Smile is Bamba's lasting tribute - Warnock

Ex-Cardiff City leader Neil Warnock believes nan representation of Sol Bamba's grin would beryllium nan champion tribute for nan iconic Ivorian defender.

Bamba died past week aged 39, pinch woman Chloe revealing he "finally succumbed" having first been diagnosed pinch non-Hodgkin lymphoma successful 2021, during his clip astatine Cardiff.

Former clubs, team-mates and fans were speedy to stock heart-felt messages for a subordinate who captained Leeds United and enjoyed spells pinch Leicester City, Middlesbrough, Hibernian and Dunfermline Athletic.

And location are calls from Bluebirds fans for a lasting tribute to Bamba, who nan Welsh broadside described arsenic a "club legend" and "a leader to each of us".

Warnock says nan player, who erstwhile described him arsenic a "father-figure", would not want immoderate fuss.

“Do you cognize I’m not judge Sol would for illustration thing for illustration that," Warnock told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"Sol conscionable liked to beryllium himself and didn't want immoderate accolades aliases thing for illustration that, he was conscionable a gentleman.

"I don’t deliberation immoderate Bluebird instrumentality would not beryllium capable to adjacent their eyes and deliberation astir that beaming smile, aliases 1 of nan goals he scored and I deliberation that's nan tribute.

Yes, you tin do 1 point aliases another, but I deliberation nan Bluebirds fans will retrieve him successful their ain mind and emotion him arsenic they did.”

Bamba was 1 of Warnock's first signings erstwhile he took complete a Cardiff broadside struggling astatine nan bottommost of nan Championship successful Ocober 2016.

"Sol and Junior Hoilett, I wanted to motion them and it was successful June, they sewage released and I said, ‘Look, I'm going to motion some of you’," said Warnock.

"I was being chatted-up by Nottingham Forest and Blackburn Rovers and I kept telling these 2 lads ‘listen, it'll only beryllium a week, 2 weeks, bent connected for maine will you'.

"And it sewage to September, and they were some like, ‘Are you sure, Gaffer? Are you judge you're going to get a job?’.

"Sol said 'Gaffer we person to salary nan bills, maine and Junior. We can't hold forever’.

"I retrieve picking nan telephone up and saying ‘Come on, lads. We're going to Wales.’ ‘We’re going where?’ he said."

Bamba became an instant leader successful Cardiff, scoring connected his debut successful a 2-1 triumph against Bristol City and playing a cardinal domiciled successful nan club's promotion to nan Premier League nan pursuing season.

In January 2021 nan nine announced nan past 35-year-old was being treated for cancer. He returned to playing 4 months later, announcing he was free of nan unwellness pursuing chemotherapy treatment.

Warnock said Bamba remained an inspiring characteristic throughout.

"The grin he had connected his look each time successful training, arsenic a manager, each nine I’ve been at, location has been definite players that make you happy to spell successful in nan greeting and he was ever 1 of them," said Warnock.

"No matter really you felt, that beaming grin arsenic you met him and successful nan corridor and successful nan cafeteria, anyplace he was ever nan same.

"I cognize he has been fighting because evidently I’ve been successful touch pinch him complete nan years, and nan number of ex-players, that person messaged maine because they knew Sol and I were very close, they’ve messaged maine to opportunity really he helped them passim their clip astatine Cardiff.

"Although Sean Morrison was nan captain. I deliberation he was nan captain's captain. He's everlastingly a Cardiff City legend."