With the story coming by way of Sunday People scribe Alan Nixon, Di Canio is said to have spat in his own face a few times after Sunderland’s defeat at West Brom; taking swigs of water, spraying it into the air, letting it fall on his face, rubbing it in and then yelling at his players "that is what you have done to me, spat in my face" before telling them all to do it to themselves.

Di Canio, ever the masterful man-motivator, apparently also told his team he hoped someone threw human faeces in their faces. He then told players they could phone chairman Ellis Short to complain about him if they didn’t like his methods. Several did, and Di Canio was sacked shortly thereafter.