Declan Rice would have felt Arsenal’s defeat to West Ham more than most especially after being subbed off to jeers.
For the third season running West Ham inflicted a result on Arsenal that has all but ended their title dreams.
West Ham won 1-0 at the Emirates on Saturday as Jarrod Bowen lost his marker Declan Rice to head home.
The new Hammers captain eluding the man who used to wear the armband, who used to be adored by the West Ham faithful.
Rice was a huge hit with Gunners fans in his first season.
But it has not gone unnoticed that the midfielder struggles to perform when facing West Ham for Arsenal.
Rice has admitted himself he finds it strange facing the club he will – in his own words – always love.
Many Gunners fans – including those who grab the headlines on Arsenal Fan TV – have been critical of Rice’s performances against the Hammers.
o West Ham fan can hate Rice after classy gesture
He was hooked against his old side on 56 minutes to panto jeers from the away fans who had repeatedly told him ‘you should have signed for a big club’.
In reality many West Ham fans like Rice – or at least don’t have the intense hate for him as they did for the likes of Paul Ince and Frank Lampard.
His defection to Arsenal over Man City burned bridges with some Hammers fans.
But how it was handled and the fact West Ham made £105m pure profit mean this is not on the Lampard-Ince axis.
Rice has always showed class towards West Ham in multiple ways since leaving for the Gunners, with his words and in his actions.
There will always be some who simply won’t forgive him leaving the club, as is their right.
But no West Ham fan can hate Rice after his classy gesture following the Arsenal loss.
Hammer at heart Rice rises above Arsenal anguish
It was a tough afternoon for Rice.
Not only did he suffer the ignominy of being subbed off against his old team.
But the Hammers were the reason – once again – he will not be lifting the trophy which he says motivated his move to Arsenal in the first place.
Amidst all that, the West Ham Academy graduate showed a level of class which should earn him the respect of even the most begrudging of jilted Hammers.
According to The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas, Rice sought out the latest star to follow him off the West Ham production line – Ollie Scarles.
Showing all the qualities which made him such a great captain for the Hammers, Rice gave Scarles his shirt.
That was not all, though.
It carried a personalised message to West Ham’s brilliant young left-back.
Hammers starlet Scarles ‘beaming’ after Rice gesture
The contents of the message has not been revealed. But Scarles, who is now also in possession of the West Ham left-back shirt, was ‘beaming’ at the gesture.
Scarles snaffled the shirt in his bag and unzipped it to show off his gift.
He now plans on having the shirt framed.
Say what you want about Rice, but that is genuine class.
It wasn’t done for the cameras, the PR or the social media likes.
It was a gesture from the heart to a young player Rice undoubtedly sees much of himself in.
The fact Rice gave Scarles his shirt and took time to write him a message too has only come to light because the Hammers youngster wanted it to.
It must be remembered many of the values instilled in Rice came from his legendary former captain at West Ham, Mark Noble.
Now the bridge between the Academy and first team as sporting director, Noble will be instilling those same traits in Scarles and others.
To see Rice hold on to those values so dearly warms the heart.
They say once a Hammer, always a Hammer.
And despite being tainted in the eyes of some now he’s at Arsenal, Rice clearly feels that way.
