In a BBC interview last week with Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, here’s what the Frenchman said about his infamous kung-fu kick against a Crystal Palace supporter…

“When I did the kung-fu kick on the hooligan, because these kind of people don’t have to be at the game … it’s like a dream for some, you know sometimes to kick these kind of people.

“So I did it for the fans, so they are happy. It’s a kind of freedom for them. They [still] speak about that because maybe they felt it, because they felt something special physically – maybe it was a different feeling.

“It’s a great feeling, but different. I have seen so many players scoring goals, they know this kind of feeling.

“This one – a player jumping and kicking a hooligan – it’s not the kind of thing you see every day.”

Scroll down to see a video of Cantona flying through mid-air to deliver the kung-fu kick:

That kung fu kick was like a dream, ‘eh? More like “Death From Above” (as evidenced in the above new T-shirt from Studs Up Football Club, showing Cantona mid-air). Well, in the press conference that was called later, Cantona put his spin on the kung-fu kick by stating perhaps his most famous quote ever: “When the seagulls follow the trawler, it’s because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much.” And then he walked out.

Cantona was later sentenced to 120 hours of community service for his kung-fu attack on the Crystal Palace fan. But the memory of that incident, which happened 16 years ago, still lives on. Nowadays Cantona is the director of football at the New York Cosmos.

The Death From Above T-shirt, which captures the infamous kung-fu kick, is available from Studs Up Football Club, the purveyors of fine, top quality football fashion T-shirts. The design is printed on a super soft 100% cotton tee. Custom SUFC hem and collar tags. This is definitely a conversation starter as well as a trendy shirt to wear that will be appreciated by die-hard football fans.