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Nine years ago, Daniel Smith, aged just 19, clattered into the French international after coming on as a sub in Sunderland's 3-0 home defeat by the Gunners.

It fractured Diaby's ankle and ruptured ligaments and led Wenger to hammer rookie Smith.

"When you play against people who do not try to play, it is very difficult to take," said the Frenchman, who released Diaby this summer.

At the end of last year, Wenger still had not forgiven Smith, saying his challenge had blighted Diaby's career.

"He was the victim of an assassin's tackle that went unpunished," he claimed.

But there are two sides to every story and Starsport tracked down Smith, 28, now working selling CCTV security in Brisbane, Australia, and playing semi-pro football.

While the injury-plagued Diaby went on to make 165 more appearances for the north Londoners, that fateful match proved the third and last time Smith played for his beloved home-town club. He never made an appearance in the top flight again.

"It was a roller-coaster downhill," said Smith about his career path afterwards.

"Whenever there is a Diaby thing it is always related to me. He could have a migraine and it would be Dan Smith!

"I think about what might have happened to my career if if were not for that tackle, probably every day.

"I had come through the England ranks - Under-16s,17s, 18s, 19s.

"I was a young lad coming through and there were 10-15 minutes left in the Arsenal game and Kevin Ball, the caretaker manager, just said 'go on and have a good go at it, let the fans see a young lad coming through the ranks'.

"It was my home Premier League debut and I was fired-up. Diaby is 6ft 3ins, 6ft 4ins, he is a giant.

"I am 5ft 10in with heels on. It was one of them where I had already committed to the tackle and once he's nicked the ball I was just sliding through.

"I am not malicious in any way. If you look at my record before then I wasn't known as a malicious player.

"As a 19-year-old it did scar me. When you are in that situation and you have a bit of a career going it is tough to take when it is all you are remembered for.

"If you go on pedigree and looks at the stats, it was England 16s, 17s, 18s, 19s and playing for Sunderland in the Premier League.

"I think it took away the pride of playing for the team I always wanted to play for.

"In the space of three games it just went down the drain."

At the end of that season, Smith opted to move to Aberdeen.

"From there I was the guy who broke Diaby's leg," he added. "I wasn't the guy who represented England at all those youth levels, I wasn't the up-and-coming Sunderland player."

Smith pointed out Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey had bounced back to play his best football after he had his leg broken in 2010 by Stoke's Ryan Shawcross, who went on to play for England.

"Wenger has had enough 19-year-old players coming through his ranks and some of them have probably had more bookings than anyone else.

"You look at disciplinary records and he'll be the first to stick up for his players.

"I understand he was annoyed, but he has been long enough in the game to see it was not a malicious tackle and there was no intent.

"It was just a young lad trying to impress who got a bit over-excited."

Smith revealed that after the Arsenal match he managed to get the shirt of his idol and fellow left-back Ashley Cole and that he also looked up to the likes of Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Sol Campbell.

"I used to play with them on Championship Manager," Smith added

"They were my super-heroes and when Wenger came out and said what he said...it still hurts to be honest.

"It will never go away. He keeps bringing it up and I just don't understand it.

"I have had people say to me I wrecked Diaby's career, but it is not the only injury he has had.

"Anything related to an injury and it was always down to me."

Smith's career dipped so much he ended up in the Northern Premier League turning out for the likes of Dunston.

"Word would go round 'that was the guy who broke Diaby's leg'.

"You are playing there for fun, not to try to make a career and you have to listen to someone shouting, 'that is the f*****g w****r who broke Diaby's leg'."

Smith, though, appears to have found happiness in Australia, with Holland Park Hawks, also popping on his Sunderland shirt to watch the Black Cats on TV.

"There are a few of us ex-pros out here and hopefully some more will come out.

"It is the most I have enjoyed football for a good few years."