West Ham fan pictured crying during FA Cup match against Nottingham Forest now 'a bigger fan than before defeat'
The father of a young West Ham fan who was pictured on television crying during his side's humiliating 5-0 FA Cup loss to Nottingham Forest has told ITV News his son "is an even bigger fan than before" the defeat.
Jason Mann, from Gosport, Hampshire, and his son Callum went to Forest's City Ground at the weekend hoping to see the Hammers progress to the next round.
However, an under-strength West Ham lost badly to the Championship team and Callum was pictured on television crying.
After the match, the east London club made an appeal to find the youngster to offer him a VIP package to another match as an apology.
Jason, 36, told ITV News that Callum was excited as he travelled to Nottingham because it was his first ever West Ham away match.
Despite West Ham trailing 1-0 at half-time to a team in the division below them, Callum's optimism had not dwindled.
"At half time he said 'don't worry dad', he was confident," Jason said.
However, the match started to go badly wrong for the Hammers in the second half as they conceded four goals, which left Callum devastated.
When the pair returned to their home in Gosport after the match, Jason looked on West Ham's website where there was an appeal to find "the young fan at Forest" who was pictured crying.
The club has offered Jason and Callum tickets to a match home match against either Newcastle, Swansea or Southampton as an apology for the defeat.
Callum's dad said the pair were delighted by the club's offer.
When asked why Callum supported West Ham, his dad said: "He supports them because of me.
"He had no choice, unfortunately."