African Players and the Great Escapes of the Premier League

The greatest escapes in the history of the Premier League and the Africans who played a key role in these unforgettable survival acts

Licester city inspired partly by African pair Jeffrey Schlupp and Riyad Mahrez, have pulled off a Premier League in magnificent style over the last few weeks.

Despite appearing dead and buried at the end of March, they discovered some title-winning form for the final furlong of the campaign and guaranteed their survival with a 0-0 draw against Burnley this weekend.

In doing so, the Foxes take their place in the pantheon of the greatest-ever escape acts in EPL history.

In this feature, we look at the seven great late escapes since the Prem began and the African players who inspired these incredible acts of escapism.

Mahrez | A vital contribution

Southampton: 1996/97

That Southampton managed to escape from the Premier League relegation zone despite being bottom with only eight matches to play has become something of a footnote in one of the weirdest stories in EPL history.

Supposedly receiving a call from legendary striker George Weah recommending his ‘cousin’ to the Saints, Graeme Souness signed ‘striker’ Ali Dia onto a one-month contract.

Despite not looking or playing anything like a professional footballer in training, Dia was brought on as a substitute for Matt Le Tissier, 32 minutes into a match against Leeds United, before himself being replaced on 85 minutes.

As if that indignation wasn’t enough, Dia’s contract was brought to a premature conclusion after only 14 days. Le Tissier later said that the Senegalese forward had “ran around the pitch like Bambi on ice,” which perhaps gives us a clue as to where things went wrong.

The Times once named Dia—who later featured for Gateshead—as the worst-ever footballer…but at least he played his own little part as the Saints beat the drop!

West Bromwich Albion: 2004/05

Bryan Robson’s West Bromwich Albion side of the 2004-05 season were possibly the first-ever truly great escapees of the Premier League era.

Indeed, they were the first ever club who, despite being bottom of the pile at Christmas time, managed to avoid the drop.

Influential, of course was Nigeria superstar Nwankwo Kanu, who led the line with Welsh forward Robert Earnshaw.

In November 2004, Kanu missed an open goal in Robson’s first match in charge, a game which the Baggies lost 2-1.  It remains one of the worst misses in Premier League history, and was arguably the lowest ebb of a wretched start to the campaign.

However, the Throstles turned things around, with Kanu delivering several brave, inspirational displays as fortunes improved through the spring. They started the final day in 20th position, but pulled clear with a 2-0 triumph over Portsmouth.

Portsmouth: 2005/06

One of the campaign’s that gave Harry Redknapp his ‘Harry Houdini’ moniker!

Pompey were eight points off the pace with only 10 matches to go, but managed to turn things around and survive thanks—in part—due to the inspirational Portuguese midfielder Pedro Mendes.

Nigerian striker Emmanuel Olisadebe—who represented Poland at national level—played twice during the final few months of the season, but his four-mouth stay on the south coast was severely affected by injury.

African campaigners such as Benjani (Zimbabwe), Franck Songo’o and Vincent Pericard (both Cameroon), Collins Mbesuma (Zambia), Lomana Lua Lua (DR Congo) and Salif Diao and Aliou Cisse (both Senegal) all featured in Redknapp’s eclectic (and bulging) squad.

West Ham United: 2006/07

Alan Pardew was dismissed leaving Alan Curbishley (and Carlos Tevez!) to pick up the pieces, and they did, surviving thanks to a final-day victory over Manchester United, despite having been ten points adrift with nine matches to play.

A 4-3 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur towards the end of the campaign—one of the matches of the season—may have stung the proud East Londoners, but their attacking flair—and the magic of Tevez—gave them confidence that they could beat the drop.

John Paintsil arrived at the club in the summer of 2006, but was a bit-part player during the campaign.

Fulham: 2007/08

Saving this Fulham side was one of Roy Hodgson’s finest achievements.

2-0 down against Manchester City in their third-to-last match, they were six points adrift, but they turned that loss into a 3-2 defeat. Two further victories followed, and despite accruing nine points in their last three matches, they only just edged Blackburn Rovers into the Championship on goal difference.

Diomansy Kamara scored two at the City of Manchester Stadium, including a 92nd-minute penalty winner.

Algerian midfielder Hameur Bouazza also chipped in. Veteran Papa Bouba Diop only made two league appearances.

Wigan Athletic: 2011/12

Young Nigerian striker Victor Moses truly revealed his class in 2012 as Wigan Athletic beat the drop with seven wins in their last nine matches—including triumphs over Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal.

The forward—who moved to Chelsea at the end of the campaign—scored a three-minute brace against Newcastle United in April as Roberto Martinez’s side won 4-0 and also bagged a crucial late equaliser against Norwich City in March.

Senegal midfielder Mohamed Diame was also a key man, while Mali striker Nouha Dicko made one appearance.

Leicester City: 2014-15

Leicester’s remarkable surge up the table over the last few months stands alongside any of these other great escapees in the division’s history.

The Foxes appeared to be nailed-on for relegation at the end of March, having picked up only 19 points. They had gone 13 league matches without a victory before Christmas—managing only two points in three months—and, in total, spent 140 days in bottom spot.

However, with a game to spare, they are already safe, and currently eyeing 13th position after winning seven (and scoring 17) in their last nine matches.

Ghana left-back Jeffrey Schlupp has been a key man for the Foxes, and was named both club Young Player of the Year and the Player’s Player of the Year at the team’s awards ceremony on Monday evening.

Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez also played a crucial role, scoring both goals in a recent 2-0 victory over Southampton.