Di Canio, the tyrant, unlikely to be seen again in the EPL
Due diligence and sensibility were forgotten and his fate was sealed from day one - he was too combustible for EPL
On any given Saturday, hordes of men spurn football and instead dress as warriors of yore and re-enact famous battles. They are members of battle re-enactment societies and they base their fancy-dress scuffles on historical events, 1415 Agincourt and 1066 Hastings among the favourites.
The societies, like the Medieval Siege Society of Great Britain, are open to battle requests. Name the rivals, date and location, and these tough historians will do their utmost to find the right armour and pikes to fit the occasion.
Perhaps Sunderland fans in years to come will request a replay of their remarkable clash against a Roman tyrant. The mighty clan of Weirsiders defeated their power-crazed emperor, Paolo Di Canio, last weekend in scenes that will ensure one particular page in the EPL history book will be well-thumbed by generations to come.
When he declared after the West Brom match that his players had "rubbish for brains", the soldiers turned
There was something deeply tragic when Di Canio (not for the first time) walked across the pitch after the final whistle to reconcile with supporters after the 3-0 away drubbing at fellow strugglers West Brom, a result that rooted the Black Cats to the bottom of the league. He stood gesturing, calling for sympathy for his monumental ego.
"I absorb the insults as it's part of the game. If I was in their position I'd be furious," said the Italian firebrand, who likes to portray himself as a man of the people.
Yet there was no silencing the vox populi this time. They vented their spleen and called for his head. Di Canio had severely misread their mood.
"Et tu, brute," wailed his body language as it dawned on him he had lost the mandate to rule.