Jermain Defoe has described West Ham as a "fantastic" club - despite receiving yet another a negative reception from Hammers fans at the weekend.
The source of the West Ham fans' beef with the former England international can be traced to the moment a 21-year-old Defoe handed in a transfer request to former Hammers boss Glenn Roeder, back in 2003.That it came less than 24 hours after a 2-2 draw at Birmingham which had condemned West Ham to relegation has never quite been forgiven by some sections of the Boleyn faithful, who voiced their displeasure once again during Saturday's 1-0 win over Defoe's current side.
Yet despite having habitually received abuse from the Hammers fans since leaving the club more than 12 years ago, Defoe could only speak in glowing terms about his former employers when speaking to the media following Saturday's defeat for Sunderland - a result that leaves them in a precarious position at the foot of the Premier League.
“It was an emotional day and it would have been nice to have scored so I was a little disappointed," he told safc.com.
"I can remember walking into the club as a youngster and you could instantly tell it was a family club, so I’ll never forget my time here. The culture and mentality of the club from the academy to the youth team is fantastic.
"For the fans and everybody else associated with the club, leaving the Boleyn Ground will be strange because of the history here. For me, like many others, it is a special place that I will never forget."
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