handed him a "lifeline" in the "worst moment" in his life. In 2003, with the Hammers struggling at the bottom of the league, Di Canio had a very public row with manager Glenn Roeder and was dropped from the first team. However, he returned at the end of the season (after Roeder, stricken by a brain tumour, was replaced by Trevor Brooking) and scored a winner against Chelsea in the penultimate game of the season, a game that boosted West Ham's chances of staying in the Premiership. However, they were relegated on the final day of the season after a 2–2 draw away to Birmingham City, where Di Canio scored an 89th-minute equaliser. He was released on a free transfer and signed with Charlton Athletic for the start of the 2003–04 season. Charlton Athletic In his one season at The Valley, Di Canio helped Charlton finish the season in 7th place, the club's highest league finish since 1953. However, he only scored four league goals for the Addicks, all of which came from the penalty spot (one from a rebound). One of the penalty kicks was an audacious "Panenka"-style penalty kick against Arsenal. Di Canio however continued to be a provider of goals as well, notably in October 2003 when he came on as second-half substitute with Charlton trailing 1–0 away at Portsmouth. He provided most of the spark for Charlton's much-improved second-half display, and after Jonathan Fortune had equalised for Charlton, it was from Di Canio's corner kick in the last minute that Shaun Bartlett headed home the winning goal. Return to Italy Even though he had already signed an extension to his Charlton contract, in August 2004 he returned to his home team of Lazio, taking a massive pay cut in order to return to the financially-stretched Roman team. Lazio fans were happy to have a Rome-bred Lazio supporter in the team again, something missing since the departure of Alessandro Nesta in 2002. He scored in the Rome derby, just as he had in 1989, leading the team to a 3–1 victory over Roma on 6 January 2005. However, the negative publicity that Di Canio generated for Lazio, including his intimate relationship with club's ultras and their increased influence due to his presence in the team, coupled with problems with some teammates and coaches, exasperated club president and majority shareholder, Claudio Lotito, with whom he already had a