9th July!
Happy 55th birthday Paolo!
Those of us lucky to watch Di Canio play for West Ham will have very special memories.
He was was, for want of a better word, a genius – albeit a tortured one sometimes!
He could beat players, he could score goals but, but being Paolo, he could also scored core some of the most spectacular goals ever seen in the Premier League.
Our favourite Italian lunatic scored some incredible strikes really there’s only ever going to be one at the top of the list. It’s often referred to as the best goal in the history of the Premier League and is of course that scissor kick against Wimbledon.
The skill and precision, the cleanness of the strike, the sheer chutzpah of it and, of course, the famous finger wag celebration.
Then there’s the all the theatrics that came with him. He was emotional. He could seem close to tears, he could scream in frustration, he could pound the turf in anger and he could laugh with the fans; sometimes all within a matter of minutes.
He could demand to be substituted, as he did against Bradford in February 2000, then pick himself up to score and help the Hammers into a wonderfully bonkers 5-4 win.
He packed so many moments into his unforgettable West Ham spell that it still seems hard to believe that he was only with us for four years.
Happy birthday Paolo – a true West Ham legend!
His class was worth the tantrums.But the Bradford game was the time i paid for mine,as my old West Ham mate from late 70s invited me to the game (free).I pulled out at the last minute when i found out his wife & young kds were joining us(no smoking,drinking or swearing).Had the right ump watching it on motd.
I was at that game exsoulie, and what a crazy night that was. I was a few rows behind the dug out and could hear Harry yelling at Paolo to get up when he had his epic sulk after being denied yet another penalty.