Paolo Di Canio enjoyed some magical moments during his memorable spell at West Ham United and says he will be full of emotions when he prepares to say goodbye to his beloved Boleyn Ground.
Di Canio enjoyed an unforgettable four year spell in east London where he made 141 appearances and scored 51 goals.
Few could forget the Italian forward scoring an acrobatic volley against Wimbledon which was voted the greatest ever goal at the Boleyn Ground.
Di Canio also produced one of his best performances in east London when he scored two goals against Arsenal back in October 1999.
The Hammers legend showed a passion and determination that saw him earn cult hero status in the East End of London and his love affair with the West Ham supporters will never be forgotten.
The curtain will finally come down at the Boleyn Ground after 112 years and the Hammers legend knows he will be fighting back the tears when the final whistle is blown at the end of the game.
Di Canio said: “I am delighted that I can be back for the final ever game against Manchester United.
“I have already prepared a special suit with my tailor as it is a unique occasion and you need to respect it.
“I will be be silent and take in everything that is going on as I want to remember everything. I will keep good memories and there will probably be some tears.
“But I know we are moving for a good reason and it can only be good for this football club and it will be bigger in the future.
“When people ask me about my favourite memories it is difficult because every time I walked out on the pitch and through the tunnel it was always a great feeling.
“But it is obvious that some games stood out more than others. When we beat Arsenal at home 2-1 and I scored two goals, because we had gone a long time without beating them and that was a great moment.
“There were many other magical moments – even when we lost because you learn how to suffer and you give more energy when you try to enjoy the next ones.
“Every time I got to wear the West Ham United shirt was a special moment for me.”
Although Di Canio will always cherish his time playing at the Boleyn Ground, he has no doubts that the Club will grow even stronger when they move into the new Stadium during the summer.
Di Canio added: “I think the club can move onto the next level and that has to be the target.
“With Slaven Bilic in charge and the fact that they are moving to a 60,000 stadium, the potential increases and they will have the chance to attract even bigger players.
“Bilic is changing things in the dressing room and you can see that by the results on the pitch.
“Everyone is working hard and they defend and attack together. They run for 95 minutes and work hard during the week. Bilic is the right man to employ this mentality.”