Tommy Burns signed Di Canio from AC Milan in 1996 and the Italian revealed at the time that it was his dream come true to don the Hoops after being captivated by the famous green and white shirts when he played Subbuteo as a kid. His style and skill immediately enchanted the fans and he became an instant cult hero scoring 15 times in his 37 appearances for the club. It all ended in tears, though, when he developed a dispute with the club following Tommy's sacking, leading to speculation that he was using Tommy's situation to manoeuvre a move to England. 
Speaking before Sunday's tribute match at Celtic Park he insisted that Tommy had been a huge influence on his life. "Tommy was a special, special person for me." he said. "I regard him as one of the most important people of my life. Tommy was the man who brought me to Scotland to play for such a fantastic club as Celtic. It was such an important move for me and my family. Not only did I gain a tremendous experience, my family also enjoyed a great life in Scotland. I learned another culture and that meant so much to me."
"Tommy did so much for me and my family." continued Di Canio. "He was always ready to come to my house to help me and my family. I couldn't speak Scottish and it was difficult at first! But Tommy gave me the strength and power to carry on. That was crucial. He was my manager, but I couldn't believe how much he did for me. Tommy helped us with everything, and we can never forget him for that. That is why it isn't a problem for me to fly from Rome to Glasgow on Sunday, via Amsterdam, and back the same night. I would go to the other side of the world for Tommy. My family, too, will never forget him."
"It was incredible how committed Tommy was to making us happy." said the Roman. "He was a gentleman. He had a very important, high pressure job to do for Celtic and we couldn't have expected him to give as much to us as he did. But Tommy was always there. It didn't matter the problem, big or small. It's why we eventually loved my time with Celtic and in Scotland. Tommy and the Scottish people were so generous to us. He had his own wife and children, but he was always there for me."
Di Canio's biggest regret was that he couldn't stop the Huns and win the title for Tommy. "We were so close to Rangers." he said. "Not winning the league that season was heartbreaking. I will always wish we had won it for Tommy. For me he was a brother, not just my manager. I was so close to him, but he also had a fantastic idea about how football should be played."
"Tommy was one of my best ever managers." he said. "He made me a better player and person. I played for Fabio Capello at Milan, but I valued Tommy higher. That is because I became so much closer to him than Capello, who was also a great manager. Tommy was everything to me. I had such a great relationship with him. That's why at the end of the season, when he got sacked by Celtic, I just couldn't play on for the club. I really took Celtic to my heart, but what happened to Tommy left me so disappointed and angry."
"I had to move on. I was absolutely committed to Tommy." he added I just didn't feel like playing on for Celtic. The club didn't feel the same without him - his departure was a massive blow for me and my family."
Harry Redknapp once said of Di Canio that he "does things with the ball that make you gasp. Other footballers would pay to watch him train." and the Celtic fans who watched him play would agree with 'Arry. It's difficult for some fans to separate the player from his alleged politics, and they are perfectly entitled to take a dim view of his leanings, but hopefully, because of the nature of the occasion, that can be put to one side on Sunday.
Whatever else his failings he will be well remembered in Glasgow for his sublime football and his fiery passion. "It means so much to me that the Celtic supporters think of me." he said. "But it surprises me because I don't think I achieved anything for them. I wish I had done so much more for the fans, but we didn't win anything. It will be emotional for me to play again at Parkhead and I can't wait to see my friends Pierre and Jorge again. It will be a great honour for me to be there."