“An incredible thing” – Icon lauds West Ham fans and the ‘father to son’ bond which pleased him

West Ham United icon Paolo di Canio has hailed the club and the ‘father to son’ nature of the love for the club, something he experienced himself.

The former striker has been speaking to Il Messaggero about various topics, including his recent trip to the London Stadium.

Di Canio was singing “I’m forever blowing bubbles” from the middle of the pitch with his old fanbase ahead of the clash against Manchester City.

The Italian is still well thought of by the West Ham faithful after a four-year spell with the Hammers from 1999 to 2003 that saw him score 50 goals and register 16 assists in 139 games for the club.

That spell was by far the most successful of his career and arguably the club where he was loved the most in a varied career that saw him play for the likes of Juventus, AC Milan and Lazio to name a few.

Because of that he enjoys a relationship with the West Ham faithful, and he was full of praise for them once again.

“An incredible thing, only in England can you experience such an intense culture of the past,” he said.

“In the Premier League, yes, there is a passage from father to son: you don’t know how many children wore my shirt without even having seen me once on the pitch.

“Ours is a strong bond: after 20 years they welcome me like a king because the tradition is strong and intense.”