Paolo Di Canio picked a good day to make an impromptu visit to the Boleyn Ground.
On Saturday afternoon the sun was shining over east London, spirits were high among the crowd and the two teams in West Ham United and Newcastle United were full value in an entertaining contest. Word had gone around before kick-off that Di Canio was back in town and it was no surprise that the Italian received a rapturous response when spotted watching on and soon enough his name was ringing around the stadium once again among "the best fans in the world".
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Di Canio memorably wore the claret and blue between January 1999 and May 2003, scoring 48 goals in 118 league appearances. The striker had then had a season under Alan Curbishley at Charlton Athletic before returning to boyhood club Lazio and finally heading to Cisco Roma, where he played until hanging up his boots earlier this year. Speaking to WHUTV, he said: "It is a special day for me because I have this chance to come back after five years. It is a special moment because I have met lots of friends. The atmosphere around here is always full of passion and I have big emotions inside me.
"I always followed every season of West Ham - in particular this season they have done well because I think they have a lot of injuries this year. I think they have done a good job. Of course I hope for the future that this club can grow and give more satisfaction to the fans but today is a special day for me because I couldn't imagine this response from the fans. I still keep West Ham in my heart and I will forever."
Di Canio, the Hammer of the Year in 1999/00, had some words of advice for youngsters like James Tomkins and Freddie Sears who he has watched with interest in recent weeks and who he knows "are the future of this club". He added: "They must grow up with the passion. They must remember that everything they do they have to do with professionalism but especially they must give even more for these fans because they are absolutely fantastic. They follow the club during the season even when the team maybe doesn't play so well."
The 39-year-old paid a visit to the dressing room area before the game and was delighted to catch up with Curbishley, who he played under during the 2003/04 season. He said: "Alan is a good man, he is a great manager. I had the chance to work with him when I used to play for Charlton. He is a hardworking man, and also I think he gives a tactical system in the way you want it and the players follow him in the right way. I think he is one of the best managers in England."