My ultimate Hammers XI

Strikers: Dean Ashton and Paolo Di Canio

Unlike other positions, the striker roles have been absent of many great players in my time supporting West Ham, but these two are certainly worthy of a place in this XI.

Dean Ashton’s career was tragically cut short after injury troubles at the mere age of 26, but when he was fit and playing, he had all of the ability and potential to make it as a world-class footballer.

For a man of his size, his touch was surprisingly elegant as he effortlessly brought his teammates into play, while his knack for goalscoring was natural.

His talent was perhaps best highlighted when he scored a stunning overhead kick at Old Trafford in a 4-1 loss to Man Utd. He held off an imperious Rio Ferdinand with his strength before latching onto the high ball in the air and sending it into the top corner.

The Stretford End could only stand and applaud as it was a goal that the likes of Eric Cantona and George Best would have been proud of.

Regarding Paolo Di Canio, I may be cheating a little bit, as I was only eight-years-old when he left the club.

I did, however, attend my first Hammers game with him playing which must count for something – albeit a 5-0 loss to Everton at Goodison Park. The Italian did manage to hit the bar in that drubbing, though, which I managed to highlight as a positive after the match.

In all seriousness, Di Canio was in the Payet mould of a troubled star for West Ham that ultimately brought fans to their feet despite his unconventional ways. He was a maverick who you sometimes could not live with but definitely could never live without.

His short-but-sweet four-year spell at the club brought him, according to most fans, legendary status at West Ham, with strikes such as his impossible volley against Wimbledon and his outrageous left-footed effort against Chelsea highlighting just how good this man was.