The special connection between Perth and London club West Ham United has been recognised with the Premier League club changing their front-of-shirt sponsor for their upcoming two-game tour of Australia. The Hammers will honour the late Dylan Tombides by featuring the DT38 foundation logo on their shirts in place of regular sponsor Betway.

Dylan was 20 when he passed away due to testicular cancer in 2014. A promising product of West Ham’s academy, the Perth-born attacker was rising through the Hammers’ ranks when his life was cut short three months after playing for Australia at the AFC Under-22 Championship. The DT38 Foundation is West Ham’s principle charity partner.

West Ham legend Carlton Cole, who is in Perth for the Hammers games with Perth Glory (July 15) and Tottenham Hotspur (July 18), spoke glowingly of Dylan following an open training session at Macedonia Park. “A young player that made our first team. Australian-born. He was a great player and a great person,” Cole said.

“We’ve been a great supporter of the charity, DT38, and the whole family is linked really closely to our club. He’s got his own part in the academy as well, the education centre where we try and honour him and make sure his memory lives on. He’s a very big part of West Ham… a big part of West Ham’s history and future.”

Dylan made his senior West Ham debut in September 2012, less than a year after his original testicular cancer diagnosis. His cancer returned aggressively prior to his death in 2014. Dylan’s number 38 shirt is one of only two numbers that have been retired by the club, along with the number six of World Cup hero Bobby Moore.