Ince prefers London Stadium gap

The son of former Hammer Paul Ince was asked if he was prepared for further abuse from West Ham fans on Monday night, Tom Ince said: “Yeah, I suppose you could say that. I’m not a popular name round there but it’s part of football, it’s one of those things. That’s why I’m glad it’s at the London Stadium. There’s a bit more space between the players and fans.”

Ince,  who signed for Huddersfield from Derby in July for around £11m attributed some blame for the abuse to his dad. “I do keep telling him that,” said the former England Under-21 international. “West Ham and Leeds, I keep getting the same stick and it’s not even my fault, it’s your fault.”

Paul Ince is forever tagged a Judas by many supporters for the picture of him in a Man United shirt taken while still a West Ham player in the summer after the club had been relegated and his mentor and father figure John Lyall had been sacked after over 30 of service.

Ince was close to Lyall, who had nurtured Ince since he was a young teenager, even to the point of intervening when the police came calling to Chadwell Heath looking for the wayward but talented youngster. Ince was said to be have devastated at his dismissal and pushed for a move. The picture of him in the United shirt was taken at the request of his agent, who with Ince about to go on holiday while a transfer to Manchester took place.