of moving away from home to play football, so when Exeter came it was hard, but you have to get along with it as at the end of the day if you want to achieve your dreams and your goals you have to make a sacrifice."

Truro loan develops footballing skills

Cheick Diabate spent five months on loan at Truro City

Exeter manager Matt Taylor, himself a former central defender described Diabate's physical attributes as "fantastic" but said he needed more playing experience.

That experience started to be honed when he joined Truro City in the Southern Premier South before the start of the season.

"I went out in pre-season so that gave me a chance to cement my spot in the team and get to know the lads. I was literally straight into the team," he told BBC Sport.

"I think going on loan is the biggest thing for young players getting that game time.

"When you're playing under-18s football it's a massive jump to that first-team football, so going on loan and playing with men bigger than you makes it easier.

"Paul Wotton (Truro City's manager) was a centre-half as well and he always used to give me advice before games and after games.

"Last season we didn't know when our next game would be, so you couldn't get in a rhythm, but this year I got into my rhythm and I knew that I was going to be playing two games a week, so when it's like that it's easier to progress and improve as a player, so it's helped me a lot."