They didn't get the result but the football took a back-seat at Upton Park as West Ham United and their fans paid tribute to late Australian striker Dylan Tombides.
They didn't get the result but the football took somewhat of a back-seat at Upton Park as West Ham United and their fans paid tribute to late Australian striker Dylan Tombides.
The 20-year-old youth international striker, tragically died on Friday after his courageous three-year battle with testicular cancer.
Prior to the Hammers' 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace, the club and its supporters gave a moving tribute to the young Australian star.
In emotional scenes, Tombides's father Jim and brother Taylor carried his shirt into the middle of the ground as the entire stadium stood and gave a minute's applause.
The club also announced it would retire Tombides' number 38 shirt - an honour bestowed to only one other player in the club's history - while the whole stadium gave further applause at the 38 minute mark.
"I'm disappointed we lost a game of football but on a day like this football doesn't mean an awful lot after what happened to Dylan this week," West Ham manager Sam Allardyce said.
The Perth-born attacker was initially diagnosed in 2011 but bravely fought the disease to return to action in the youth ranks and making a maiden first-team appearance in a League Cup tie in 2012.
There also has been an outpouring of grief on social media, including from actor Samuel L Jackson who met Tombides at a cancer awareness event late last year.
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